B.C. Lions quarterback Jake Dolegala hands off to William Stanback against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Aug. 1, 2024. Dolegala will be tasked with ending the B.C. Lions losing ways as he'll get the start Sunday when the Lions (5-3) visit the Edmonton Elks (1-7).John Woods/The Canadian Press
Jake Dolegala will be tasked with ending the B.C. Lions losing ways.
Dolegala gets the start Sunday when B.C. (5-3) visits the Edmonton Elks (1-7). He replaces veteran Vernon Adams Jr., who suffered a lower-body injury in last week’s 25-0 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
B.C. will look for its first win in three games and faces an Edmonton squad coming off a 42-31 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Canadian Tre Ford’s first start of the season.
Dolegala had a 12-yard completion in three attempts against Winnipeg. But the 6-foot-7, 242-pound quarterback started nine-of-13 games he appeared in last season with Saskatchewan and was signed by B.C. as insurance in case of an injury to Adams.
Last week Rick Campbell, the Lions head coach/co-GM, said while Adams’s injury isn’t considered long-term, he’ll be out week-to-week.
Dolegala, 27, completed 216-of-333 passes (64.9 per cent) for 2,641 yards with 11 TDs and nine interceptions last season. He also ran 26 times for 95 yards and a touchdown.
Edmonton returns home following its shootout win. Ford, the 2021 Hec Crighton Trophy winner at Waterloo, was a tidy 18-of-22 passing for 252 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while rushing five times for 46 yards in the contest.
Tevin Jones only had three catches for Edmonton, but two went for touchdowns as he finished with 123 yards.
Javon Leake, the CFL’s top special-teams player last season, ran for 169 yards and three touchdowns on just 12 carries while adding three receptions for 26 yards. Interestingly, Leake had rushed for 172 yards in his first 32 career league games.
B.C. suffered its first shutout loss since Oct. 23, 2021 and mustered just 102 net offensive yards and three first downs. But Dolegala and Co. face an Edmonton defence that’s tied for last in offensive points allowed (30.1 per game), is last in net offence (390.4 yards), offensive TDs (26) and second-down conversions (54.9 per cent) and second-last in passing yards (309.8).
Edmonton is tied for third in both sacks (17) and interceptions (eight). And linebacker Nyles Morgan had 11 tackles versus Saskatchewan to stand first overall with 56 on the season.
There’s also the matter of trying to contain the athletic Ford, who’s a dual threat with the ball in his hands.
B.C. has won the past eight matchups between the two teams, including a 24-21 decision in Vancouver on June 27. What’s more, the Lions haven’t lost three straight games since 2021.
Ford does have five TD passes over his last five quarters of play but is 0-2 versus B.C.
Pick: B.C.
Saskatchewan Roughriders at Ottawa Redblacks (Thursday night)
At Ottawa, the Redblacks (5-2) come off the bye week standing 4-0 at TD Place and having won three straight overall. Returner DeVonte Dedmon is also back in the home team’s lineup. Saskatchewan (5-3) has lost two straight and will play on five days rest after losing Sunday to Edmonton. Veteran Trevor Harris (knee) has resumed practising but Shea Patterson remains under centre but neither running back A.J. Ouellette (rib) nor linebacker Jameer Thurman (elbow) will play.
Pick: Ottawa.
Calgary Stampeders at Toronto Argonauts (Friday night)
At Toronto, Calgary (4-4) outscored the Argos (4-4) 21-0 in the fourth quarter for a 27-23 home victory Sunday night. Its defence had six sacks, including two by Mike Rose but the Stamps are 0-4 on the road. Cam Dukes threw for a TD and ran for another for the visitors but is questionable with a leg injury. The loss tarnished stellar performances by safety Royce Metchie (nine tackles, interception, forced fumble) and linebacker Jonathan Jones (game-high 11 tackles, two for loss, special-teams tackle).
Pick: Toronto.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Montreal Alouettes (Saturday night)
At Montreal, the league-leading Alouettes (7-1) return home following last week’s 33-16 victory at Tim Hortons Field. Davis Alexander is expected to make a second straight start for the defending Grey Cup champions but again the league’s top defence (17.8 offensive points per game) will have his back. Hamilton (2-6) looks for a third win in four games boasting the CFL’s top-ranked offence (318.5 passing yards, 378.1 net yards per game) but is 1-3 on the road and its defence is tied with Edmonton for most offensive points allowed.
Pick: Montreal.
Last week: 1-3
CP’s overall record: 18-18.