B.C. is coming off a 33-27 loss at home to the Saskatchewan Roughriders<\/a> last week that didn\u2019t feel as close as the scoreboard actually read. That\u2019s 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 \u2014 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.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to score more touchdowns and especially early,\u201d Rourke said after practice Friday at the Lions\u2019 Surrey headquarters. \u201cWe need to give our defence a little more cushion there, a little more confidence.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAs an offence, our goal this week is to start fast, but it\u2019s going to be a challenge, because that\u2019s a very good defence we\u2019re playing.\u201d<\/p>\n 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).\u00a0<\/p>\n They aren\u2019t capitalizing enough on that success, though, to reiterate the earlier Rourke thought. The\u00a0 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n B.C. was \u00a0also 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.<\/p>\n It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to first and foremost take care of the ball. We can\u2019t turn the ball over,\u201d explained Rourke, the 27-year-old pivot. \u201cSecondly, 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\u2019re second and medium we can be very, very good. If we do that, we put ourselves in a good position.<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, we have to score touchdowns.\u201d<\/p>\n Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris, right, passes over B.C. Lions\u2019 Tomasi Laulile during CFL game, in Vancouver, on Saturday, July 19, 2025.<\/p>\n B.C.\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2951c25f3ce068ebc0ab18dba2a319c7.jpeg\"\/)
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