Lions desperate for a win

VANCOUVER — There was a palpable anger in the B.C. Lions’ locker-room following a last-second loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats two weeks ago.

Wally Buono would like to see a little more of that emotion from his team on the field.

“After the fact, it’s too late. Maybe go into the game a little more angry,” said B.C.’s head coach and general manager. “Football is an emotional game played by angry men.

“The anger has to come before the game, not after the game.”

Fresh off a bye week, where all they could do was stew over the crushing 24-23 home defeat that put another major dent in their playoff hopes, the Lions (6-7) sit last in the CFL’s West Division as they prepare to host the Ottawa Redblacks (5-9-1) today.

Even if B.C. sweeps the club’s final five games, it still might not be enough to make the post-season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (7-6) and Edmonton Eskimos (7-6), who sit third and fourth in the West, both holding the tiebreaker over the Lions.

“You wanna be in the playoffs? You’re in the playoffs,” Buono said in describing his team’s current predicament. “I’ve been here a million times.

“I can handle the pressure. Can you?”

The good news for B.C. is Edmonton has lost six straight after starting the season 7-0, but the success or failure of the teams ahead of the Lions in the standings won’t matter if they can’t figure out their own game.

“It’s playoff football for us right now,” said B.C. wide receiver Bryan Burnham. “We can’t lose. We can’t rely on other teams. We have to do what we can.

“Every game’s a must-win from here on out.”

Lions quarterback Jonathon Jennings showed signs of life in the loss to Hamilton after a dismal performance against the Calgary Stampeders the previous week, but an offence that was supposed to light up the scoreboard has still yet to find its rhythm for a club that has lost two straight and five of its last six.

“It’s been a tough season for all of us,” said Jennings, who has just six touchdown passes and an ugly 12 interceptions. “It hurts to lose, especially with all the expectations we have for ourselves. But we know it’s not over. We know our chances aren’t lost.”

The Redblacks, meanwhile, sit second in the East after two straight losses.