B.C. at Calgary Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021

[B.C.FAN]

With a short practice week before a Thursday game, the Lions appear to have stopped the QB guessing game and are planning to start Nathan Rourke in Thursday's game in Calgary.





That's a good call. The Lions aren't fooling anyone by pretending Michael Reilly will be ready to play on game day after not being able to throw for most of the past month.

[Luck1sOnOurSid3]

Did some reading, looks like it can take 6-8 weeks to recover from tennis elbow fully, but can see a good return to form 1-3 weeks with treatment. I can only assume Reilly is getting pretty intensive care for it so hoping for 2-3 weeks.

Looking at our schedule we have Calgary, Edmonton, and then back to back with Ottawa. I think if our defense plays like it did in the second half, we have a good chance to win all four of those games. Hopefully OC crafts the plan around Rourke’s strengths. Let him roll out a bit and use his legs as a weapon as well. Hopefully the run game gets established. Is Cooper back in the lineup?

Would love to see us at least split these games or better; keep the ship afloat until Reilly is back to make a strong push into the schedule.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Today's post-practice comments from Coach Campbell, forthright comments IMO, mostly on the QB situation (gist being that, contrary to what one might think, rest is not necessarily the best medicine for Reilly's elbow, though Rourke is indeed taking first team reps as we've already heard), -- plus a wee bit about RB Butler, i.e. that he's a well-rounded back -- knows how to block. https://www.bclions.com/2021/08/09/post ... -campbell/

[Luck1sOnOurSid3]

Today's post-practice comments from Coach Campbell, forthright comments IMO, mostly on the QB situation (gist being that, contrary to what one might think, rest is not necessarily the best medicine for Reilly's elbow, though Rourke is indeed taking first team reps as we've already heard), -- plus a wee bit about RB Butler, i.e. that he's a well-rounded back -- knows how to block. https://www.bclions.com/2021/08/09/post ... -campbell/

Interesting to hear, especially on the medical side. I would have guessed RICE treatment on it, but the doctors are saying it needs some exercise and is not as serious as previously thought about Reilly’s elbow. You would think you could shoot it up with enough cortisone and be good to go, but I am also not a doctor.

[DanoT]

I am hoping that Butler starts at RB. He is not as experienced as Cooper but is 20 lbs heavier and Campbell said he liked what he saw with Butler's blocking and pass catching. Extra blocking to protect a rookie QB is what I am hoping for. Also get that big body Cottoy out there as a blocking SB.

[B.C.FAN]

I am hoping that Butler starts at RB. He is not as experienced as Cooper but is 20 lbs heavier and Campbell said he liked what he saw with Butler's blocking and pass catching. Extra blocking to protect a rookie QB is what I am hoping for. Also get that big body Cottoy out there as a blocking SB.

I second both motions. It was a gutsy call to start Butler over Cooper but as mentioned previously I think he complements Chris Rainey and Jamel
Lyles. Rick Campbell’s positive assessment of his performance was a big vote of confidence.

[Reg18]

Hopefully the play calling improves and have some innovatuve plays and throw down the field short passing brings it's risks with D line deflecting passes etc. One thing the lions have going for them is the fickle stamp fans d.they have been known to boo their own team when things don't go their way. And they get very vocal hopefully our d line plays tough.

[Foxhound]

With a short practice week before a Thursday game, the Lions appear to have stopped the QB guessing game and are planning to start Nathan Rourke in Thursday's game in Calgary.

That's a good call. The Lions aren't fooling anyone by pretending Michael Reilly will be ready to play on game day after not being able to throw for most of the past month.

Good move! Mike Reilly needs to recover so that he's ready for the playoffs (hopefully) and Nathan Rourke is a promising young fellow who needs a chance to play.

[maxlion]

I didn't listen to all of Rick Campbell's comments, but it seemed to me that he left open the possibility of Reilly playing part or all of the game on Thursday. They are preparing for Rourke to start but, if Reilly can play, he will.

