Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca
Well, this season things are definitely getting interesting heading into OK Tire Labour Day Weekend!
We have seen a few big upsets recently and we saw the Elks actually win a game at home last week.
Hamilton’s convincing win in BC threw us all for a loop. Not only are we questioning the Lions after losing back-to-back games they were heavily favoured, but have the Tiger-Cats figured some things out?
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Now for some Labour Day stats of the traditional three matchups that add to some confusion. Home teams have won 30 of the last 37 games (dating back to 2009). However, in the last two years, the home team has only won two of the six games.
Hmmmm… what does it all mean???
BC at Montreal
Saturday, September 2
7:00 p.m. ET
The Lions and Alouettes are coming off uninspiring Week 12 efforts.
The Lions loss at home to Hamilton is much more difficult to assess than Montreal getting blown away on the road in Winnipeg.
Are the Lions starting to show their cracks? Have they been overlooking their competition? Or is it just the Riders and Tiger-Cats proving they are better teams than they appeared to be?
I’m going to say the latter. At least I am this week.
Montreal’s inability to provide a consistent pass rush should work out in Vernon Adams Jr.’s favour to find his exceptional receivers down field. The Lions just need to do a better job protecting the ball, which I believe will be the message from the coaches this week.
Montreal’s secret to winning is chewing up the yards on the ground. How do you not watch James Butler and think you can exploit the ground game?
PICK: BC
Winnipeg at Saskatchewan
Sunday, September 3
7:00 p.m. ET
The Bombers are once again showing they are the class of the CFL, while the Riders come in after a bye week they entered flying high after the upset win over BC.
Riders quarterback Jake Dolegala will make his second start of the season after impressing in Week 11. He wasn’t afraid to air it out and sometimes that aggressiveness pays off and sometimes it can turn ugly.
What I know is that the Riders defensive line is tenacious! They’ve been getting after it recently and I think they’ll have an extra set of fire under their butt in this game with the biggest and loudest crowd of the year.
When you talked about home field advantage for a Labour Day game, this was the one that was the most one sided previous to 2021. The Riders won all but one between 2005 and 2019.
Now you have the Bombers winning the last two and they come in after rolling over the Alouettes. Winnipeg has won an awful lot in Regina recently. In fact, the Bombers haven’t lost at Mosaic since October of 2019. That’s a four game win streak.
Zach Collaros was a bit rusty early coming back from injury but in the second half was nearly perfect.
Collaros has never lost to Saskatchewan as a starter for the Bombers.
There has to be a first time for everything.
PICK: SASKATCHEWAN
Toronto at Hamilton
Monday, September 3
3:30 p.m. ET
A week ago I thought this pick would have been a lock. Then Hamilton beats the Lions and the Stampeders give Toronto everything they can handle.
I’m reconsidering everything in the CFL this week.
The Argos have already played Hamilton home and away and beat them by 18 and 16 points, respectively.
But I’m having a hard time ignoring how Hamilton handled their business last week.
This year I’ve always defaulted to the team I feel is the most talented from top to bottom and I’m already taking a flyer on the Riders.
I can’t take too many risks just because of home field advantage on Labour Day.
I’m thinking the well rested Argos come into Tim Hortons Field and continue to push around their QEW rival.
PICK: TORONTO
Edmonton at Calgary
Monday, September 3
7:00 p.m. ET
I don’t know about you but there is one team in Alberta who has impressed the heck out of me with their new found swagger.
And it is not the team in the south.
Tre Ford has clearly given the Elks some much needed juice. He talks big. He plays big. He’s a handful to try to bring down and he’s entertaining to watch.
Even the defence looks like they’re coming off the ball faster.
The Elks are on a two game win streak and have a chance to climb out of the CFL basement in back-to-back games against the Stamps.
Calgary is coming off a near upset of the Argos, but for some reason Dave Dickenson has had Ryan Dinwiddie’s number. I’m not going to overreact to one decent effort when the Stamps have been lacklustre all season.
What I will over react to is 10 of 12 impressive quarters of football from the entire Elks team since Ford took over at quarterback.
Yes, I’m actually predicting a three game Elks win streak and drawing even with the Stamps in the standings.
PICK: EDMONTON
