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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
What can the B.C. Lions do to get things headed in the right direction?
Frustration isn't a dirty word with Mike Benevides these days. 'It's not a bad thing,' said the B.C. Lions veteran defensive coordinator, whose team gets its latest crack to find traction in this CFL season on Thursday, carrying a 3-5 record into a visit to the 6-2 Hamilton Tiger-Cats. 'If they (Lions players) are pissed off, they should be. We all are. It doesn't feel like a 3-5 team because of the morale, the talent, how they execute, how they practise. All those things are what you want to see. That frustration is not a bad thing. I'll take it. 'They care. You see it in how they come back wanting to do the work. You see it in how they communicate. You see the text messages at night, doing the extra work. It matters to them. If they didn't care or if they felt there was no chance, then it would be different. 'Frustration is OK. Like I told them, we've been around a long, long time and I can tell them all the stories — from 0-5 to 5-0 and all the rest, from a 5-9 team to winning the Grey Cup in 2001 (with the Calgary Stampeders). All those things are good if you place them in the right place. And I think the men are in the right place.' The Lions are coming off a bye week. Their last action was July 27, when they gave up a 10-point lead in the final three minutes in a 37-33 setback to the Tiger-Cats at B.C. Place. B.C. has two victories this season over the 1-6 Edmonton Elks. Their other win was a walk-off on a Sean Whyte field goal versus the Montreal Alouettes. That's all true. There have been stretches, though, like in the Hamilton game where they've also looked every bit a legit contender. And then there have been these lapses like in Hamilton game where they've simply failed to make plays. Penalties, missed tackles, failed connections on offence have been among the culprits along the way. The stats show some of that. The Lions lead the CFL in net offence (408.3 yards per game). They're seventh in scoring (24.5 points per game). They're second in net defence (344 yards per game). They're sixth in points against (27 per game). Lions running back James Butler leads the CFL in rushing yards (619), averaging a career-best 5.5 yards per carry. There have been six 100-yard rushing games in the CFL this season and Butler had three them, including going for 115 yards on 16 carries in that last Hamilton game. B.C. is eighth in the league in turnover ratio (minus-eight). They did take a step forward in that regard in the most recent outing against Hamilton at least, winning that category on the night 3-1. 'We have all the pieces to be an undefeated team,' said Lions left tackle Jarell Broxton. 'I feel like we beat ourselves. That's what practice is for — so we can clean up the mistakes. 'This is to create a user group for Sports Writers, to pull stories into the sports slider widget on the home page.'This is to create a user group for Sports Writers, to pull stories into the sports slider widget on the home page.' 'It's about everybody focusing, everybody doing their job. It takes everybody on the field.' Lions head coach Buck Pierce added: 'Things are going to happen throughout a game and we can't let four or five plays determine outcomes of games. We have to be able to move on and use that adversity as a tool for us. In certain instances, we've done that, but that's something you always have to work on and go through.' The last time the Lions started a season 3-5 was in 2018. They wound up 9-9 that year, which was good enough for fourth spot in the West Division, but put them before the third-place team in the East and gave B.C. the playoff crossover. B.C. lost that East semifinal to Hamilton by a 48-8 count. The crossover is at play this season for the Lions, considering they've already lost twice to both the 7-1 Saskatchewan Roughriders and the 4-3 Winnipeg Blue Bombers, giving those teams the tiebreaker with the Lions. B.C. has two more games with the 5-3 Calgary Stampeders. The Toronto Argonauts are currently third in the East, at 2-6. 'I think the guys really enjoy coming out here to work,' Pierce said. 'I think it's a tight group. I think it's a group that understands we have got to be better and it's not just one area — it's everything. That's what you really enjoy about the group — 'there's things to be fixed, lets get them fixed and lets get to work.'' Teams coming out of a bye week this season in the CFL are 5-5. Hamilton's on a six-game win streak. A win Thursday would make it the Tiger-Cats' best start since the 2019, when they began 7-2 and reached the Grey Cup. Hamilton quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell is 13-7 all-time against B.C. going into the game. Hamilton has outscored their opponents in the fourth quarter in all of its eight games this season, with their combined total coming in at 103-59. Eight of the past 13 matchups between Hamilton and B.C. since 2017 have been decided in the final three minutes. SEwen@ Nathan Rourke: B.C. Lions offence needs to find a way to 'start fast' against Hamilton Sunday Tiger-Cats 37, B.C. Lions 33: Hamilton completes comeback with last-minute touchdown
National Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- National Post
What can the B.C. Lions do to get things headed in the right direction?
