VANCOUVER — Vernon Adams Jr.‘s return to the lineup has been everything the BC Lions expected and more.
The pivot led the Lions to a 27-3 win over the Montreal Alouettes in front of their fans at BC Place to conclude the regular season and head into the post-season with some momentum.
BC looked like the team we watched over the first eight weeks of the season, exploding through the air to the tune of 393 passing yards. Adams Jr. completed 27 of 37 passes for 393 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while also adding a major on the ground.
Keon Hatcher (eight catches, 117 yards) and Justin McInnis (seven catches, 106 yards) led the receivers in yardage, while Alexander Hollins and Stanley Berryhill III caught a touchdown pass each.
Quarterback Cody Fajardo played the first two quarters before giving way to Davis Alexander in the second half, but neither pivot was able to find room to operate against an inspired Lions defence.
The Alouettes have already locked up first place in the East Division, but still have a matchup against the Blue Bombers in Week 21 to end their regular season schedule.
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Adams Jr. started the game by going deep to McInnis for a 43-yard gain that moved the ball inside the red zone. The pivot then completed a second-down pass to Keon Hatcher to make it first-and-goal before running it in for the game’s first touchdown.
The teams exchanged a couple of punts until the Lions found a way to score again. Adams Jr. completed a short pass to Hatcher for a first down, then went deep to Berryhill III for a 52-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
Whyte extended BC’s lead to 17-0 with a 33-yard field goal halfway through the second quarter.
The Alouettes mounted their best driving of the first half late in the second quarter, but were unable to turn it into points. Fajardo completed four passes for 49 yards while adding a 14-yard scamper to make it all the way to BC’s two-yard line. After a run by backup Dominique Davis went nowhere on second down, Fajardo tried going to receiver Charleston Rambo on third down but the pass fell incomplete for a turnover on downs.
Defensive back Wesley Sutton intercepted an overthrown pass by Adams Jr. to stop a promising drive for the Leos late in the first half.
Tyrice Beverette made a great play for the Alouettes halfway through the third quarter to stop another potential scoring campaign by the Lions. The linebacker caught an interception off the fingertips of receiver Ayden Eberhardt who was trying to complete a catch going to the ground, returning it 22 yards to Montreal’s 29-yard line. The Alexander-led offence was unable to capitalize, however, and the Als sent out Joseph Zema for his eighth punt of the game.
Adams Jr. and the offence rebounded from the turnover by putting together a scoring march. The quarterback completed four passes of 10 yards or more, the last one a 10-yard touchdown to Hollins that broke open the score 24-0 with the point after.
A long return by James Letcher Jr. gave the Alouettes a chance to respond with points. Montreal turned to running back Stevie Scott III who moved the ball into BC’s red zone with a trio of strong runs to make it first-and-goal. The Als were unable to finish the drive with a major, instead having to settle for a field goal by Jose Maltos to make it 24-3 with 11:05 left in the fourth quarter.
Whyte pushed the lead to 27-3 with an 18-yard field goal halfway through the fourth.
Alexander almost got the visitors ont he board with a quarterback sneak late in the game, but BC’s defence raised the wall and forced the fumble that sealed the final score.
BC now heads into its final bye of the season before playing in the Western Semi-Final on November 2 against either the Saskatchewan Roughriders or Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Montreal meanwhile faces the Bombers at home on Saturday, October 26 in Week 21 action.