By Canadian Press

Rourke: Lions need ‘sense of urgency’ entering final stretch of CFL season

Sep 26, 2024 | 11:35 AM

VANCOUVER — Quarterback Nathan Rourke says the B.C. Lions “have to have a sense of urgency” as they prepare for their final four games of the CFL season.

“There’s a lot of importance in these last four games,” Rourke said after practice this week. “We’ve got to get it going.”

The Lions (7-7) want to get back on track when they face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-9) at B.C. Place Friday night. B.C. is coming off an embarrassing 33-17 loss at home to the Toronto Argonauts two weeks ago that left them in second place in the CFL West.

Across the country, a three-game winning streak has put the Tiger-Cats back in playoff contention in the East.

Defensive back Jamal Peters said the Ticats never stopped believing in themselves, even when they started the season with five losses.

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“We kept the faith,” said Peters, who leads the team with four interceptions. “We kept believing in one another and kept working. We knew we wouldn’t ever be out of it.”

The Lions started the campaign 5-1 but are 2-6 in their last eight games. They head into the weekend two points behind the first-place Winnipeg Blue Bombers and one ahead of the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

After looking strong in beating Ottawa and Montreal by a combined score of 75-35, the Lions managed just 222 total yards against Toronto. Rourke was pulled after completing six of 12 passes for 110 yards and no touchdowns.

“We’re trying to piece it together ourselves,” Rourke said in trying to explain why the Lions can be ferocious one game, then kittens the next. “At the end of the day it comes down to being able to play a complete game.

“That’s what all the good teams around the league do. They are able to play four quarters and have their offence help their defence.”

Rourke is 2-3 in the five games he has played since returning to the CFL after failing to land a job in the NFL. The Canadian-born quarterback has completed 79 of 126 passes for 1,099 yards, four touchdowns and seven interceptions. In the last two games Rourke has no touchdown passes and has thrown three interceptions.

Coming out of a bye week, Rick Campbell, B.C.’s head coach and co-general manager wanted to stop any talk of a quarterback controversy in Vancouver by saying Rourke remains the Lions starter.

“I don’t want to create any confusion,” said Campbell. “Right now this is what we’re doing. I want there to be clarity and not a debate going on.”

Veteran Vernon Adams Jr. was an early candidate as the league’s outstanding player before sustaining an injury and the return of Rourke. Adams was four of seven for 75 yards, no touchdowns and threw an interception when replacing Rourke against the Argos.

For the season Adams has completed 171 of 266 passes for 2,544 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

“We can win with either one of these guys,” said Campbell. “We’re going to go with the continuity Nathan has been playing with the last several weeks. We think we have room to improve and grow.”

One reason for the Hamilton turnaround has been Chris Jones joining the team as a senior defensive assistant after being fired as Edmonton’s head coach and general manager.

In the 10 games before Jones arrived, Hamilton allowed an average 33.4 points a game and gave up 3.5 touchdowns. In the four he has been a coach, the Ticats have given up 26.5 points a game and allowed 2.25 touchdowns.

Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell also leads the CFL with 4,044 passing yards (322 completions on 473 attempts) and 24 touchdowns.

Campbell knows Hamilton comes to the West Coast riding a wave of confidence.

“We always know we’re going to get their best shot,” he said. “Our job it to focus on us and make sure that they get our best shot.

“When they get our best shot, we’re pretty good. We need to direct all our energy and focus on ourselves.”

HAMILTON TIGER CATS (5-9) at B.C. Lions (7-7)

Friday, B.C. Place

ORANGE SHIRT DAY: The Lions celebrate their fourth consecutive Orange Shirt Day Game to pay respect to Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Players will wear special Orange Shirt Day warmup jerseys, which will be raffled off in support of the Orange Shirt Society and Indian Residential Schools Survivors’ Society (IRSSS).

HOMESTREACH: The Lions play three of their final games at home. After Friday they host Calgary Oct. 4 and Montreal Oct. 19 before finishing the season with a bye. B.C.’s lone road game is an Oct. 12 visit to Saskatchewan.

BYE BYE: The Lions are 4-2 in their last six games after a week’s rest.

DOING THE STREAK: Hamilton is looking for it’s first four-game win streak since 2022.

THREE-PEAT: Lions running back William Stanback needs just 41 yards to reach 1,000 for the third time in his career.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS: The two teams have split their last six games at B.C. Place, with five of them decided in the final three minutes.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.

Jim Morris, The Canadian Press