Jul
Backup QB Jackson shines in Lions win over Eskimos
Courtesy Vancouver Province:
Backup Jarious Jackson picked up for injured starting quarterback Buck Pierce, throwing for 362 yards and four touchdowns in relief as the B.C. Lions picked up their first win of the CFL season by defeating the Edmonton Eskimos 40-22 Thursday.
Pierce was sidelined in the first quarter of the game before 33,661 at Commonwealth Stadium complaining of dizziness and did not return. He was injured on a quarterback draw when he slid to the turf and took a shot to the back of the head by Edmonton defender Elliott Richardson that went unpenalized.
Jackson suffered momentary lapses himself on the field, but generated enough offence to halt a two-game losing streak and chase Edmonton starter Ricky Ray, who was intercepted twice in the pivotal third quarter.
An Edmonton special teams holding penalty resulted in the first points of the game when Eskimos punter Noel Prefontaine was forced to conceed a safety from the subsequent bad field position. It turned out to be the margin of difference in the first half, as B.C. led 16-14 at the break.
B.C. changed field position in a hurry a few drives later and moved to a 9-0 lead when Martell Mallett scored a play after Jackson hit Geroy Simon on a 43-yard pass play.
Simon wasn’t done however. The slotback’s second catch of the game was a 33-yard touchdown from Jackson.
However, the B.C. quarterback set up the Eskimos’ first touchdown on the Lions next drive when he fumbled deep in Lions territory. Edmonton’s Ray responded with a 12-yard touchdown strike to Maurice Mann three plays after the turnover.
Ray wasn’t done either. He tossed a 13-yard swing pass major to Calvin McCarty, who had become the tailback of record at the start of the second quarter after rookie import Arkee Whitlock had a slow start. Edmonton had just 12 yards offence in the first quarter.
Jarious Jackson recovered in the third quarter, striking quickly with a 13-yard scoring toss to Paris Jackson that was set up on a 45-yard passing gain by Rufus Skillern.
The touchdown gave B.C. a 23-14 lead, and when Jarious Jackson found Simon for a 40-yard score, the Eskimos (1-2) were done.
It was a record-setting night for Simon. The slotback’s first two catches of the game enabled him to eclipse the franchise mark for combined yards of 12,465 held by Willie Fleming on a night when the Lions dressed in 1965 replica uniforms, which was the work clothing of the day of the ex-all-purpose great. Simon surpassed the franchise mark for receiving yards previously held by Jim Young last year.
