B.C. hands ball off again to Jennings
Quarterback hopes to rekindle magic of 2016 and ignite B.C.’s struggling offence
It wasn’t quite as emotional as Terrell Owens’ teary defence of Tony Romo, but Bryan Burnham was passionate in throwing his support behind Jonathon Jennings on Wednesday.
An offence that’s still stuck in pre-season form in mid-season will reboot once again with Jennings stepping in for the injured (again) Travis Lulay under centre. And it’s an offence that has struggled to find its passing rhythm, sitting near the bottom of the CFL in attempts (349), completions (223) and yards per game (241.9).
“I think the biggest problem is guys haven’t been on the same page. There’s been some confusion in the huddle the past few games and in the beginning of the season,” said Burnham, who’s caught touchdown passes from Jennings in two consecutive games.
“There’s no time for that right now. I think it’s just been the fact there’s been this quarterback shuffle all season — you know, Jon’s up one week, Lulay’s back, Lulay’s hurt, Jon’s back — they’re just different guys in the huddle. Not that either one is better than the other one.
“Guys just have to realize that when the quarterback is in the huddle, he’s the general, he’s the guy that’s commanding the huddle. We just have to listen to him, hear the play, and know what you’re doing.
“I do think (Jennings) doesn’t get the same respect. I mean, Lulay … MOP, Grey Cup champion, he definitely deserves the respect he gets. But Jonathon … I think he got a bad rep off the first few games of the season, and people forgot about 2016 Jonathon Jennings.
“He was one of the top quarterbacks in the league, but people are quick to forget. But I think they’re going to be put on notice the next few weeks with Jonathon coming back and being the J.J. we all know.”
Jennings began the season as the starter, mustering a mere 487 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in three games before giving way to Lulay in Week 5.
Lulay’s insertion jump-started the offence, and he ripped off two straight 300-yard games. But the passing production fizzled in the following weeks, as he failed to crack the tri-century mark again. For comparison, Hamilton TigerCats QB Jeremiah Masoli — their opponent this Saturday — has produced nine 300-yard games. The Lions have two.
B.C. (5-6) has won two straight games on the backs of a resurgent defence that tops the league in sacks (31), interceptions (16) and batted balls, and has allowed fewer points than any team except Calgary. It should be noted that Jennings played his part in those wins, stepping in for an injured Lulay twice, completing 29 of 42 passes for two TDs and one interception.
In his breakout 2016 season, Jennings torched teams with the deep ball, leading the league with 40 completions of 30 yards or more. This year, he’s last in that department, connecting on just three of 17 attempts over 20 yards.
“I don’t think we’ve had a whole lot of big plays this year. We just have to make the big plays, the ones we know we can, the ones everyone on this team has made before,” Jennings said.
“Sometimes it just takes time to get in sync. (We have) a lot of new pieces. It just takes time. And on
offence, I think we have the pieces to make it work.”
With Lulay out for at least four weeks with a dislocated left shoulder, B.C.’s quarterback hokey-pokey — you know, you put your Lulay in, your take your Lulay out — is on hold for the foreseeable future. And this stretch of games will also be crucial for the Lions’ future.
Both of their starting quarterbacks are free agents next year. One has two surgically repaired knees, multiple dislocated shoulders, and is heading toward the far side of 35. The other has struggled to keep his starting job, the memory of his magical 5,226-yard, 27-touchdown 2016 campaign fading into irrelevance.
But the 26-year-old Jennings is focused on the task at hand: a seven-game mini-season that determines whether the Lions will make the playoffs.
“I’m not thinking too deep on it,” said Jennings, who makes his first start in three months.
“When you start putting that pressure on it, and thinking ‘Oh, where is this going to put me next year?’ and all that stuff, it changes the way you play.
“You just have to go out there and execute. Do what the play is designed to do, and don’t try to do any more. Let your instincts kick in.
“I have some special instincts that have gotten me to this point. I have to let those go to work when they come — and I can’t force them to — but when the play comes and I have that opportunity, I just have to let my instincts go to work.”
He was one of the top quarterbacks in the league, but people are quick to forget. But I think they’re going to be put on notice the next few weeks with Jonathon coming back.