PRESEASON: LIONS 34 BLUE BOMBERS 21
VANCOUVER – Jonathon Jennings threw for 182 yards and one touchdown to lead the B.C. Lions over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 34-21 in CFL pre-season action Friday night at BC Place.
B.C. finished the pre-season 2-0 after a 36-23 win in Calgary. It was the first undefeated pre-season for the Lions since 2014 and bodes well for a team coming off a 7-11 season last year.
Backup QBs Bryan Bennett and Chris Streveler combined for 108 yards and two TDs for Winnipeg, which finished 1-1 in pre-season. The Bombers fielded all three of their backup QBs after Matt Nichols went down with a knee injury on Wednesday and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
QB Alex Ross started for the Bombers, but fumbled on second down, allowing Odell Willis to scoop the ball and run it in 20 yards for a 6-0 B.C. lead just over a minute into the game.
Ross bounced back, driving the Bombers to the 31-yard line where Felix Menard-Briere kicked an FG to cut the lead.
Jennings connected on passes to Shaq Johnson and Emmanuel Arceneaux to put Tyler Long in position to kick a 15-yard field goal to make it 9-3 at 8:51.
Bennett then came into the game and threw a 58-yard bomb to wide receiver Rueben Randle for a TD strike. A converted extra point made it 10-9.
Jennings answered back with a 34-yard heave to Arceneaux, bringing the Lions to Winnipeg’s 43. Long kicked a 46-yard field goal for a 12-10 Lions lead.
Menard-Briere made good on a 52-yard field with no time left to make it 13-12 at the half.
Jennings drove the Lions downfield early in the third, getting B.C. to the Winnipeg 22 before finding Bryan Burnham with a TD endzone pass. Minutes later it was 27-13 when defensive back Otha Foster ran back a touchdown interception off a throw by Bombers QB Chris Streveler.
QB Ricky Lloyd came in for Jennings in the fourth and found Burnham, who ran to the Winnipeg 15 for a 38-yard gain. Lloyd dove across the goal-line for a comfortable 33-15 lead.
With under three minutes to play, Kenbrell Thompkins pulled down a 32-yard TD pass from Streveler.
Winnipeg kicks off the CFL regular season at home against the Eskimos on Thursday. BC plays next Saturday at home against Montreal.
(Canadian Press)
