The Canadian Press
Quarterback Jonathon Jennings called it nuts.
Slotback Bryan Burnham’s heart wouldn’t stop pounding.
For placekicker Ty Long, it helped confirm what he already knew.
The BC Lions were a parcel of emotions wrapped in excitement and tied up by a big bow of relief after their comeback 35-32 overtime victory against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Saturday night at BC Place Stadium.
The Lions trailed 14-3 at half time. The teams scored three touchdowns in the final three minutes, BC’s last coming with no time on the clock.
The Lions needed a video review to confirm a two-point convert that sent the game into overtime. There was a questionable coaching decision and plenty of penalties.
When it finally ended on Long’s 39-yard field goal in the second overtime, BC’s players ran around the field whooping while the Tiger-Cats watched stunned.
“It was nuts,” said Jennings, who started in place of the injured Travis Lulay. “It was crazy.
“When you’re in the moment it doesn’t seem as crazy. But when you look back and see all the things we had to jump through at the end of the game to find a way to win, it’s nuts.”
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Burnham had two touchdown catches, the last coming as time expired leaving the Lions training by two points. He then had to endure a video review to make sure he got a toe in bounds on the two-point convert.
“It’s a special feeling right now,” said Burnham, who finished the night with 10 catches for 90 yards and wrote himself into Lions’ history. “The words aren’t coming to my mind.
“I’m excited, my heart is beating out of my chest right now.”
At first the officials ruled Burnham out of bounds on the convert attempt. BC receiver Ricky Collins Jr. slammed his helmet on the ground in disgust while the Tiger-Cat players began celebrating.
The crowd of 18,794 roared when it looked like a replay on the video screen showed Burnham’s foot a hair inbounds on the catch. After an agonizing wait, the catch was ruled good, setting up the overtime.
“Thank goodness they were able to review it,” said Burnham. “They took their time and got it right. I guess by just a blade of grass.”
The teams exchanged field goals in the first overtime.
In the second, Hamilton placekicker Lirim Hajrullahu was wide left on a 42-yard field goal attempt.
The Lions took over, ran one play, then Long came on to win the game.
“I was really excited for that last kick,” Long shouted over the noise of a jubilant Lions’ dressing room. “I wanted it to come down to me.”
Long, a 25-year-old native of Roswell, Ga., still holds records at the University of Alabama at Birmingham for career field goals and the longest field goal in school history. He spent a couple years bouncing around the NFL before finding a job with the Lions in 2017.
“That’s why I grind like I do,” said Long. “Two years I spent without a team. No one wanted me. I was working because I knew I could play.”
Walking onto the field for the final kick, Long had only one thing on his mind.
“Drain it,” he said. “Go in and do it. No doubt about it.”
There was plenty of doubt about the Lions’ chances late in the fourth quarter. BC had gone ahead 21-20 on Burnham’s first touchdown of the night.
Hamilton took over and just two plays later quarterback Jeremiah Masoli connected with wide receiver Mike Jones on a 55-yard touchdown. A two-point convert gave the Tiger-Cats a 28-21 lead.
Any hopes of a Lions’ comeback looked finish after BC turned the ball over on downs on the next series. Hamilton started on the BC 39 and gained two yards on a pair of running plays. With 59 seconds remaining, Tiger-Cat head coach June Jones elected to punt the ball instead of trying a field goal. Hamilton got a single on the play.
Jones defended his decision.
“You have that much time you have to win the game,” he said. “Who thinks they are going to go (for) a touchdown and two-point conversion?”
Masoli, who completed 19 of 25 passes for 311 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, backed up his coach.
“That one play doesn’t make a game,” he said. “We have to do a better job scoring more points.”
Jennings got the ball back with 33 seconds remaining and marched the Lions 75 yards on five plays.
“It wasn’t a playoff game but it was huge for us,” said Jennings, who finished the night completing 32 of 47 passes for 346 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
“We really needed this win.”
Head Coach Wally Buono praised his team.
“There was no quit,” he said. “A lot of guys sucked it up.”
The Lions won their third consecutive game despite taking 10 penalties for 154 yards. They improved to 6-6 and put themselves back in the hunt for a playoff spot in the West Division.
The Tiger-Cats, who have lost two games in a row, dropped to 6-7 and sit second in the East Division, four points behind Ottawa.
The two teams will meet in a rematch next Saturday in Hamilton.
“It was one of the craziest games most of the guys in this locker room have ever been in,” said Burnham. “We are going to enjoy this tonight. Tomorrow we have to get back to work.”
