Blue Bombers beat Lions in undefeated battle for 5th straight win

The first head-to-head meeting between two of the CFL’s stingiest teams turned out to be a high-point affair. While both teams were undefeated in Saturday’s game at BC Place, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers beat the BC Lions 43-22.

Winnipeg quarterback Zach Collaros had 288 yards and three touchdowns, while Janarion Grant fended off the game opener for a major to give his team a 7-0 lead.

In their first loss of the season, the Lions (3-1) got two touchdown receptions from Dominique Rhymes and one from Josh Pearson. First-year starting quarterback Nathan Rourke went 16 for 25 through the air, passing for 278 yards with two interceptions. Michael O’Connor took over under the center of the Lions at the end of the fourth quarter, for his first action of the young season.

WATCH l Collaros leads the Blue Bombers past the Lions:

The Blue Bombers’ dominance began with the opener of the game, Grant’s 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

The Lions’ opening practice was interrupted when Jackson Jeffcoat landed a pass intended for Keon Hatcher. That set up a nine-play drive that was capped off by Zach Collaros’ 12-yard pass to Dalton Schoen deep in the end zone.

The Bombers pushed their lead to 21-0 late in the first quarter, after Brown completed a 77-yard drive with a one-yard quarterback.

The Lions had penalty problems to start the second quarter. Accurate passes from Nathan Rourke to James Butler and Dominque Rhymes moved the ball into midfield before a sack from Willie Jefferson brought Stefan Flintoft into the field for the game’s first punt.

The Blue Bombers added a late field goal and took a 27-14 locker room lead at halftime.

Winnipeg added to its lead in the third. Liegghio again split the uprights from 46 yards and then Collaros hit Schoen in the end zone for the second time, pushing the lead to 37-14.

Early in the fourth, Rourke joined Rhymes for his second touchdown of the game, and Jevon Cottoy caught a pass in the end zone for a two-point convert. Winnipeg recorded its third touchdown when Collaros joined Greg Ellingson at 15 yards.

BC linebacker Bo Lokombo left the game late in the first quarter with an elbow injury and did not return.

Winnipeg will host the CFL’s only other undefeated team, the Calgary Stampeders (4-0), next Friday at IG Field, while the Lions have a bye week.