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The nail in the coffin was the Lions went 0-3 in the playoffs. But one argument poses Buono hadn’t been nearly busy enough in free agency during that time – certainly nowhere near much as he has this season, after resuming his dual role and becoming head coach once again following last year’s 7-11 result under Jeff Tedford.

After spending last year out of the spotlight – aside from a stint over the 2014 Grey Cup week as an analyst with TSN that saw a somewhat awkward return for Benevides to BC Place Stadium mere days after getting fired – he was coming up against Buono for the first time ever.

And that fact wasn’t lost on any of the Eskimos.

“No question. I got my start in B.C. and I still have a lot of friends and people that I respect and just love to see before and after the game,” said quarterback Mike Reilly, who came into the CFL with the Lions from 2010-12. “But when the ball’s kicked off, you want to beat your old team a little bit more than you want to win all the other games.

“And for coach Benny, certainly he spent a lot of time in that organization. He had a great run there as a D co-ordinator and as a head coach, so that’s always tough playing against your old team. I was a backup and a third-stringer when I was there, he was basically the starting quarterback playing against his old team. Our defence played great, they stepped up and made some big plays when we needed it and I’m sure that feels good for him.”

Buono didn’t have much to say about Benevides’s past connection with the Lions. Or about Benevides coming up through the coaching ranks as a protege of his since their days with the Calgary Stampeders beginning in 2000.