Lions soar back into win column
B.C. beats Montreal 41-18 to end skid, but loses Lulay to injury
VANCOUVER — Jonathon Jennings came off the bench to throw for 295 yards and two touchdowns after starting quarterback Travis Lulay suffered a suspected torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on the second play from scrimmage as the B.C. Lions snapped a three-game losing streak with a muchneeded 41-18 victory over the Montreal Alouettes on Friday night.
Jennings connected with Emmanuel Arceneaux and Chris Rainey on TD tosses for the Lions (6-5), who were coming off a bye week.
B.C. moved, at least temporarily, ahead of the Saskatchewan Roughriders into fourth in the CFL’s powerhouse West Division.
Rainey also blocked a field goal that led to Anthony Gaitor’s 73-yard touchdown return on the final play of the first half, while Jeremiah Johnson ran in two more scores.
Arceneaux and Bryan Burnham each had over 100 yards receiving for the Lions.
Darian Durant threw a TD to Ernest Jackson and scored another on the ground, while Boris Bede kicked a field goal for the Alouettes (3-8), who have now dropped four in a row and sit third in the East.
Jennings was benched in favour of Lulay after three ineffective performances — all losses — in his return from an injury to his throwing shoulder, but was pressed into service when the veteran pivot was tackled by Montreal’s Branden Dozier on a six-yard run as he looked for a first down.
Lulay, who nearly led an improbable comeback after replacing Jennings at halftime of B.C.’s 31-24 loss to the Redblacks in Ottawa on Aug. 26, was seen wiping tears from his eyes after being helped to the sidelines where he was examined by trainers and had his leg placed in an air cast.
He stayed on the bench until there were two minutes left in the half and was loaded onto a cart taken to the locker-room, but returned to the sidelines on crutches later in the game.
Lulay had a 3-1 record in Jennings’ absence and came into Friday with the CFL’s top passer rating.