Time, confidence key to B.C. Lions’ turnaround

SURREY – A shaky start to the CFL season didn’t dim the B.C. Lions’ big aspirations.

Inside the locker room, there’s always been a belief that the team could achieve great things this year, said defensive lineman Casey Sayles.

“Sometimes good things take time to kind of develop,” he said. “But we knew the team that we were and that we have. And it’s been great to have the journey.”

After starting the 2026 campaign with a 1-5 record, the Lions (10-6) have wins in nine of their last 10 games.

Defence has been a strength over the stretch, with B.C. giving up the second-fewest points (418), touchdowns (42) and net yards (5,478) in the league over the course of the season.

Sayles, a 31-year-old American, joined the Lions in free agency after three seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and a Grey Cup win with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2021.

“I think the first game of the year against Saskatchewan, I look around and realize I haven’t played with any of these guys yet,” said Sayles, who’s tallied 15 total tackles — including three for a loss — three sacks and one forced fumble this season.

“So I think that gelling point and journey along the way the last three months kind of ironed out the little details. We’ve come a long way with kind of knowing the full defence. It takes a little time but I’m glad to be where we are right now.”

Canadian receiver Jevon Cottoy watched several of the early-season losses from the sidelines after picking up a thigh injury in B.C.’s first game of the year.

From there, he saw a group of players who stuck to the process thaT head coach Buck Pierce and his staff laid out in training camp, even when the final score wasn’t in their favour.

“It’s football — there’s ups and downs. Not every game’s gonna look perfect, not every play is gonna look perfect, right?” Cottoy said.

“Guys just committing to it and not being fazed by losing one or two or three. And then when we start winning, we know how that feeling is when we were 1-5, right? So, having that in the back of our heads and making sure that we can never get back to that point.”

A decisive 41-20 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday clinched B.C.’s spot in the playoffs.

Notching yet another win over the Stampeders in Calgary on Friday would see the Lions host a post-season game. With help on the out-of-town scoreboard, the team could still leapfrog the Edmonton Elks (12-4) and take first place in the CFL’s West Division.