Mitchell Blair | Riderville.com

VANCOUVER -- The B.C Lions were everything as advertised Sunday night on their home turf. The Leos defence would not allow the Saskatchewan Roughriders to generate any rhythm offensively as they walked to a 24-5 win to hand the Riders their 4th straight loss and provide fodder for more questions to be asked.

Darian Durant was hoping to celebrate his 30th birthday in style, but with his mother watching from the stands, Durant was unable to get momentum going as he threw for under 200 yards and a season-high three interceptions. Head Coach Corey Chamblin says the experience of the Lions showed through on this night.

“They have a veteran group and as the game wore along, they got stronger and they finished stronger with us,” Chamblin said once all was said and done. “Our guys fought, but we just couldn’t get all three phases playing at a high level.”

The Rider defence held Travis Lulay and the B.C offence in check for most of the football game as it was tough for both offences to gain some positive yardage on a consistent basis. Middle linebacker Shomari Williams believes it was a case where they traded punch for punch with the Lions before succumbing.

“They’re a good football team and we managed to stay right with them for most of the game, but they finally started capitalizing on some opportunities.” Williams told 620 CKRM’s Carm Carteri. “To be a good team, we have to beat the best. We held our own against them for almost three quarters and if we could have gotten a break here or there, maybe it would have been a different result. It’s a tough lesson we are learning, but at least it’s happening at this point of the season and not the end of the season.”

Rookie receiver Taj Smith continued to make an impression on the coaching staff as he led the Saskatchewan pass-catchers with 5 receptions. He says it was a tough night.

“It was hard and give them a lot of credit because they wouldn’t let us get going, “Smith said. “We just have to get this one out of our minds, stay positive and start getting ready for Calgary next week.”

The Riders will be back at home to take on a Calgary team that is also 3-4 next Saturday afternoon at Mosaic Stadium. Kickoff is 1 o’clock.

GAME NOTES
•    Rookie linebacker Abraham Kromah left the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury. It’s not known how severe the injury to the team’s leading tackler is at this time

•    The last time the Riders failed to score a touchdown in a game was in October of 2011. That coincidentally also happened at B.C Place.

•    Despite gaining just 28 yards, running back Kory Sheets surpassed Edmonton’s Cory Boyd as the league’s leading rusher. Sheets goes into next week’s game against Calgary having run for 468 yards.