For me, its an easy choice. If playing doesn't risk aggravating the injury, and if he can do better than the flutterballs that we saw last game, then Reilly should play. I wouldn't be surprised to see both Rourke and Reilly play some.

I too liked the play of Butler. I'm not too familiar with Shaq Cooper, but it seems that we have a couple of good backs we could go with.

I'm interested to see how the D line and O line hold up this week. I thought both were decent last week.

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions have made two changes to their starting lineup for Thursday's game in Calgary:

• OL Kent Perkins is activated from the one-game injured list and starts at right tackle for the injured Ryker Mathews. Perkins beat out Phil Norman in training camp for the role of backup American OL.

• Jalon Edwards-Cooper is activated from the practice roster and starts ahead of Victor Gamboa at field corner. The two players had one of the closest positional battles in training camp. Gamboa was targeted often in Week 1 in Saskatchewan. He remains on the roster as a backup.

Dana Levine is also activated from the practice roster and replaces Ade Aruna as rotational DE behind J.R. Tavai. Rookie national DT Court Hammond moves to the practice roster.

Week 2 depth chart and roster

[BC 1988]

....and Rourke is now officially the starter (but depending on Reilly's injury situation).
Halford & Brough interviewed him this morning.
Starts at 20:00
https://podcast.sportsnet.ca/halford-an ... rke-on-hb/
He is well-spoken, sounds mature, has seen a lot of US High School and College Football. He mentioned remembering starting out playing CDN rules in Ontario helping him adjust back to the CFL game. Appreciative of the help he's getting from Reilly in-game.

[B.C.FAN]

The final injury report of the week lists Reilly as questionable, as it did last week, although there's no other backup QB on the roster. Garry Peters is also listed as questionable, as he was last week when he started at his usual boundary corner position. He is listed as the starter again this week.

This week's injury report accurately lists RB Shaq Cooper and WR Keon Hatcher as healthy scratches. They're both being stashed on the one-game injured list for a second straight week.

https://www.cfl.ca/2021/08/09/lions-sta ... ted-day-1/

[David]

Injury report for the Stamps' starters:

QB Bo-Levi Mitchell was limited in practice yesterday due to a calf. I believe this is just precautionary.

WR Josh Huff nicked up (hand, back) but will play.

SAM Jamar Wall hurt his calf against the Argos and has been ruled out. He will be replaced by Branden Dozier.

DE Folarin Orimolade DNP due to illness but will likely play.

Eastern All-Star DB Richard Leonard (ankle) will make his debut at field side halfback.


DH

[SammyGreene]

Didn’t even realize Matthews was hurt last Friday. Not having your starting right tackle is hardly ideal with a rookie QB when I’m sure the Stamps will be doing plenty of blitzing. Also going to hurt establishing the run game which would certainly help Rourke.

Campbell not messing around by demoting Gamboa after 1 game when Riders targeted him a lot, especially as a field side corner.

Playing with house money tonight. All the pressure on the Stamps.

[Hambone]

Didn’t even realize Matthews was hurt last Friday. Not having your starting right tackle is hardly ideal with a rookie QB when I’m sure the Stamps will be doing plenty of blitzing. Also going to hurt establishing the run game which would certainly help Rourke.

Campbell not messing around by demoting Gamboa after 1 game when Riders targeted him a lot, especially as a field side corner.

Playing with house money tonight. All the pressure on the Stamps.

Might be a lingering thing for Mathews. He did miss a few practice sessions in training camp nursing an injury of some sort.

As for the other changes shuffling Edwards-Cooper and Levine for Gamboa and Aruna respectively I wonder if it wasn't a bit of a plan coming out of camp. There were some extremely tight battles going on with the DL and secondary. Maybe they want to get a look very early in the season at other players who were in "coin toss" battles for positions.

I also wonder if it was a case of the Riders targeting Gamboa or simply attacking the field side because DBs tend to play softer on short routes there. The Rider scheme was to get the ball out quickly. If I was an OC and that was my plan I'd be looking field side moreso than boundary side.