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While the Lions may be in need of a late-season pick-me-up, no one is still having as much fun playing the game as returner-running back Chris Rainey, one of the team’s best pick-ups in years.

“You’d have to ask the other guys,” Rainey said, following the Lions’ final practice for Saturday’s game against the Eskimos. “You see, I love football. I love playing this game. I’m definitely getting joy from it. The only part I don’t like is losing.”

He has one other quibble: Rainey wants to be used more.

Not lacking in confidence — “I’m the most complete player on the team … in the world, I believe, because I know every position and take it to heart” — Rainey says he emerges from games with fuel still in the tank.

“I’d like more touches. More,” he says. “I keep telling ’em I played in the SEC (Southeastern Conference, at Florida). I was an every-down back — and a returner. Yessir. I want to be tired after games. And I’m not. I might be small (5-8,170 pounds), but I’m tough.”

“That’s fine,” Buono says in response. “Get more yardage. And he’ll be more tired.”

There is nothing tired about Rainey’s act, however.

A back of all trades — punts, kickoffs, rushes and catches — the Rain Man has a league-leading 2,530 all-purpose yards and is on pace for more than 3,000, which would be a Lions’ single-season record. He averages 168.7 yards per game. Yet in three of his past five starts, he’s breached the 200-plus range.

Rainey had 298 net yards Oct. 8 against Winnipeg, including a 71-yard kickoff return that could have gone all the way for a touchdown. “My feet were still frozen,” he explains. “I warmed up later, though.”