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It’s like this. When the Lions were unravelling on defence, their veterans didn’t step up to make a play and rush end Odell Willis went offside three times in the final three minutes. In their first two losses of the season, it was a similar story on the other side of the ball and if the Lions are going to extricate themselves from the hole they now find themselves, their best players have to do the digging.

“There are plays we have to make and our playmakers need to make them,” Claybrooks said in Calgary.

He was asked to elaborate on that point as the Lions prepared for Saturday’s meeting in Toronto with the Argos.

“It’s the consistency,” Claybrooks said. “When the chips are down you have to lean on your leaders, your veterans, and we can’t have them jumping offside. He (Willis) understands that and he knows that. No player goes out there and thinks, ‘I’m going to jump offside three times and hinder my team.’”

Willis, as it turns out, did understand that.

“I lost focus, trying to do too much instead of just trusting what was going on and believing in it,” said the 11-year man. “I’m a veteran. I have to admit when I mess up. It was basically trying to do too much.”

NEXT GAME

Saturday

B.C. Lions vs. Toronto Argonauts

4 p.m., BMO Field, TV: TSN; Radio TSN 1040 AM

Willis, it should be noted, isn’t the only Lions’ veteran whose performance has come under scrutiny during the team’s troubling start. In the season-opening loss to Winnipeg, quarterback Mike Reilly threw an interception on the first play of the second half which led to a critical Blue Bombers’ touchdown in a 33-23 loss. It was one of two picks Reilly served up in the game.