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First quarter problems have plagued the B.C. Place team — they’ve been outscored by a whopping 34 points in the opening stanza this season
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Published Jul 26, 2025 • Last updated 4 days ago • 3 minute read
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A strong first quarter Sunday will surely bring smiles to B.C. Lions like Nathan Rourke. considering how much t they’ve struggled early in games to date. Photo by Brian JohnsonArticle content
The B.C. Lions have a punctuality problem.
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The Lions (3-4) head into a Sunday visit to B.C. Place by the Hamilton Tigers-Cats (4-2) having led just once after the first quarter this season, and having been outscored by 34 points in those opening frames so far in the campaign. They’ve been outscored by 16 points in total to date.
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B.C. is coming off a 33-27 loss at home to the Saskatchewan Roughriders last week that didn’t feel as close as the scoreboard actually read. That’s because Saskatchewan seemed to put it into cruise control after going up 17-1 in the first quarter. The Roughriders had a 10-0 cushion, in fact, before Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke had taken his third snap — B.C. went two-and-out on the opening drive and that was followed by a Saskatchewan touchdown, a B.C. turnover on a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and then a Roughrider field goal.
“We have to score more touchdowns and especially early,” Rourke said after practice Friday at the Lions’ Surrey headquarters. “We need to give our defence a little more cushion there, a little more confidence.
“As an offence, our goal this week is to start fast, but it’s going to be a challenge, because that’s a very good defence we’re playing.”
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B.C. has been moving the ball. The Lions (404.7 yards per game) were third in the league in net offence average going into the week, trailing only the 5-2 Calgary Stampeders (406.3 yards per game) and the 5-1 Roughriders (405.7 yards per game).
They aren’t capitalizing enough on that success, though, to reiterate the earlier Rourke thought. The Lions (23.3 points per game) were eighth in the league in scoring going into the week. Only the 1-6 Ottawa Redblacks (21.1 points per game) were tallying less.
There are clear reasons why. The Lions have a league-worst 19 turnovers on the season, and their minus-10 takeaway/giveaway ratio is at the bottom of that category as well.
B.C. was also seventh in the league in penalties (7.9 per game) and penalty yardage (73.3 per game) to start the week, and that included a league-worst 13 flags on special teams.
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It’s a hard team to get a read on right now. Rourke is on a three-game streak of 300-yard passing games and can tie his longest run of such games as a Lion if he can hit the number again Sunday. The matchup with the Tiger-Cats will be his 40th as a Lion.
“We need to first and foremost take care of the ball. We can’t turn the ball over,” explained Rourke, the 27-year-old pivot. “Secondly, we have to keep out of second and long situations. I think we showed the second time when we played Edmonton (in a 32-14 road win on July 14) that when we’re second and medium we can be very, very good. If we do that, we put ourselves in a good position.
“Ultimately, we have to score touchdowns.”
Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris, right, passes over B.C. Lions’ Tomasi Laulile during CFL game, in Vancouver, on Saturday, July 19, 2025. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS
B.C.’s defence is looking to rally after being picked apart by Saskatchewan veteran quarterback Trevor Harris, who was 23-of-30 for 395 yards, with three touchdowns and one interception last week. Hamilton, who are winners of four straight, are led by another seasoned pivot in Bo Levi Mitchell.
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Mitchell, 35, has been so good this season that Pat Steinberg at CFL.ca was pegging him the early favourite for Most Outstanding Player honours on Friday. Mitchell came into the week leading the league in passing yards (1,812) and touchdowns (12), with just two interceptions.
Hamilton receiver Kenny Lawler led with touchdown receptions (eight), which puts him on pace to better Milt Stegall’s CFL 2002 record of 23 by one. Lawler was tops in the CFL in yards receiving (644) starting this week as well.
B.C. defensive lineman Mathieu Betts talked Friday about the Lions’ troubles being tied to execution.
“It’s about playing together,” Betts continued. “I’m speaking for the D-line and the defence, but it’s the same thing with special teams, same thing with the offence. It’s a hard thing to do, but when 12 players play together and do their assignments together, that’s when we will be dangerous. We just need to do that, starting with play No. 1 on Sunday, and keep it up for three hours and we’ll be happy with the result.”
@SteveEwen
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