Frustration isn't a dirty word with Mike Benevides these days. Article content 'It's not a bad thing,' said the B.C. Lions veteran defensive coordinator, whose team gets its latest crack to find traction in this CFL season on Thursday, carrying a 3-5 record into a visit to the 6-2 Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Article content Article content 'If they (Lions players) are pissed off, they should be. We all are. It doesn't feel like a 3-5 team because of the morale, the talent, how they execute, how they practise. All those things are what you want to see. That frustration is not a bad thing. I'll take it. Article content 'They care. You see it in how they come back wanting to do the work. You see it in how they communicate. You see the text messages at night, doing the extra work. It matters to them. If they didn't care or if they felt there was no chance, then it would be different. Article content 'Frustration is OK. Like I told them, we've been around a long, long time and I can tell them all the stories — from 0-5 to 5-0 and all the rest, from a 5-9 team to winning the Grey Cup in 2001 (with the Calgary Stampeders). All those things are good if you place them in the right place. And I think the men are in the right place.' Article content Your Lions week 10 depth chart is set! Here's how we lineup for Thursday's matchup with Hamilton. #BCLions | @PlayNowSports — BC LIONS (@BCLions) August 6, 2025 Article content Article content The Lions are coming off a bye week. Their last action was July 27, when they gave up a 10-point lead in the final three minutes in a 37-33 setback to the Tiger-Cats at B.C. Place. Article content Article content B.C. has two victories this season over the 1-6 Edmonton Elks. Their other win was a walk-off on a Sean Whyte field goal versus the Montreal Alouettes. That's all true. Article content There have been stretches, though, like in the Hamilton game where they've also looked every bit a legit contender. And then there have been these lapses like in Hamilton game where they've simply failed to make plays. Penalties, missed tackles, failed connections on offence have been among the culprits along the way. Article content The stats show some of that. The Lions lead the CFL in net offence (408.3 yards per game). They're seventh in scoring (24.5 points per game). They're second in net defence (344 yards per game). They're sixth in points against (27 per game). Article content Lions running back James Butler leads the CFL in rushing yards (619), averaging a career-best 5.5 yards per carry. There have been six 100-yard rushing games in the CFL this season and Butler had three them, including going for 115 yards on 16 carries in that last Hamilton game.
CBC
28-07-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Hamilton Tiger-Cats continue winning streak, beating B.C. Lions 37-33
Even when his Hamilton Tiger-Cats were down 10 points with less than four minutes on the game clock, Kiondre Smith believed someone on his team would make a big play. He was right. Smith reeled in a last-minute touchdown reception on Sunday, lifting the Ticats (5-2) to an improbable 37-33 comeback victory over the B.C. Lions that stretched Hamilton's win streak to five straight games. "You just have to buckle down to the details and understand that you got to come back," said the Canadian receiver. "And with the group that we have this year and the staff that we have and what we've been doing in practice, the way we've been taking care of each other, there was never any doubt in there. It was just knowing that you had to do your job. Had to do your job and bite down. And we did that fully." B.C. pulled away with about four minutes left in the fourth quarter after Hamilton's Greg Bell fumbled and Sione Teuhema recovered the ball. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke then lobbed a 43-yard toss to Ayden Eberhardt, giving the home side a first down at Hamilton's two-yard line. Backup QB Jeremiah Masoli came on for short-yardage duty and propelled himself through a mass of bodies for a touchdown. Kicker Sean Whyte made the convert and the Lions took a 33-23 lead. Last-minute comeback The Ticats weren't about to go quietly, however. