CFL.ca Staff
#CFLGameDay
VANCOUVER — Henry Burris and Jeremiah Johnson helped lead the Ottawa to their first victory in B.C. since 1990 with a 31-18 victory over the B.C. Lions.
Johnson scored a pair of touchdowns for the third straight game, while collecting over 150 yards from scrimmage for Ottawa in the game.
Burris had another impressive game throwing for over 303 yards and completing 70 per cent of his passes.
To begin the game on a beautiful day in Vancouver, the REDBLACKS opened the game with the first possession. With the home crowd behind the Lions, they were able to force a very quick two-and-out.
With all eyes on John Beck who was replacing the injured Travis Lulay, he didn’t seem to have any jitters early in the game.
Beck went deep looking for Shawn Gore under centre for the first play, but was unable to complete the pass for the big gain. On the following play, the pocket collapsed and Malik Johnson came in and sacked Beck, forcing a punt.
Richie Leone was halfway into his end zone and so conceded the safety to give the REDBLACKS an early 2-0 lead.
After the kickoff, Ottawa continued to find a way to drive the ball on the Lions’ defence. After former Lion Ernest Jackson made a 24-yard reception, Travon Van rushed for a 10-yard gain and a first down.
The drive would stop and the REDBLACKS settled for a 37-yard field goal giving the visiting side a 5-0 edge.
With the B.C. Lions’ offence having a hard time getting started, Ottawa continued to stop the Lions and then found success offensively.
On their third possession, Burris started to click with Chris Williams, first finding him for an 8-yard gain. After a rush by Jeremiah Johnson for a short gain and first down, Burris connected with Williams again after a screened pass went for 22 yards and brought the REDBLACKS to midfield.
Johnson then turned a short dump pass into a first down after lowering his shoulders and bulldozing his way for a first down.
With the B.C. Lions’ defence bending but not breaking, they made a few stops that resulted in Ottawa kicking a 42-yard field goal to extend their lead to 8-0.
On the final play of the first quarter, Beck handed off the ball to Andrew Harris deep in Lion territory and fumbled the ball where it was recovered by Keith Shologan on the three yard line.
Ottawa was unable to convert on the short field and once again settled for a field goal to give the REDBLACKS an 11-0 advantage.
Now in the second quarter with B.C. looking for a spark, Chris Rainey received a punt and returned it 45-yards to put the Lions in great position on the Ottawa 14-yard line.
On the very next play, Beck found Austin Collie for the major. The Lions went for two and Beck found Bryan Burnham to bring the Lions back into the game, 11-8.
Following the Lions’ score, Ottawa responded with another Milo field goal from 18 yards out, thanks to a Brad Sinopoli 33-yard reception to put Ottawa deep in Lions territory.
The Lions’ spark plug was at it again: Rainey fumbled a kickoff return, quickly picked it up and went on to go 98-yards all the way to the REDBLACKS’ two yard line. On third down, McGhee punched it in for the one-yard score and his first career CFL touchdown.
After a penalty, Leone had to kick a 47-yard convert to give the Lions their first lead in the game, 15-14 with under three minutes to play.
On the final play of the first half, Leone nailed a 39-yard field goal to give the home side an 18-14 lead.
On the REDBLACKS first possession of the second half, Burris and the offence were able to make headway against the Lions. On a second down and ten, Burris found a wide open Williams in the end zone, however the receiver was unable to haul in the pass. Milo came in and kicked in his fifth field goal of the game, this time from 48 yards out to trim the Lions lead to one, 18-17.
With the REDBLACKS settling for field goals in the red zone, they finally were able to get into the end zone. After a Brad Sinopoli reception which gave Burris over 58,000 passing yards in his career, Johnson punched in a two-yard touchdown run to give the visitors a 24-18 entering the fourth quarter.
With Beck looking to lead the Lions back, he attempted a pass intended to Emmanuel Arceneaux however, Antoine Pruneau jumped the route and intercepted the ball.
Following the turnover, Burris found Sinopoli for a key second down conversion. The time draining drive continued well over six minutes which was capped off by a Johnson touchdown run to give the REDBLACKS some insurance, 31-18.
With the Lions needing points quickly, Beck led the Lions down the field and into the red zone. After a holding penalty on first and fifteen, Beck looked for Burnham but was picked-off by Jovon Johnson in the end zone, finishing the Lions drive late in the fourth quarter.
Both teams hit the road for Week 13 matchups. Ottawa travels to Regina to take on the Roughriders and the Lions travel to Calgary.
