Chad Hipolito/CFL.ca
Nathan Rourke wasn’t going to be held at bay much longer.
After a rough return to the CFL with next to no practice time in Week 11, Rourke showed significant improvement in a 34-27 loss to Ottawa in Week 12. But the Rourke we saw in Saturday’s 38-12 rematch win over the REDBLACKS was the one we all remember from his breakout season in 2022.
Rourke was dialled from the get-go as BC gave the 14,727 fans at Victoria’s Royal Athletic Park a thrill in the first ever Touchdown Pacific game. Born on Vancouver Island, Rourke got off to a roaring start and finished with 325 passing yards and three touchdowns; he added 29 more on the ground and a rushing major.
OK TIRE LABOUR DAY WEEKEND
» Bo Balled: Mitchell’s best game of ’24 produces LDW win
» Lions take down REDBLACKS in first-ever Touchdown Pacific
» Bombers hold off Riders’ late-game push for Labour Day win
» Elks beat Stamps to close out OK Tire Labour Day Weekend
More than anything, Rourke’s swagger looked like it was back with a vengeance. Rourke’s trademark zip was behind all his throws, and he delivered passes with pinpoint accuracy. Even his one interception came on a confident throw trying to thread a ball into a tight window. That type of brash football is part of what makes Rourke the special talent he is.
It’s also important to point out how well Rourke spread the ball around. Six receivers caught multiple passes, while William Stanback (78), Justin McInnis (72) and Keon Hatcher (71) all reeled in 70-plus yards. Rourke cycled through his progressions with ease and had no issue finding a second or third read for big gains.
Oh, and just imagine what this offence might look like when Rourke and Alexander Hollins get on the same page. Despite being targeted a team high seven times on Saturday, Hollins finished with just 11 yards on a pair of catches; he’s caught six passes for 79 combined yards in Rourke’s three starts thus far. I don’t imagine that trend will continue much longer.
Mainly due to the strong play of Vernon Adams Jr. prior to his injury, the Lions made a calculated gamble when they brought Rourke back last month. I’m not sure where things sit for Adams going forward, but I do know Rourke was too smart and too talented to be held winless for very long.
Now that he’s got his first win under his belt, it feels like Rourke is ready for liftoff.
TURNING BACK THE CLOCK
Welcome back to OK Tire Labour Day Weekend, Bo Levi Mitchell.
In his first Labour Day Classic appearance since 2019 while still a member of the Stampeders, Mitchell was stellar as Hamilton picked up a much needed 31-28 win over arch-rival Toronto. We’ve said it a few times this year, but it was truly on display Monday afternoon: Mitchell is back to being one of the CFL’s top quarterbacks.
Mitchell threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns in what I think was his best performance of the season. Heck, Bo was feeling it so much he ran the ball twice for 25 yards. On most days, this guy would rather eat rocks than use his legs like that.
While Mitchell has been dealing with injuries off and on over the last four or five seasons, one of the major knocks against him has been his struggles throwing deep. That has been noticeably better in 2024 with his Labour Day performance serving as the exclamation mark thus far.
Mitchell hit numerous big gainers down the field at Tim Hortons Field with Tim White being the biggest beneficiary. Last year’s league leader in receiving yards racked up 180 of them on Monday to go along with a pair of touchdown catches. White is now up to 314 receiving yards in his last two outings, which is something to watch down the stretch.
As for Mitchell, he now leads the CFL with 3,383 passing yards and 21 touchdowns and hasn’t thrown an interception in back-to-back games. He saved his gutsiest deep call for last. With the Tiger-Cats at midfield needing a first-down to seal the win, and on second-and-eight, Mitchell hit Brendan O’Leary-Orange over the top for 48 yards. That’s the gunslinger we all remember.
Sitting three games back of a playoff spot in both divisions, the Tiger-Cats still have lots of work to do. But against their top rival, and on the most important date on the regular season calendar, Mitchell turned back the clock. It was awesome to see.
QUICK HITS
Goodness, Edmonton looks like a different team than the one that started 0-7. Even with turnaround catalyst Tre Ford sidelined, the Elks put together a great performance in a 35-20 win over Calgary in Monday’s closer. For Edmonton, it’s just their second Labour Day Classic win at McMahon Stadium since 2012.
The Elks impressed on both sides of the ball, but it was their overall swagger and confidence that struck me most. For so long this team has found ways to lose games. But I loved how they responded to adversity on Monday. After Peyton Logan’s 104-yard punt return touchdown had the Stamps back within a score in the fourth quarter, McLeod Bethel-Thompson (486 yards, three TD’s) hit Tevin Jones (208 yards, two TD’s) for a 73-yard dagger to cement a huge Edmonton win.
Finally, I cannot wait for this weekend’s rematch between Saskatchewan and Winnipeg at Princess Auto Stadium. Sunday’s 35-33 win for the Bombers had everything: big plays, costly mistakes, and (very) late drama. Hopefully Zach Collaros is able to suit up for Winnipeg, but either way we should be in for another outstanding chapter of this ongoing rivalry.
