Call it a miracle or just a hope and a prayer the Lions are moving on to play in the western final and see if they have what it takes to make the coveted CFL Grey Cup Championship played in Toronto.
With the clock winding down as well as the season for the Lions, it was either a spectacular move which advances the Orange and Black.
Lions QB Jonathon Jennings had a look of desperation on his mind when he had the ability to fight his way around the right end, while running out of the pocket looked left, then over the middle, and finally to his right and set his own path to the goal-line.
He broke a tackle from Taylor Lofflef (Winnipeg safety) managing to score his second rushing T/D late in the fourth quarter of the game.
As it turned out it was an impressive nine-yard run which had everyone on their feet with only 66 seconds remaining which turned out to be the play that eliminated the Blue Bombers in the CFL West Division semi-final game.
The Lions were trailing 25-6 with the first half coming to a close when Jennings was intercepted on the second play from scrimmage and then fumbled deep in Winnipeg territory.
Being pro means you take the adversity and move on and that is what the Lions did with second-year QB managed to rally his team with an impressive outcome that makes one think he’s indeed a seasoned pro.
Lions wide receiver Bryan Burnham told the media following the game “It’s so surreal watching him out there playing as some of the things he does – I mean that last play was amazing.”
Winnipeg was still in the game following the Lions’ 2-point conversion attempt which could have put the hosts up by three, but rather than try the third down with four short yards on the Lions 53 yard-line with 36 seconds left, Winnipeg attempted a 61-yard field goal, which Justin Medlock was unable to complete only to come up short.
BC’s defensive back Ryan Phillips told the media following the game “We could have folded but we kept fighting. I think that speaks volumes for how this year has been.”
Jennings finished the game with 26-of-35 passing for 329 yards sending T/D tosses to Burnham and Terrell Sinkfield for the Lions, who now face the Stampeder’s in next Sunday’s West final game.
Newest recruit Paul McCallum added two converts while Jeremiah Johnson rushed 11 times for 110 yards, scoring BC’s TD on the ground
Matt Nichols was 26 of 40 with T/D passes to Smith for the Bombers, who was returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
Andrew Harris carried 11 times for 61 yards and a T/D against his former club, while Medlock added three field goals, three extra points and a kickoff single.
Winnipeg was up by nine after the third and went on to take a 31-19 lead early in the fourth on Medlock’s third field goal from 27 yards out.
Call it what you want the Bombers delivered a horrendous hit on Manny Arceneaux putting him out of the game.
The Bombers only mistake was that they “woke up the beast only to see them ROAR!”
