Inside the CFL: It was a horrid start but Nathan Rourke’s return from the NFL could make QB room in B.C. very interesting

By Graham Kelly on August 22, 2024.

It was billed as the Game of The Year this season, at least up to now. Prodigal son Nathan Rourke had returned from his odyssey through the NFL to the B.C. Lions, the team he led to the Western Final against Winnipeg two years ago. For his efforts, he won the Most Outstanding Canadian Award, after which he headed south with stops in Jacksonville, New England, New York Giants and Atlanta.

He had a miserable night last Sunday putting on a performance unworthy of a third stringer against the visiting Bombers. He went 8/24 for 126 yards, two interceptions, no touchdowns, losing 20-11, the Leos scoring their only major with a second left. That drive was engineered by back-up Chase Brice. The game was played before 30, 803 fans, a big crowd on the West Coast.

Why did he do so badly? He only played a few downs in Jacksonville, none anywhere else, so he was rusty. It takes a while for receivers and quarterbacks to get their timing down. Another reason is the Blue Bombers have a tremendous defence and veteran offence. Their 3-6 record was deceptive. They had a lot of injuries early on. They’re healthy now and have a realistic shot of winning the Grey Cup.

And here’s the thing. The floundering Lions don’t need a saviour at quarterback. Defence is their problem. If Rourke hadn’t returned, Vernon Adams, Jr. would have started after missing one game with a knee injury. He is the mid-season favourite to win the Most Outstanding Player Award. He is No. 2 in passing behind another feline, Bo Levi Mitchell and first in passing efficiency.

The situation reminds me of 2004 when B.C. quarterback Casey Printers replaced the injured Dave Dickenson and did so well he won the MOP title, only to be benched by coach Wally Buono for the Grey Cup when Dickenson returned. They need to get the other Canadian back, Mathieu Betts, the 2023 winner of the Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award, currently trying out with those other Lions, the ones in Detroit. In Leo livery he had 18 sacks. The road doesn’t get any easier for floundering B.C. Up next, back-to-back games with Ottawa, a team very much for real.

By the way, during Rourke’s time holding a clipboard in the NFL, he wasn’t exactly reduced to cadging loose change on street corners. He was paid U.S $513,000.

Compare his return performance to that of Jeremiah Masoli. After a stellar career in Hamilton he signed with the Redblacks two years ago. Due to injuries he only started two games in two years. At 36 years of age, he performed well against Calgary, completing 27 of 35 passes for 254 yards and a TD. In the last minute he marched his team down the field for the winning field goal. Ottawa 31 Calgary 29, the Stamps first loss at home.

Meanwhile, another veteran returned to action in Regina with the 38-year-old Trevor Harris coming off the six-game list. By completing 31 of 39 for 355 yards and two majors, he played well enough to win but was done in when Brett Lauther developed cold feet, missing four of seven field goal attempts. (In Montreal, a 20-16 loss, he missed two FGs.) If that wasn’t too much to overcome, the Three Blind Mice in the commanded centre guaranteed a 27-24 Montreal win.

Contrary to the TV talking heads, Lauther didn’t have a rare off night. He ranks last in the league with a 71.1% accuracy rate. Five kickers are in the 90s, two in the 80s. Since assuming the place kicking duties in 2018, his accuracy percentage has averaged 83. Most kickers are in the 90s. You can say all you like that you win as a team and lose as a team, or, good old Brett feels so bad, but you can’t go into the stretch run or playoffs with such poor kicking. Winnipeg lost two Grey Cups because of their loyalty to a mediocre kicker.

That being said, in the Riders’ first four trips to the red zone they came away with only four points. They couldn’t finish. Thursday they play in Toronto and face their worst nightmare, a running quarterback. However, despite being on a four game winless streak, Saskatchewan remains in first place in the West.