SURREY, B.C. — The music was cranked up loud enough to shake the walls in the B.C. Lions dressing room Saturday.
Defensive tackle Aaron Hunt enjoyed a belly laugh with a couple of teammates while running back Jamal Robertson did some dance steps to loud cheers. He even convinced a plump, middle-aged reporter to show off a few moves.
The Lions nervous? Not likely.
Having lived on the edge for the last half of the CFL season, B.C. is taking a relaxed attitude into Sunday’s must-win game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders (TSN, 3 p.m.).
“We’ve had must-win games for a while now,” shrugged slotback Geroy Simon after the Lions held a brief practice. “I think we just understand it and accept it.
“We understand the challenge that’s ahead of us, but there’s no need to be doom and gloom. We just have to go out and play our game.”
The Riders (9-7) have already wrapped up second place in the West and will host a playoff game.
The Lions (6-10) are in a fight with the Edmonton Eskimos for third place in the West.
The Lions need a win in their last home game of the season at Empire Field to keep their playoff hopes alive. After a disastrous 1-7 start the Lions have won five of their last eight contests but remain in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in 14 years.
Wally Buono, the Lions coach and general manager, wasn’t surprised by his team’s attitude.
“There’s nothing to be wound up about,” said Buono, who has missed the playoffs just once in his previous 20 years of coaching. “They have to show up and play a physical game.
“They have done that all year. This is nothing new to them.
“The best thing about staying loose is you don’t waste a lot of time and energy on something you can’t resolve today. Tomorrow you should be more intense, more physical. These guys have been under the gun since week nine.”
The Riders have lost three straight, a streak they want to snap before the playoffs.
“We’re not happy with what happened the last games,” said veteran offensive guard Gene Makowsky. “We have been turning the ball over far too often. That makes it easy on other teams.
“We want to get our offence rolling and get some rhythm. Those are some to the things we need to get going. We can show some more intensity. We’ve lack a little bit the last few games. We’ll hopefully turn that around.”
Saskatchewan has beaten the Lions twice this season by a combined score of 74-31. But slotback Andy Fantuz knows the Riders will be a facing a different B.C. team this time around.
“They have improved possibly more than any team in the league,” said Fantuz. “We know we are in a dogfight.
“Their defence has been pretty strong all year, they’ve just had some lapses on the field. Lately they have been playing pretty solid and beaten some good teams. It’s a good game for us to bounce back after three losses.”
One area where the Riders have been vulnerable is on the ground. Saskatchewan has given up 568 rushing yards in the last three defeats.
That should have Robertson licking his lips, but the cagey running back isn’t predicting a stroll in the park.
“They still have a great defence,” said Robertson, who has 869 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 137 carries this year. “You can’t take them lightly or think we are going to take advantage of them.
“They do a lot of things. We have to play our game.”
Buono said the Lions will score points any way they can.
“You have to move the football, you have to stay on the field, you have to score points,” he said. “If running the football allows us to do that, we’re going to run the football.”
Second-year quarterback Travis Lulay will direct the Lions attack. He’s the third B.C. quarterback to start against the Riders, following Casey Printers, who was released earlier this month, and Jarious Jackson.
The Riders will start Darian Durant, who has been inconsistent in his last several games.
Makowsky said as frustrating as the losses have been, there is no panic in the Saskatchewan dressing room.
“When you panic you start looking for things that aren’t there and make rash decisions,” he said. “We’re concerned but I don’t think panic is the right word.
“It’s come to our attention for sure the way we are playing isn’t good enough. We want to turn that around and get that good feeling, our mojo going.”
The Riders end the season at home against Edmonton. The Lions travel to Hamilton to play the Tiger-Cats.