Jul 7, 2007, 5:40 GMT
Vancouver, BC - Paul McCallum's five field goals helped British Columbia pound Edmonton, 29-9, in the Lions' home opener and the first road game for the Eskimos this season.
Dave Dickenson completed 15-of-27 passes for 230 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Lions, who edged Toronto 24-22 in Week 1. Joe Smith rushed for 84 yards on 14 carries with a touchdown. Jason Clermont had four receptions for 84 yards and a score.
Ricky Ray completed 26-of-36 passes for 285 yards with three interceptions for the Eskimos, who notched a double-OT 39-39 result against Winnipeg in Week 1. Tyler Ebell rushed for 21 yards on eight attempts, and had 10 receptions for 84 yards to pace the Edmonton offense.
Edmonton put up the only first-quarter points with 12:24 remaining, as Sean Fleming converted a 42-yard field goal.
B.C. got going right away in the second when McCallum kicked a 44-yard field goal, and he followed that with a 14-yarder about two minutes later.
Edmonton got more points on the board courtesy of its kicker with just under three minutes left as Fleming was good on a 16-yarder.
Just more than a minute later, though, McCallum notched three more points for B.C. by converting a 35-yarder.
Smith punched the ball into the end zone from one yard out with just 13 seconds on the clock for the first touchdown of the game and a 16-6 halftime Lions lead.
The Lions scored the only third-quarter points on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Dickenson to Clermont with 6:35 remaining for a 23-6 lead heading into the fourth.
Fleming put Edmonton back on the board again with 12:43 to go in the fourth on a 36-yard field goal, but McCallum answered with a 48-yarder about three minutes later.
McCallum then sealed the win on an 18-yard field goal with 1:28 remaining in the game.
Game Notes
Edmonton committed five turnovers in the contest...The biggest talk heading into the game surrounded comments Eskimos defensive lineman Rahim Abdullah said about Lions offensive linemen Rob Murphy and Jason Jimenez. Abdullah said both Murphy and Jimenez use 'dirty tactics,' in the hand-to-hand warfare that goes on in the trenches. Abdullah went so far as to say Murphy is not above sticking his fingers in an opposing player's facemask in an attempt to get to his eyes, a practice the Eskimos defensive lineman said Murphy has used against him and actually got his finger into Abdullah's mouth. So, quite naturally, Abdullah said he merely tried to bite Murphy's fingers as a form of retaliation, but was unsuccessful. For his part, Murphy, the CFL's top lineman last year, said Abdullah routinely engages in low blows. The situation got sticky in the fourth quarter, and after words were exchanged, Murphy got ejected from the game.
© 2007 The Sports Network
Game Notes.
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