VANCOUVER — Nathan Rourke threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns, and the B.C. Lions opened their CFL season with a 31-14 win over the Edmonton Elks on Saturday.
The Canadian quarterback went 27-for-36 on his passing makes an attempt, linking up with Stanley Berryhill III twice ultimately zone. Justin McInnis caught his first TD of the yr and James Butler drove in one other main.
Veteran kicked Sean Whyte contributed a 22-yard area purpose for the Lions, who performed their first sport underneath rookie head coach Buck Pierce.
Elks quarterback Tre Ford put up 178 passing yards, connecting on 17 of his 27 makes an attempt and throwing one interception. He was sacked twice.
Cody Fajardo chalked up two short-yardage dashing majors for Edmonton, who even have a first-year head coach in Mark Kilam.
Rapper Snoop Dogg carried out for the introduced crowd of 52,837 followers earlier than kickoff.
The sport bought off to a promising begin for the Lions with Rourke and his teammates steadily working the ball up the sector to offer B.C. a primary down at Edmonton’s two-yard line.
Chase Brice got here in for brief yardage obligation and appeared to stretch the ball into the top zone on third down. A assessment by the command centre, although, decided the QB went down earlier than getting the ball throughout the road.
Ford struggled early, going 0-for-3 on his first makes an attempt of the sport earlier than connecting with Zach Mathias for a six-yard acquire on his fourth try of the evening.
Edmonton bought on the board with simply over three minutes left within the first quarter when Cody Grace despatched a 66-yard punt into the top zone for a rouge.
B.C. once more got here inside inches of a landing early within the second body when Rourke threaded a crisp move to Jevon Cottoy instantly underneath the uprights. The Canadian receiver fumbled the ball, then stared at his gloves in obvious disbelief.
Whyte posted the house facet’s first factors of the evening, booting a 22-yard area purpose to offer the Lions a 3-1 lead.
The Elks took management once more halfway via the second quarter when Fajardo muscled his approach via site visitors for a one-yard dashing main. Vincent Blanchard missed the convert and Edmonton went up 7-3.
The rating stood on the finish of the primary half after the Elks kicker despatched a 49-yard area purpose try large within the remaining seconds of the body.
B.C. got here alive early within the second half, stringing collectively a possession that ended with Rourke escaping the pocket, taking just a few steps and crusing a 34-yard move to Stanley Berryhill ultimately zone.
Whyte made the convert and the Lions jumped out to a 10-7 benefit.
Edmonton had a possibility to degree the rating minutes later when Blanchard lined up for a 45-yard area purpose, however the kick once more went large.
Rourke proved on the following possession that he is a twin risk, dashing for 13 yards on one play and 22 on one other.
He capped the drive with a 37-yard lob to Berryhill underneath the uprights and one other convert from Whyte elevated the Lions’ result in 17-7 halfway via the third quarter.
Ford responded with some quick ft of his personal within the dying seconds of the third quarter. The 27-year-old Canadian deftly darted round midfield to keep away from a number of sack makes an attempt and bought a 37-yard move off to Justin Rankin, who equally snuck previous a number of B.C. defenders earlier than being felled on the three-yard line.
Edmonton opened the fourth with Fajardo powering via site visitors for his second landing of the evening. Blanchard despatched the convert via the uprights to chop the Elks’ deficit to 3 factors.
B.C. saved urgent and launched a seven-play, 86-yard scoring drive, capped by a 17-yard move from Rourke to McInnis ultimately zone.
McInnis, who hails from Pierrefonds, Que., led the CFL in receiving yards final season with 1,469.
The Lions defence set to work subsequent with linebacker Ben Hladik selecting off Ford’s move and dashing 61 yards to place his crew again in prime scoring place.
B.C. capitalized with Rourke handing off to working again Butler, who sprinted into the top zone for the house facet’s fourth landing of the evening. One other convert from Whyte put the Lions forward 31-14.
A large 92-yard kickoff return by Javon Leake seemed to chop Edmonton’s deficit halfway via the fourth, however Elks linebacker Josiah Schakel was known as for an unlawful block on the play.
Lions linebacker Jeremy Lewis (hamstring) and defensive lineman Deshawn Stevens (foot) didn’t return for the second half. … The sport marked the primary time two Canadian quarterbacks have began and gone face to face in a CFL season opener.
Elks: Host the Montreal Alouettes on Thursday, June 19.
Lions: Go to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday.
