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VANCOUVER — The BC Lions looked like themselves on Saturday as they showcased an explosive aerial offence in their 26-17 win over the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday.
Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. didn’t commit a single turnover while connecting with his receivers deep several times and the defence kept the Stamps off the board in the fourth quarter to complete the win.
Running back William Stanback also enjoyed a more efficient afternoon, improving his yards per carry from 3.2 in Week 1 to a healthy 4.6 in Week 2, allowing the Lions to avoid a one-dimensional approach that has caused them problems in the past.
CFL.ca brings you three key stats in the Lions win over the Stampeders.
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0 – SACKS ALLOWED
After allowing six sacks in Week 1 to the Toronto Argonauts, the Lions offensive line played a much more efficient game on Saturday by keeping Calgary’s pass rush at bay. The Leos didn’t allow a single sack, partially due to the blocking scheme and partially due to Adams Jr.’s scrambling ability.
The pivot was then able to enjoy a much better game that saw him complete several deep passes to the likes of Alexander Hollins, Justin McInnis and Ayden Eberhardt. Overall the pivot finished with 277 passing yards and two passing majors while also adding a score on the ground.
7 – DIFFERENT RECEIVERS WITH A CATCH
The Leos were able to spread the ball around to seven different pass-catchers to keep Calgary’s defence on their toes. They were able to spread the ball to such an extent that even Adams Jr. himself caught a pass on a deflected ball and ran for positive four yards.
Hollins, McInnis and Eberhardt combined for 247 yards and two touchdowns, showcasing that BC’s depth at the position continues to be one of their main strengths.
15 – WILLIAM STANBACK CARRIES
The Leos know that the overall success of their offence also relies on their ground game. After giving Stanback the ball 11 times (for only 35 yards) in Week 1 against the Argos, the Lions gave their tailback 15 carries for 69 yards in a much more efficient running afternoon for BC.
Five of those carries came in the final drive of the fourth quarter with the home team successfully running down the clock before kicking a game-sealing field goal.