B.C. Lions seek answers for high-flying Lawler and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

B.C. Lions' Cristophe Beaulieu (29) breaks up a pass intended for Saskatchewan Roughriders' Dhel Duncan-Busby (18) during the second half of a CFL football game, in Vancouver, on Saturday, July 19, 2025. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press)

VANCOUVER — The B.C. Lions head into the weekend facing a riddle — how do you stop Kenny Lawler?

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats receiver is on a tear, and leads the CFL in both receiving yards (644) and receiving touchdowns (eight). He’ll look to add to those totals Saturday when the Ticats (4-2) visit the Lions (3-4).

For Lions defensive coordinator Mike Benevides, the riddle’s answer is simple.

“You don’t stop Kenny Lawler,” Benevides said.

The veteran CFL coach recounted a time when he tried to contain the 31-year-old American receiver by double teaming him, only to see Lawler still make “hellacious plays.”

“You don’t stop him. What you want to do is try to minimize it and just make sure he doesn’t have one of those 250-yard games,” Benevides said.

“They’re going to find ways to get him the ball, but you just want to make sure he’s not the one continuously making the big play against you.”

The Ticats started out the season with a pair of losses — both to West Division opponents — but have rebounded with four-straight victories, thanks in part to Lawler’s solid play. He heads into Saturday’s matchup with at least one touchdown in five of Hamilton’s six games.

That’s of little surprise to Lions head coach Buck Pierce, who spent the last two seasons working with Lawler in Winnipeg where he served as the Blue Bombers offensive coordinator.

“He’s a highly motivated, competitive, driven individual,” Pierce said. ”I loved my time with Kenny, watching him develop and grow. And watching him over the last couple of years, he’s really matured and taken on a leadership role.”

Taking Lawler out of the equation this week will require the Lions defence to focus on more than just the star receiver, said defensive lineman Mathieu Betts.

Disrupting quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell — who leads the league in passing TDs with 12 and sits second in passing yards with 1,812 — will also be essential, he said.

“Us on the D line, if we can get pressure on Bo Levi to make him maybe not be as accurate as he used to be, or maybe throw from his back foot or just rattle him a little bit more, we’ll help the (defensive backs) out,” he said.

B.C. is looking to get back into the win column after dropping a 33-27 decision to the Saskatchewan Roughriders last week, but the squad will need to get past a stingy Ticats defence to do so.

Hamilton has allowed the fewest passing touchdowns (five) and fewest completions of 30-plus yards (four) this season.

The Ticats’ defence is “phenomenally coached,” said Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke.

“They challenge you. They play a lot of man coverage. They get up in your face, bring some pressures,” he said. ”I think their front four are very versatile, they get a lot of pressure. … They’re always very polished, so I think it’s going to be a good one.”

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (4-2) AT B.C. LIONS (3-4)

Sunday, B.C. Place

HELLO AGAIN: Lions running back James Butler is set to face the Ticats for the first time since being released by the team in January. He signed with B.C. as a free agent hours later and currently sits second the CFL in rushing yards, with 504 on the year.

KICK’N IT: Both teams come in with kickers on hot streaks. Hamilton’s Marc Liegghio has made his past 30 field goal attempts going back to last season while B.C.’s Sean Whyte has made 26 straight.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: Road teams across the CFL are 15-12 this season. B.C. is 1-2 at home.

This report by Gemma Karstens-Smith of The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2025.