The past does not concern Wally Buono.

It's the now that has the total attention of the BC Lions coach and general manager.

Buono's Lions are slipping down the CFL standings with a 1-4 record, a slide greased by a four-game losing skid. Adding to the burden, BC faces the 4-1 Calgary Stampeders on Saturday night at Empire Field, a team that has beaten the Lions in seven straight games.

Not exactly who you want to face to bump a slump.

It's the second game of a CFL on TSN doubleheader, starting at 10pm et/7pm pt. First, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at 7pm et/4pm pt.

"The past is the past," Buono said Friday, after watching his team go through a light practice that had more laughing than hitting. "I don't worry about the past. I'm not even worried about last week's game.

"There is a point during the week where you move on to the next game. There's no choice. You can't look back."

No one on the Lions is calling Saturday a must win. Everyone agrees though, winning would be a really good thing.

"It would be nice to get the monkey off our back," said slotback Paris Jackson, who has been hobbled all year with a bad knee. "I remember at the beginning of my career we used to whoop on Calgary every single time. Now it's a little bit of a reverse role.

"We need to get over that hump. If we can handle Calgary this week with the explosive offence they have and great special teams and great defence, it's only going to build momentum for the next games."

The team that has hurt the Lions the most season is themselves.

Three of the Lions losses have been by four points or less. Late turnovers, dropped passes and mental mistakes have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

"That's the part that kills you," said veteran defensive end Brent Johnson. "At least if you were getting your ass handed to you, you'd feel here are our areas of weakness and let's correct them.

"It's tough when you are losing by three points. It's tough to assess yourself sometimes because you are on the verge of beating really good teams. It's the toughest part for the coaches and the players."

Second-year quarterback Travis Lulay will get his third straight start in place of the injured Casey Printers. Lulay has shown potential but also his lack of experience. In his previous two games he's thrown for 464 yards, no touchdowns and four interceptions.

"It's another week with another opportunity to win a game and take care of the execution on our end," said an upbeat Lulay.

"No one likes being 1-4. I think everyone is hungry to win a football game. All you can do after a loss is learn from it what you can, move forward, and apply that to winning a football game the next time around."

The Lions will be without defensive tackle Aaron Hunt who underwent surgery Friday to repair a pectoral muscle. He's been placed him on the nine-game injured list.

The Stampeders roll into Vancouver on a two-game win streak. The Calgary defence has allowed just 105 points this season, the least of any team in the CFL.

Running back Joffrey Reynolds has turned his last six games against BC into track meets. He's averaged 108 yards a game and recorded five 100-yard rushing nights.

Calgary has won its last three games in Vancouver, but that doesn't mean the Stampeders expect an easy time taming the Lions.

"They have a bunch of guys on defence that can make plays," said receiver Nik Lewis, who has 31 catches for 421 yards and three touchdowns this year. "They have a lot of play-makers.

"They've been in every game this year and it's just a couple of breaks that went against them. We have to know that. We can't overlook them because if the breaks go their way, they are capable of winning the game."

Lewis and BC defensive back Korey Banks exchanged verbal barbs this week. Banks called Lewis an idiot for some comments the Stampeder player made on Twitter.

Calgary offensive lineman Ben Archibald said a hungry team like the Lions can be dangerous.

"We are going to have our hands full," said Archibald. "We expect a physical game. We are going to have to earn every yard we get."

The last time BC beat Calgary was Nov. 3, 2007. Since then the Stampeders have won six regular season games and the 2008 West Final. In four of those losses the Lions were held to less than 20 points.

"They've just been better than us," said Lions slotback Geroy Simon. "That's why they have beaten us.

"Until we decide that we want to go and play the way we have been playing over a number of years, it will stay that way."

Buono leads all CFL coaches with 236 victories. He has never started a season 1-5.

With the Lions struggling there has been questions about his ability as a coach.

"It's easy for me to justify my job," said Buono. "You can start cutting players, you can start making changes. It gives the impression you are doing a good job.

"In my history, and the people I have respected, they never felt that way. They felt you bring a stability, an order and a confidence to your players and your organization so that when things are like today, a little rough, there isn't going to be anarchy or chaos because the media is demanding certain things."

A win against the Stampeders won't solve all the Lions programs, Buono said.

"One and five or 2-4, you still have a long row to hoe," he said. "We're not throwing in the towel one way or the other."