Reigning CFL MOP Solomon Elimimian placed on six-game list with torn Achilles

The CFL's lost one of its top stars for the next while, as B.C. Lions linebacker Solomon Elimimian was placed on the six-game injured list Sunday with a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in their loss to Hamilton Saturday. Last season, Elimimian became the first full-time defensive player to win the CFL's Most Outstanding Player award, and he was in terrific form again this year. Without him, an already-struggling B.C. defence might get even worse, and that could be particularly concerning for their fans given how much trouble the Lions are already in.

Last year, Elimimian was incredibly dominant, setting a league record with 143 defensive tackles, 54 ahead of second-place-finisher Bear Woods. He also added five sacks, three fumble recoveries and an interception, which was enough for him to draw the votes required to win an award that's historically gone to offensive players (and usually to quarterbacks; six of the past 10 winners have been pivots). While he hasn't been quite on that pace this year, he's still been very good; his 44 tackles to date have him tied for second-best in the league, behind only teammate Adam Bighill, and he also has a sack and an interception. Losing him will be a big blow to the Lions' defence.

That's concerning, as the B.C. defence has already had numerous issues. Heading into this week's games, the Lions had given up a league-worst 413.5 yards of offence per game, and they were also last in the CFL with 126.5 rushing yards against per game, 48 rushing first downs against, and 300.7 passing yards against per game. That won't have improved much after the 52-22 thumping they took from Hamilton Saturday, which saw them concede 332 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, and 63 rushing yards. Without Elimimian,  their run defence in particular might suffer, and that could be bad for the team overall.

The Lions are just 3-4 on the year, and that latest beating from the Tiger-Cats demonstrated there are plenty of flaws with this team. They've scored just 166 points while giving up 211, third-worst in the league. Their inconsistent offence and their inability to find weapons beyond Andrew Harris has hurt them, and that's a big reason why there's been so much pressure on the defence. However, the defence has had its own struggles, especially against the run, and that may get worse with a star like Elimimian out. They still have some good players, particularly Bighill, but there will be a lot of pressure on them to step up and fill Elimimian's shoes, which won't be easy at all. We'll see how B.C. does without the league's reigning MOP, but his loss certainly doesn't bode well for an already-struggling team.