Lions try to move beyond fumble flap
CFL: Bombers’ Harris ruled down by contact instead of turnover, setting off holiday firestorm around game
This just in: Life can be unfair. A painful truth to believe, of course, which is why we’re constantly railing against cruel fate or perfidious officialdom. In this case, it’s the Canadian Football League command centre in Toronto, which “robbed” the B.C. Lions of a chance to defeat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Saturday afternoon at Investors Group Field.
Trailing 37-33, Lions linebackers Adam Bighill and Jason Arakgi conspired to stop and strip Blue Bombers running back Andrew Harris of the football at the Winnipeg fiveyard line. With just 44 seconds left on the clock, the fumble recovery looked to be a game-turning play — if it had been allowed to stand. Instead, Harris was ruled down by contact, and the CFL command centre upheld the questionable on-field officials’ decision.
The controversy set off a firestorm of indignation, fuelled by slow-motion replays, the umbrage of the CFL on TSN panel and social media outrage.
Matt Dunigan: “Mind-boggling.” Milt Stegall: “They (Lions) got burned.” Chris Schultz: “Totally burned. It was crystal clear it was a fumble.”
The funny thing is, the aggrieved party — the Lions and head coach Wally Buono — appear to have accepted the perceived injustice as hard lines, a tough break, but let’s move on.
“Was that the deciding play in the game?” Buono said Monday, as the Lions returned to the practice field. “Who knows? When you look at the game as a whole, they (Winnipeg) played better than we did. They got 37 points and we got 35.”
Buono’s viewpoint could be altered considerably when he gets to see a TSN videotape that shows the ball coming out of the running back’s grip before Harris contacts the turf. The coach’s tape — which Buono ran in slo-mo for reporters in his office on Monday — was inconclusive.
“I couldn’t tell,” Buono admitted. “I didn’t see all the TSN angles. But (even if it was a fumble) that’s not why we lost. If I go there, these guys (Lions players) don’t see the reality and the truth. I can’t say that. I don’t want the players to use that as a crutch, to explain why we lost. That’s not why we lost.”
Here’s one reason: Buono pointed out that the Lions reached the fiveyard line on three occasions against the Blue Bombers, and couldn’t come away with a touchdown.
“How about we get the first down on the two plays before that (the Harris fumble)?” Buono asks. “I mean, come on. Did you watch the second down play? It’s embarrassing. We should have knocked those guys off the ball.”
To wit: On second down, at the Winnipeg five-yard line, and needing just two yards to get a fresh set of downs, Lions running back Anthony Allen picked up just a single yard when left guard Hunter Steward and centre Cody Husband couldn’t move the defenders across from them. Then, on the next play, a third-down gamble, Chris Rainey was tackled for a one-yard loss on a sweep that worked earlier in the game for a 56-yard touchdown.
Maurice Leggett, who made the stop on Rainey to force the critical turnover, told the Winnipeg Sun that the Blue Bombers knew what was coming. “Oh, yeah. We talked about it, right before it happened.”
But Allen, who was supposed to nullify Leggett on Rainey’s rushing play, failed to do so. If Buono needed a reason to switch running backs to Jeremiah Johnson for Friday’s rematch, he has one now.
“Both of those plays were huddle (quarterback) calls,” said Travis Lulay. “If you look at Rainey’s touchdown, Leggett is engaged and blocked. On the second one (the botched sweep), Leggett flails and spins and happens to make a perfect play right into Rainey’s legs. In hindsight (Lulay says with a chuckle), we should have run the sweep to the other side. That’s how it goes.”
One play later, Harris fumbles — and the Lions have a chance to revisit Rainey’s wrecked run. Inexplicably, officials rule against B.C. and the Bombers retain possession. That’s how it goes. Ball game.
“I agree with Wally 100 per cent,” Arakgi said. “To blame the referees or the command centre, or to blame anyone, is a cop-out, an excuse. It’s kind of b.s. We didn’t lose that game because of one play. You never lose a game on one situation. We dug ourselves a hole, and we need to play better football this week.”
Life is unfair. But the Lions somehow will abide. What other choice is there?
NOTE: After losses Monday by Toronto and Montreal, B.C. has clinched a CFL playoff berth for a 20th consecutive season.