Rourke to undergo surgery

[B.C.FAN]

It’s official. Michael O’Connor is the starter for now.

[almo89]

Terrible for the team and the league. I wonder how this affects his NFL chances. Excited to see how O'Connor will do this Friday

[Lion Guy]

It figures. Lions on a roll, a buzz returning to the City and then poof.

F**k it's hard being a Lions fan

[swervynmerv]

Well that's a kick in the you know what!

Carolina Panthers QB Matt Corral just suffered the same injury and they speculate he is out for the season.

I know the Lions are hopeful but I've read recovery from this injury that requires surgery takes 3-5 months to recover.

Fortunately we have had enough currency built up in the bank that a playoff spot should still be attainable, but I'm not sure if we are good enough to compete for a title with a O'Connor/Pipkin combo.

[firstandgoal]

Could be a season ending injury. According to a google search

"No weight bearing is allowed for 6-8 weeks after surgery. A walking cast or boot is then used for another 4-6 weeks. If pins were used to hold the fourth and fifth metatarsals in place, they are removed 6-8 weeks after surgery. Patients usually are able to wean out of the boot and into an athletic shoe in 10-12 weeks."

Brutal....

[B.C.FAN]

Full recovery from the surgery can take more than a year. This should at least squelch talk of Rourke leaving for the NFL next year.

[maxlion]

Too bad. This has been the most exciting Lions team in a long, long time. Let's see what the future brings.

[squishy35]

The good news, its not so fracture. Depending on, and if, hardware is required to repair the ligament, there's a chance he can recover fully before the regular season is over.

[squishy35]

Could be a season ending injury. According to a google search

"No weight bearing is allowed for 6-8 weeks after surgery. A walking cast or boot is then used for another 4-6 weeks. If pins were used to hold the fourth and fifth metatarsals in place, they are removed 6-8 weeks after surgery. Patients usually are able to wean out of the boot and into an athletic shoe in 10-12 weeks."

Brutal....

The description above is typically for a lisfranc fracture. As the injury is described as a sprain, the injury should recover more quickly.

[South Pender]

I must admit that I haven't been following the Lions closely recently, and so I'm wondering what the scoop is on Michael O'Connor. He's a big guy and evidently played for UBC. How much of a drop-off is the offense likely to take with him in for Rourke? They still have some of the best receivers in the CFL. Can O'Connor be expected to keep the pass attack running relatively smoothly? I don't see a QB below O'Connor on the roster than inspires much confidence. Is a trade perhaps a possibility?

[Hambone]

I don't see any trades happening as I don't really see anybody on another roster who would both give me a bigger sense of confidence than in what we have AND would be expendable by their club. QB depth is absolutely gold in the CFL as the Lions are now well aware. Teams with it and thinking about playoffs are not going to surrender their depth lest they find themselves in the same situation as BC.

[B.C.FAN]

I must admit that I haven't been following the Lions closely recently, and so I'm wondering what the scoop is on Michael O'Connor. He's a big guy and evidently played for UBC. How much of a drop-off is the offense likely to take with him in for Rourke? They still have some of the best receivers in the CFL. Can O'Connor be expected to keep the pass attack running relatively smoothly? I don't see a QB below O'Connor on the roster than inspires much confidence. Is a trade perhaps a possibility?

Next to Rourke, O'Connor is the best passer on the team. He has a strong arm but less accuracy, tending to miss high from what I saw in training camp. That may be due to lack of practice reps or nerves. Pipkin and Thomson are better runners than O'Connor. I can see a system where O'Connor is the starter and Pipkin comes in for short yardage situations, as the Lions started to do last week with Rourke in the lineup.

Career stats don't mean much but consider these:
- O'Connor has only thrown 37 passes in three seasons, completing 24 (65%) for an average of 6.4 yards per attempt.
- Pipkin has thrown 208 passes in five seasons, completing 112 (54%) for an average of 7.0 yards per attempt.

One benefit that all B.C. quarterbacks share is the opportunity to throw to the league's best set of receivers. They may not read coverages and distribute the ball as well as Rourke but their receivers can be counted on to catch anything thrown on target to them.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Wishing Nathan a full recovery, however long it takes. He's young and has a long career ahead of him it would seem, wherever it takes him. If he remains in the Lions' den for an extended time, all the better. I'm thinking his play and his character will be an inspiration to Michael O'Connor. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the Lions' pivot position. O'Connor, Pipkin, Thomson; all of them certainly have a wonderful array of options in the talented and diverse receiving corps. It's an opportunity for unexpected surprises perhaps. That's what a "team" is all about. Roar, Lions, roar! (And get your special teams in order--we'll need them!)

[B.C.FAN]

Prior to his injury, I didn't buy the assumptions that Rourke was destined to jump to the NFL next year. I also don't buy the assumptions that the Rourke-less Lions are unlikely to host a playoff game this year. They have the league's top defence and receivers, and their O-line has been the best at protecting the QB.

Quarterback injuries are a fact of life in the CFL. No starting quarterback has survived a full regular season since Reilly and Mitchell did it in 2018. The Lions are still one of the top two teams in the league until someone proves otherwise.

[KnowItAll]

sometimes life sucks, sigh