THE CANADIAN PRESS

VANCOUVER -- Buck Pierce wants his play on the field to do the talking.

The Lions quarterback was bloodied by the Roughriders defence Friday, but had enough in the tank to orchestrate a final drive and put Sean Whyte in range for the game-winning field goal as B.C. downed Saskatchewan 19-16. After the game, Pierce - bloody towel draped over his thigh from a cut on his hand - took issue with those who question his leadership.

"Everybody's been talking to me about stepping up and saying enough and being more of a vocal guy," said Pierce who missed a month with a concussion but threw for 343 yards against the Riders.

"You know what? This is how I lead," said Pierce, "When you get popped, (you're telling teammates) I've got your back there, too."

Whyte's game winner - his fourth field goal of the night - came from 33 yards out with five seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Pierce, who completed his first nine passes and finished 29-for-43, also ran for 28 yards, including one 20-yard scamper that led to Whyte's third field goal.

He led the winning march from the B.C. 29-yard line with 2:33 remaining. Slotback Geroy Simon, who had a game-high 134 receiving yards, kept the drive alive with a shoestring catch near midfield.

The only B.C. touchdown of the night came when backup pivot Travis Lulay found Paris Jackson on the end of a 38-yard aerial to give the Lions a 13-3 lead. Lulay was under centre for a short-yardage play.

"It's exciting because it was an important part of the game," Lulay said of his first TD pass as a professional.

The Lions lost Jackson, who had eight catches for 114 yards, in the fourth quarter with a knee ligament injury. A team spokesman said he could miss two weeks.

B.C., still hoping to play host to a playoff game, improved to 6-7 and caught Edmonton for third place in the congested West Division after the Eskimos lost to Winnipeg.

Saskatchewan, which lost for the second time in three starts, slipped to 7-6. They remain tied for first with Calgary but the Stampeders can move ahead by winning Saturday in Hamilton.

The Riders tied the game 16-16 when quarterback Darian Durant fired a 24-yard touchdown strike to Andy Fantuz, who led the Riders with 90 yards on six receptions.

Durant then scrambled to buy time for Gerran Walker to get open for the two-point conversion.

Luca Congi kicked field goals of 47 and 49 yards and Saskatchewan got their other two points when Whyte conceded a safety.

The Lions piled up 272 yards of offence in the first half but could not finish drives and held only a 6-3 lead at the intermission. Two marches ended at the one-yard line.

Whyte also missed two field goals and was relieved when the game-winning points went through the uprights after Saskatchewan coach Ken Miller called a time out to ice the B.C. kicker.

"I had to get over those first two misses I made," said Whyte who has taken over from Paul McCallum who wants a trade. "I got over it and gave myself a lot of confidence coming into (the kick) and kept positive and it worked out."

Simon, who has only four touchdowns this year, said he had his best game of the season.

"Hands down," he said. "Buck kept looking for me, especially when Paris got hurt but we kept fighting and did what we had to do to win."

Saskatchewan receiver Weston Dressler, who had 88 receiving yards, said the Roughriders got great support from their defence, especially with the early goal-line stands.

"That was great," Dressler said. "But offensively we've just got to put more points on the board and move the ball better."

Miller said the offence lacked consistency after its first drive of the game.

"Our defence was on the field an awful lot, way too much and we weren't able to disrupt the rhythm of their passing game well enough."

NOTES: Wally Buono was saluted before kickoff for his CFL-record 232nd coaching victory achieved Sept. 19 against Toronto . . . NFL journeyman Damane Duckett started at right tackle for the Lions, replacing Jason Jimenez, who's out with an ankle injury . . . Lineman Gene Makowski played his 246th game for Saskatchewan to tie Ron Lancaster for second-most career games as a Roughrider . . . Quarterback Casey Printers remained on the B.C. practice roster and pivot Jarious Jackson (shoulder) could return next week against Edmonton . . . Saskatchewan and B.C. split their previous two games . . . The teams conclude the season series Oct. 24 in Regina.