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell sailed a 44-yard pass to Brendan O'Leary-Orange in the end zone and kicker Marc Liegghio made a convert that cut Hamilton's deficit to three points. On their next possession, Mitchell and his teammates worked their way up the field until, with 16 seconds left on the clock, the QB connected with an unmanned Smith for the game-winning major. "I'm not gonna lie to you, I saw that pre snap," Smith said of the play, which marked his second TD of the game. "We had (players) bunched to the right, and they had two people out there. Someone was gonna be wide open. I'm fortunate enough for it to be me on that one." Mitchell made good on 34 of his 41 passing attempts on the night, throwing for 389 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. "That man is amazing," Smith said of the 35-year-old American. "He's a playmaker. He's a baller. He ages like wine and is continuing to show." Jake Dolegala chalked up a rushing major for the Ticats, and Liegghio made four converts and three field goals, including a 40-yard attempt. "I'm just so proud of these guys. Their confidence is building," said Hamilton's head coach Scott Milanovich. "Most of all, their faith and their belief in their teammates is building. And they believe when the game's on the line, that somebody's gonna make plays. And that's what happened." When a game slips away late, it comes down to a team's mental toughness, said Lions defensive back Robert Carter Jr. "It's a game of inches, so I would definitely say we had to mentally lock in there," he said. "And maybe one or two just wasn't mentally there." 'This is gonna sting for a while' Despite the final result, B.C. (3-5) had shining moments on Sunday. Rourke threw for 289 yards, connecting on 20 of his 27 attempts, while Whyte made four field goals — including a 45-yard kick — and three converts. Running back James Butler drove in a pair of TDs against his former team and rushed for 115 yards on 16 carries. Midway through the second quarter, Rourke dished off to an unmanned Keon Hatcher Sr. in the midfield. The receiver took advantage, sprinting deep into Hamilton territory for a 73-yard gain. Whyte capped the scoring drive with a 22-yard field goal. Carter made his own highlight reel-worthy play with just over a minute to go in the first half. Mitchell launched a rainbow toward the end zone, where the corner back snuck up behind Hamilton's O'Leary-Orange, leapt up and — with one hand — reeled in the ball. Losing after some big moments hurts, Carter said. "I would definitely say this is a devastating loss, just because we were up 10, three minutes left, you know?" he said. "Like, you've got fans leaving the game, thinking, like, `Oh, this game is over.' So I definitely thought we should have put that one away." Lions head coach Buck Pierce said his message to the team after the loss was that everyone in the locker room needs to understand the reality of where they are. "And have the ability to look at yourselves and ask yourself, `What more can I do?"' he said. "Because we've got to be able to finish football games. We've got to be able to get ourselves to a point where we're more consistent and find a way to close games out." B.C. is now headed into a bye week, and Pierce believes some time off will serve his group well. "This is gonna sting for a while, right?" he said. "But they have to move past the emotion of it to grow. And that's the big thing. It's OK to let it hurt, and it's OK to be a little hard on yourself right now. But you've got to move past that. And it's a resilient group, a tough group."
CTV News
23-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Veteran receiver Kenny Lawler making an immediate impact with Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats' Kenny Lawler catches a pass against the Ottawa Redblacks during second half CFL action in Hamilton, Ont. on Saturday, July 12, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins Kenny Lawler hasn't wasted any time making an impact with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The six-foot-one, 180-pound receiver, who signed a two-year deal with Hamilton (4-2) in free agency, leads the CFL in receiving yards (644), touchdowns (career-high eight) and 30-yard receptions (eight). Lawler has 33 catches overall and registered touchdown receptions in five of six games this season. Lawler, 31, has developed a solid chemistry with Hamilton starting quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, the CFL leader in passing yards (1,812), touchdowns (12) and 300-yard games (four). Hamilton leads the league in offensive points (27 per game) and is tied with B.C. for passing TDs (both 12). The Ticats are also second in net passing yards (303.8 per game) behind the Lions (310.6). Hamilton visits B.C. (3-4) on Sunday night having won four straight. All of the victories have come against East Division rivals as the Ticats head into this contest 0-2 versus the West Division. Hamilton's defence has allowed just five TD passes and four 30-yard completions _ both league