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Friday night, he also threw four touchdown passes in the Lions’ 42-32 win, their most productive offensive game of the season. Lulay is 35 now and it can be reasonably asked if he’s capable of supplying a championship-level of quarterbacking in the playoffs. His history of injuries also raises legitimate questions about his future with the team.

But that’s not what the Lions see in their quarterback. They see a player who has come back from injuries which, by all rights, should have sent him into retirement. They see a leader who’s set his own standard for toughness and commitment.

All things considered, they’ll take their chances with that guy.

“There’s a respect and a willingness to follow him,” Buono said. “He’s earned it. The players believe in him.”

Photo by DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS

• Lord knows Buono could write a book on the subject but here’s his take on the importance of hosting a playoff game for the Lions.

“To have the best chance in the playoffs, you have to have a game at home. It’s really tough to win twice on the road.”

With that in mind, here are the scenarios in play heading into the last two weeks of the CFL season. If the Lions beat the Roughriders by more than three points this weekend, and beat Calgary at home in their season finale, they’ll finish second in the West and host the semifinal, providing Winnipeg splits its last two games. If the Roughriders win, they’ll have the inside track on second spot.

And if the Lions beat the Roughriders by three points exactly, a team of quantum physicists will have to work things out. Steve Daniel, the CFL’s chief statistician, reports there are 22 possibilities still alive in the West but the Lions could make things a lot easier on everyone with a couple of decisive wins in their last two games.