The final CFL shutout wasn't a blankety-blank good time for the B.C. Lions

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It definitely was spectacular.

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The B.C. Lions pitched a shutout in opposition to the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, the primary time in 46 years. It was additionally the primary time Edmonton hadn’t scored some extent in 47 years.

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For context, that’s almost half a century. Gasoline was 15 cents a litre. Debby Boon’s You Mild Up My Life was the highest track within the nation. The groundbreaking Atari online game console (for $200!) had simply been launched, and House Invaders was about to blow folks’s minds.

And there’s not a single participant, and simply three members of the teaching workers — who shall be proven ageism mercy and stay unnamed — who have been alive the final time when any of these issues occurred.

It’s an exceedingly uncommon factor {that a} CFL recreation, with its participation ribbon rouge, ends in a shutout — but it surely does occur. And there are many Lions who keep in mind the final time it did. They in all probability gained’t neglect both.

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The Winnipeg Blue Bombers smacked round a staggering Lions crew 45-0 at IG Subject in 2021, handing B.C. their fourth loss in a row. Quarterback Michael Reilly had 131 yards on 15-of-31 passing, a complete Winnipeg’s Zach Collaros bettered within the first quarter alone (7/8, 148 yards, two TDs)

NEXT GAME

Thursday

B.C. Lions vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers

5:30 p.m. PT, IG Subject

TV: TSN. Radio: AM730

“If it will get worse than this, it’s clearly not an excellent factor,” Reilly stated on the time, phrases that proved prescient as that eventual seven-game slide proved to be his off-ramp from soccer.

Earlier than that loss, the Lions’ franchise hadn’t been shutout since a 29-0 blanking by the Calgary Stampeders on Oct. 25, 1970. Again then, fuel costs have been … effectively, by no means thoughts.

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Whereas a shutout is unlikely, the Bombers nonetheless maintain the mantle of being the West’s greatest heading into Thursday’s showdown within the ‘Peg. One crew will emerge 3-0 and atop the CFL standings, and the Lions hope it’s them.

“Did we nonetheless make some errors (in opposition to Edmonton)? For positive. Are there some issues that we will get higher at? That’s for positive,” stated defensive coordinator Ryan Phillips. “I don’t wish to ever really feel like we reached our peak in Week 2. However the way in which that we’re flying round … I really feel like we give ourselves the very best likelihood to win.

“And I’m assured in my group. Some folks would possibly take that as being cocky … No, I simply know the work they put in. I do know the worth of my guys. I do know they wish to win and so they’re going to do what it takes.

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“It’s the subsequent recreation for us. You play 18 video games and it’s Week 3 and all of us at the moment are nonetheless attempting to determine … precisely what we should be. You can’t ignore the truth that they’re Winnipeg, and so they have been dominant, and so they’ve been dominant within the West and also you’re going in opposition to an MOP man like Zach.

“Is it a problem for us? For positive. However I believe we’re gonna meet it. There’s little doubt about it.”

The hapless Elks (0-2) can’t be thought of in the identical class as Winnipeg, having gone 7-25 the previous two seasons and on a present dwelling stretch of futility that stretches again 18 video games to October 2019.

Taylor Cornelius had 98 yards passing and his throws have been arrowing into the turf each deliberately and unintentionally. Mathieu Betts had B.C.’s solely sack, however Cornelius was pressured too many occasions to discover a rhythm, and the Lions’ ball-swatting secondary did the remaining, as Edmonton had simply 149 web yards.

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B.C. compelled 4 fumbles, and everybody received in on the act — together with the offence — with Jevon Cottoy’s bone-crushing deal with forcing Ed Gainey to each lose possession of his interception return and out of the competition to the six-game injured listing.

The Bombers have damaged 42 factors in each their wins, and lead the league in factors, yards, passing yards, rush yards, and sit second within the defensive rankings.

Thursday’s recreation is a measuring stick, however only for the Lions’ personal inner metrics. In any other case, it’s only a battle of two 2-0 groups.

“We at all times simply talked about desirous to get higher … We’re operating a marathon right here, not a dash,” stated Leos head coach Rick Campbell, whose crew is on a five-game skid in Winnipeg.

“I informed our guys this isn’t a make-or-break recreation, and I didn’t imply it to downplay it. It’s simply Week 3 of 18. Sure, we’re completely excited for the sport. And on the identical time, we all know the results of this recreation shouldn’t be going to make-or-break the season.”

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