lows. The Ticats also lead the CFL in turnover ratio (plus-eight). B.C.'s offence isn't exactly chopped liver as quarterback Nathan Rourke has thrown for over 300 yards in four of his five starts. The Victoria native is averaging 321.4 yards per start, second only to Saskatchewan's Trevor Harris (325.2). Veteran Keon Hatcher Sr. is second overall in receiving yards (574) but tops in yards after catch (204). The Lions also sport the CFL's leading rusher in James Butler (504 yards), who'll face his former team for the first time. Both teams also have reliable veteran kickers. Hamilton's Marc Liegghio has made 30 straight field goals while B.C.'s Sean Whyte has converted on his last 26 attempts. Another wildcard for Hamilton this season has been returner Isaiah Wooden Sr., the CFL leader in combined yards (876). Wooden leads the league in kickoff returns (19), yards (538), 40-plus yard returns (four) and touchdowns (two) and is second in punt returns (18 for 271 yards, 15.1-yard average). Pick: Hamilton. Montreal Alouettes versus Calgary Stampeders (Thursday night) At Calgary, the Stampeders (5-1) chase their first four-game win streak since 2022. Veteran kicker Rene Paredes needs one field goal to become the sixth player to reach 600 for his career. Last week, Vernon Adams Jr. had three TD strikes in the club's 41-20 road win over Winnipeg. He's 3-0 versus Montreal (4-2), having passed for 982 yards and six TDs. Veteran McLeod Bethel-Thompson starts for Montreal, which is 3-0-1 in it last four games versus Calgary, with incumbent Davis Alexander (hamstring) on the six-game injured list. Alexander's 10-yard TD run late in the fourth rallied the Als past Toronto 26-25 last week. Pick: Calgary. Edmonton Elks versus Saskatchewan Roughriders (Friday night) At Regina, the Riders (5-1) have won 11 of their last 15 matchups versus Edmonton (1-4) but the Elks have claimed their last two contests in Saskatchewan. Harris needs 226 passing yards to become the 13th player to reach 35,000 for his career. He has completed 59-of-74 passes (79.7 per cent) for 820 yards and four touchdowns in his last two games. It's unclear who will start under centre for Edmonton but incumbent Tre Ford is 2-0 versus Saskatchewan while backup Cody Fajardo, a former Rider, hasn't started against the squad. Receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. has scored touchdowns in his past two games, Pick: Saskatchewan. Winnipeg Blue Bombers versus Toronto Argonauts (Saturday night) At Toronto, Nick Arbuckle is expected to make a seventh straight start at quarterback for the Argos (1-5) as Chad Kelly continues his recovery from the leg injury he suffered in last year's East Division final. The Argos are 20-4 with Kelly, the CFL's outstanding player in '23, and 7-11 without him. They're 3-1 in their last four home games versus Winnipeg (3-2). Receiver Kevin Mital had a career-high 10 catches versus Montreal and leads the CFL with 37 receptions. Zach Collaros was injured in last week's loss to Calgary but was a full participant in practice and will start for Winnipeg. Collaros is 10-7 over his career against Toronto but the Bombers have lost consecutive games by 20-plus points for the first time since 2014. Pick: Winnipeg. Last week: 2-2. Overall record: 16-11. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025. Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
National Post
21-07-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Hamilton to hold rally for NBA MVP and champion Gilgeous-Alexander
Canada's king of the court has won just about everything possible this year, but is about to receive another honour. Article content Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was born in Toronto but claims Hamilton as his home, will be recognized on Thursday Aug. 7 at 'Shai Rally Day' in Hamilton. Article content Article content Gilgeous-Alexander was named NBA MVP after finishing second last season (Steve Nash was the only Canadian to previously win the award), and helped Oklahoma City win its first NBA title last month after a stirring playoff run. He was also named NBA Finals MVP and led the league in scoring in the regular season. Article content Article content Article content Later he'll make an appearance at the Canadian Football League game between the Tiger-Cats and B.C. Lions. Article content 'I'm absolutely thrilled to bring Shai Rally Day to Hamilton,' Horwath said in a release. 'This is our city's official celebration of NBA Champion, NBA MVP, NBA Finals MVP, NBA Scoring Champion, ESPY Best Athlete — Men's Sports, and proud Hamiltonian, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.' Article content
