Music: {allcanada} Lulay lifts Lions into first-place tie

Saturday, October 29, 2011

{allcanada} Lulay lifts Lions into first-place tie

VANCOUVER -- Quarterback Travis Lulay threw three touchdown passes and the B.C. Lions defence showed their teeth in a 29-20 CFL victory over the Edmonton Eskimos Saturday night.

The win moves B.C. into a tie with Edmonton for first place in the CFL West. The Lions, who started the season 0-5, have now won nine of their last 10 games.

A snarling Lions defence harassed Eskimo quarterback Ricky Ray. The Lions had three sacks -- with defensive tackle Khalif Mitchell twice bagging Ray -- and hurried the Edmonton quarterback several times.

The B.C. defence also held Eskimo running back Jerome Messam to just 17 yards on nine carries. Messam came into the game needing 36 yards to become the first Canadian running back to gain over 1,000 yards since Sean Millington in 2000.

On one play in the first quarter Ray ran in circles, slipping several tackles, but was unable to find an open man down field. He finally was caught after a four-yard run.

Early in the fourth quarter defensive halfback Ryan Phillips deflected a pass in the end zone headed for Eskimo receiver Fred Stamps.

Lulay didn't show any effects of an ankle he hurt in last week's 42-10 loss to Hamilton. He ran well and delivered his passes with authority.

Lulay sealed the win with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Arland Bruce late in the fourth quarter.

Paris Jackson hauled in a 51-yard touchdown while running back Jamal Robertson, making his first start in eight games, scored on a 35-yard pass.

Paul McCallum kicked field goals of 36 and 33 yards.

Ray threw a 20-yard touchdown to Jason Barnes and a 16-yard strike to Tyler Scott.

Damon Duval kicked field goals of 21 and 12 yards as Edmonton saw a three-game win streak snapped.

Ray threw a 15-yard pass to Barnes in the second quarter, putting him over 4,000 yards for the season and 40,000 yards for his career.

The Lions and Eskimos lead the West with 20 points from 10-6 records. The Lions play the Montreal Alouettes at B.C. Place next week while the Eskimos host the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

If the two teams finish the season tied, the Lions would take first place. They won three of four games against Edmonton this season.

A B.C. Place crowd of 29,749 was treated to an exciting first quarter which saw the teams combine for three touchdowns. But the game bogged down in the second quarter with the only points coming when Duval conceded a safety in the end zone, giving B.C. a 16-7 lead.

The Lions scored on the opening drive of the game.

Lulay threw a couple of passes to Bruce, then connected with Robertson. The veteran used his speed to race down the sideline to score.

Jackson, who began the season with a knee injury, showed some flashes of his old form on the second Lions touchdown. He caught the ball in midfield then out ran a couple of Eskimos to the end zone.

It was his hit first touchdown of the season on just his fourth catch of the year.

The Eskimos squandered a chance for more points late in the opening half.

Cornerback Rod Williams picked off a Lulay pass and returned it 33 yards to the B.C. 43-yard line.

Ray then threw a pass to Stamps which lost one yard. The Eskimo quarterback was then called for a time-count violation, sitting up a third-and-10.

Duval missed on a long field goal attempt, which was ran out of the end zone.

. Notes: Defensive end Brent Johnson missed the game because his wife was having a baby, ending his streak of 184 consecutive games played. ...Prior to the game McCallum was honoured for his CFL record streak of 30 consecutive field goals. ...The last Canadian to rush for 1,000 yards was B.C.'s Sean Millington in 2000. ...It was a busy night in Vancouver as the NHL Canucks played the Washington Capital in Rogers Arena next door to BC Place. ....The Lions are the first CFL team to have a five-game losing streak and an eight-game win streak in the same season.