CALGARY - Smothering defence and superior special teams gave BC a 29-10 victory over Calgary on Saturday for Lions' first win over the Stampeders this season.
Calgary suffered their first loss at McMcMahon Stadium this year as well as their first back-to-back losses to drop to 9-3.
Calgary now has the Saskatchewan Roughriders on their heels for top spot in the West Division. Earlier Saturday, the 'Riders downed the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 32-25 to improve to 8-4.
The Lions improved to 4-8. While BC remains a distant third in the division, the victory over Calgary was a confidence-booster for a club that started the season 1-7. BC has now won three of their last four games.
Calgary, already assured of a playoff berth, were trying to nail down a home playoff game, but the No. 1 offence in the league was stymied by the Lions' defence. Middle linebacker Solomon Elimimian led the way with 10 tackles.
"How many times have we been beaten by Calgary?" BC defensive end Brent Johnson said. "It's nice to get a big win here at their place and get that bad taste out of our mouth.
"We finally played the type of game defensively that we've been trying to play all year long. Guys didn't make the mental errors we usually make."
Paul McCallum kicked six straight field goals, including five in the first half, before missing a pair of attempts in the second half. Calgary kicker Rob Maver made one field goal on two attempts.
The two clubs traded their lone touchdowns in the final three minutes of the game. BC's Jamal Robertson ran 55 yards for a TD. Calgary's Landan Talley caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Drew Tate with nine seconds left.
While BC's offence also struggled, it wasn't because they started with poor field position. Lions running back Yonus Davis had a huge return game with 239 total yards. Calgary mustered 134 return yards.
"I told coach before the game 'I feel good today for some reason,"' Davis says. "It was just catching the ball, making a little move and I figured a crease would be there. Thanks to the special teams for setting up the blocks and sticking with the guys."
The Stampeders were booed sporadically throughout the game. The 29,637 at McMahon were unaccustomed to seeing Calgary's vaunted defence is such disarray.
"It was a horrible night for us," Calgary quarterback Henry Burris said. "This is an offence that's used to putting up a lot of points and putting up a lot of yardage, but it was one of those nights for us. We didn't get anything going."
Burris and BC counterpart Casey Printers struggled and were replaced by their backups during the game.
Calgary's Henry Burris made 11-of-26 pass attempts. He was intercepted twice. Tate came in for the fourth quarter and was 8-for-13 for 88 yards and one touchdown pass.
Printers was replaced by Travis Lulay late in first half after four passes on nine attempts for 62 yards and three fumbles. Lulay finished 5-for-12 and 82 yards.
BC had lost a heartbreaker the previous week at home against Hamilton. They led 28-16 after three quarters, but five turnovers turned into a 35-31 loss. Beating Calgary at home restored their fragile confidence.
"I think gives us some tremendous impetus for the last third of the season," BC coach Wally Buono said. "It's critical for us because of the playoff structure the way it is.
"Right now we know we're probably going to be a third-place team. Saskatchewan and Calgary are not going to lose everything. They're going to win some games. For us, we want to get some momentum so we can get into the playoffs and then hopefully as a team be at the best at the right time."
After gaining a crucial first down deep in BC territory in the third quarter, Burris took off running and dropped the ball, which was recovered by Dante Marsh. Burris was also sacked for a loss of 25 yards in the last minute of the quarter.
"I haven't seen that type of football around here very often," Calgary head coach John Hufnagel said. "We didn't play near good enough to give ourselves a chance."
BC held Calgary to zero points and 93 yards in the first half, including just 15 rushing. The Lions' offence, however, couldn't generate a TD. The visitors settled for five field goals from six stalled drives.
The Stamps caught a break with the Lions on first and goal late in the second quarter. BC's Korey Banks had intercepted Burris and ran the ball in for a touchdown, but Hufnagel challenged whether Banks was down by contact and won the challenge.
Calgary's Miguel Robede then sacked Printers on BC's next possession. The quarterback coughed up the ball, which was recovered by Stampeder defensive lineman Tearrius George.
Calgary couldn't convert a first and goal into a touchdown in the second quarter and Maver's 18-yard field goal attempt deflected off the right upright and away.
The Lions were quickly up 6-0 on a pair of field goals in the first five minutes, before padding their lead with three late in the quarter. The second came courtesy of a Dante Marsh interception on Burris at the 45-yard line.
Notes: Calgary was minus receiver Nik Lewis, who sat out the game with a knee injury. . . Calgary running back Joffrey Reynolds was honoured at halftime for becoming the franchise's all-time leading rusher on Sept. 10. He surpassed previous record the 8,292 held by Kelvin Anderson. . . Calgary hosts the Montreal Alouettes (9-3) on Friday, while the Lions are at home to Winnipeg (3-9) on Saturday.
