Riders dominate Lions with unlikely victory

I will have to admit, I never saw that coming.

If a psychic at the Ex told me the final score would be 41-8, I would have put down pretty good money, and some mini-donuts, the Lions would be the winning side.

But apparently 33,350 fans knew better as there was an electricity in the air before the game even started.

The players noticed.

"It's usually always like that but you could tell there was a little bit more energy." said Kevin Glenn, acknowledging the reception they received when they came out of the tunnel.

What in the world did the paying public have to be excited about?

Wasn't anyone watching the week before when the Roughriders played in Vancouver?

Their showing at B.C. Place, which dropped their record to two and four, put the entire Riders' organization, and its fanbase, in a mood.

"Its been a frustrating week for our entire program, coaches, players, everybody, it was a bad taste in our mouth." said Chris Jones.

And to follow up a stinker with their their most dominating performance over a top flight team since the 2013 Grey Cup, I'm sure the Riders' boss had to pinch himself.

Jones called it the most solid performance since he came here prior to the 2016 season.

"Quite honestly I called the same exact game plan without any deviation from the week prior," said Jones, admitting to what is actually the definition of football insanity.

If anything changed it was perhaps the mindset of Ed Gainey, Sunday's game star with four interceptions, a touchdown and a fumble recovery.

"This was big for me this week because I'm a leader," Gaineysaidafter the game.

As one of the few returning players in the secondary, Gainey inherited that veteran role in training camp, a role he struggled with over the first third of this season.

"It's been hard for me, I've been pressing too much on a few of the younger guys, just going out there and leading by example is the best I can give these guys."

Chris Jones whose many titles includes defensive coordinator noticed Gainey's hesitancy and lack of aggressiveness on the ball.

"I spoke to him this week, I told him you're a good player you're just not quite playing like a good player," Jones said.

Gainey heard the message loud and clear and the result will be a slam dunk CFL performer of the week honour.

Hopefully he treats the front seven to dinner because if not for their pressure on Jonathan Jennings, Gainey would not have had the night he had.

Now, if only the Roughriders can bottle that performance and pack it in a suitcase.

Unfortunately for the Riders, they will not be able to ride momentum from the Lions win straight into another game.

They have another bye this week before they head to Edmonton to face the Eskimos on August 25.

"If we want to be at the top of this league we have to win on the road,we know we can play like this at home but we've got to play this exact same way on the road." said Glenn.

But for some reason this team does not travel well especially when they head west.

The Roughriders have not won a game west of Regina since August of 2014.

But that will be next week's concern.

Maybe Jones and his staff will take a few hours to exhale after this past victory.

Wins have been few and far between for them in Saskatchewan and never one this convincing.

"When we don't play well we're not happy, it's not something you can live with," said Jones.

"Football matters and when you work as hard as we do, it's a relief when you can walk off with a win and you know you deserved it."

Yes they did, and now for at least the next two weeks, Rider Nation can relax.