Courtesy Vancouver Province:

The working rule with the Lions is that if you don’t practice, you don’t play.

Barron Miles, however, operates on an entirely different set of standards that reflects his place among the CFL elite of special-teams performers. He is one of the rare few who can make a play that doesn’t involve any practice.

Miles literally vaulted into the league record books Friday in the Lions’ 36-34 win over the Montreal Alouettes with his 12th career blocked kick on a jaw-dropping athletic play that is truly reflective of his football intellect.

The crafty safety lined up behind centre at the line of scrimmage on the Als’ second convert attempt. Teammates Aaron Hunt and Tyrone Williams left some space between them on the line. Miles then took a couple of steps, leapt over snapper Chris Vrantsis, landed on both feet and blocked the extra point try of Damon Duval easily.

The block put Miles alongside Gerald Vaughn atop career league block leaders, and, for his trouble, the 36-year-old took a needless nasty late shot from Montreal lineman Scott Flory.

Miles has been getting in the way of opposing kickers for so long the play was hardly a surprise. But the astonishing part is the fact Miles never once has practiced the play.

A week of film study, in which Miles noticed that Vrantsis keeps his head down while snapping, plus a few talks with assistant coach Mike Benevides, who still draws up field goal defence, convinced Miles to give it a try.

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