Inside The Game
The 0-2 Lions head into Rider territory tonight to take on the Saskatchewan (1-1) in a rematch of last year’s Western semi-final. It’s a pivotal game for BC; if they pull out a win, they’ll head back to BC Place, a building where they’ve had abundant success, for a rematch with the Als with some momentum on their side.
With both teams coming off tough losses in Week 2, it should be a hard fought battle at Mosaic Stadium.
Three things you’ll need to know for tonight’s tilt:
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1. Sack Up: The Leos will need strong protection up front if they hope to be successful against the Riders. Head coach Mike Benevides has been working closely with the offensive line this week focusing on speed and read and reaction drills. |
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2. The Ricky Schmitt Effect: Last season, the Lions ranked seventh and eighth in punt coverage and kickoff coverage. After acquiring Ricky Schmitt this off-season, they are now one and two respectively in those categories. Their 40.3 net punt yards and 44.4 net kickoff yards are good enough for a 20% improvement over last year. |
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3. Quarterback Roundup: Glenn has 410 yards passing in the last two games and is now 172 yards back from 40,000 in his career. Despite the two losses, BC has still racked up 219 yards in the last two games just below Saskatchewan’s mark of 233.5. Glenn is 10-10 all time vs. the Riders with a passer rating of 89.8. |
Notables:
Adam Bighill was second in the league in Week 2 with nine tackles after notching just one in Week 1.
The Lions are 11-9 all time against the Riders with each win decided in the last three minutes. Last season, the Riders took the series 2-1.
Ernest Jackson is currently ninth among all receivers with 100 yards on seven receptions, notching two 2Ds (reception on second down to create a first down).
Paul McCallum pushed his FG made streak to eight and is 18 of his last 19 attempts.