Hi folks! It’s me! I’m finally back from my whirlwind European vacation, and let me tell you – the jet lag has been REAL. Perhaps it had to do with all the cheap Euro booze or the desire to keep avoiding the reality of getting back to the classroom for the start of another year of teaching, but at least I have the joy of LaboUr Day weekend CFL football to help me enjoy these last few fleeting days of summer vacation. My sincere thanks to Don T and Game Time Decision, who helped to keep the lights on and the content flowing in my absence – I really, really appreciate the help. Now, without further ado, let’s jump into things.

In league news this week:

• Former CFL defensive coordinator Rich Stubler passed away last week at 74; he last coached with Toronto in 2021, but spent over three decades in the league, with additional stops in Edmonton, Calgary, BC, and Montreal; he won five Grey Cups over his long career in Canada. He’ll be sincerely missed.
• After the board of the Edmonton Elks decided to move in a different direction and let team president Victor Cui go after several seasons of poor on-field performance, Rick LaLacheur was named the interim president and CEO until the team finds their permanent hire. LeLacheur was team president of the BC Lions from 2018-2022, and as a caretaker, he’s a good pick, having also served as Edmonton’s team president from 2002-2011, where the team won multiple Grey Cups under his tenure. The team hopes to have their new president hired before the end of the season.
• Montreal released Canadian WR Hergy Mayala, who’s done little with the team this year after having a decent 2022 campaign. His best season was as a rookie in Calgary in 2019, where he had 38 catches for 562 yards and five TDs; with just seven catches for 110 yards in 10 games this season, it makes sense the team wanted to move on. With Mayala’s release, the Als had a roster spot open to bring back Canadian DL Vincent Desjardins, who played four games last year in Montreal.

Onto the games!

WEEK 12 RECAPS

Montreal 17 vs. Winnipeg 47: Cody Fajardo returned from injury to suit up for the Alouettes, who played a close game with Winnipeg through the first half, with their defense picking off Zach Collaros three times, including a pick-six; unfortunately, in the third quarter, the Bombers capitalized on three Montreal turnovers, blowing the game wide open and displaying their offensive prowess once again. Collaros, despite throwing three picks, also threw four touchdowns, while RB Brady Oliveira had eighteen carries for 119 yards and a score, plus a receiving TD to boot. Montreal’s win streak comes to an end, but they still sit comfortably in the second slot in the East right now.

PICK: Winnipeg

RESULT: Winnipeg

Calgary 31 vs. Toronto 39: A few weeks ago, Calgary handed Toronto their only loss of the regular season while playing at McMahon Stadium. This time, the Argos got their revenge, coming away with the win in a high-scoring affair. Calgary’s Jake Maier had arguably his best game of the season, throwing for 387 yards and four TDs, while Chad Kelly was also busy doing a BRITTFARR impression, going 20-31 for 360 yards plus three TDs and two picks. In all the back and forth action, it’s only fitting that Toronto won this one late in the fourth quarter thanks to return man Jevon Leake, who returned a punt 86 yards to the house to score his fourth return TD of the season, The Argos continue to roll, while Calgary, amidst myriad woes, but especially defensive ones, drop to a surprising 3-8 on the year.

PICK: Toronto

RESULT: Toronto

Hamilton 30 vs. BC 13: The Lions, winners of six straight home games, got absolutely dominated at BC Place by the visiting Tiger-Cats, who shook off last week’s brutal home loss to Edmonton in highly convincing fashion. Former Lion James Butler led the way for Hamilton on the ground, carrying the rock 21 times for 118 yards and a score, while catching three balls for 36 and a TD through the air. Rookie Taylor Powell was sharp under centre for the visitors, going 18-23 for 222 yards and the TD to Butler. The Lions’ offence was out of rhythm all night, with Vernon Adams, Jr. missing some key throws, particularly in the first half, and also giving up a pick-six to Jameer Thurman. With just over two minutes to play, Hamilton’s Tim White caught BC’s onside kick, which they’d attempted shortly after scoring a TD to make it a 23-13 ballgame, and he returned it to the house to ice it for the visitors.

PICK: BC

RESULT: Hamilton

Ottawa 20 vs. Edmonton 30: Well, it took almost four whole years to do it, but the Edmonton Elks have FINALLY snapped their 22-game home losing streak. After such absolute crap to start the year, the Green & Gold are now suddenly on a two-game win streak, and the improved quarterback play of Tre Ford, a Canadian who played at the University of Waterloo, is a big reason behind this recent improvement. Ford had over 300 yards passing and a monster TD pass to Eugene Lewis, and had ten carries for 74 yards and a ground score as well. The Elks’ D also had a really strong performance as a unit and did an excellent job of bottling up REDBLACKS QB Dustin Crum, who was limited to just 172 pass yards on 17-26 attempts, and couldn’t get anything going on the ground. The REDBLACKS only started to make a game of it in the fourth quarter with scores from RB Devonte Williams and a QB sneak major from Tyrrell Pigrome, but couldn’t get a late onside kick corralled, negating the comeback in yet another disappointing loss for the East’s perennial basement-dwellers.

PICK: Ottawa

RESULT: Edmonton

BYE: Saskatchewan (5-5)

WEEK 13 PREVIEWS

BC (7-4) vs. Montreal (6-4), Saturday, September 2nd, 7:00 PM EDT (TSN, CFL+): In those dark years of the CFL when there was no Ottawa franchise in existence, this matchup was actually a fairly traditional one in the Labour Day schedule. As the REDBLACKS are on a bye this week, we’re throwing it back to 1998, or something like that. Both of these teams lost in pretty humbling fashion last week, and both have shown the ability to be resilient and come back from those losses with better efforts. Montreal needs to do more to engage their run game; the same could be said about BC. If there’s any real difference in these teams, it’s the ceilings that their QBs can reach; Vernon Adams, Jr., at his absolute peak, can beat just about anybody in this league. Not so Cody Fajardo; for example, Fajardo’s 0-9 lifetime against teams with Zach Collaros under centre. Montreal’s a good team, but that’s due to the other elements they have – it’s not due to QB play. The Leos, meanwhile, will live and die through VA3.

PICK: Montreal

Winnipeg (9-2) vs. Saskatchewan (5-5), Sunday, September 3rd, 7:00 PM EDT (TSN, CBSSN, CFL+): The recent story of the Labour Day Classic in Saskatchewan is complete and utter dominance by Winnipeg. I don’t predict this to change anytime soon. That said, at least the Riders have shown a little fire as of recent by playing 6’7″ Jake Dolegala at QB – his arm strength has really been a positive, and that win against BC a couple weeks ago was desperately needed. Even at home, however, Gang Green will be in tight. The Bombers have made a few more mistakes than we’ve been used to seeing them make this season, and yet they’re still 9-2 and comfortably in the lead for the division title. Riders fan Facebook groups are likely going to be miserable places through September. Another Bombers win here and Winnipeg will have already clinched a playoff spot two-thirds into the season.

PICK: Winnipeg

Toronto (8-1) vs. Hamilton (4-6), Monday, September 4th, 3:30 PM EDT (TSN, CBSSN, CFL+): I don’t think there’s a soul who expects Hamilton to win this game, even at home. Last week’s upset win over BC sure has to feel awesome right now, but the Argos continue to roll. Last week’s shootout with Calgary was a really fun game – I was certainly surprised to see the Stamps’ offence pull it together as well as they did considering the month they spent floundering prior to that – but it does go to show that the Argos, as good as they are, have a couple of holes to consider on D, particularly if the Ti-Cats can get some good one-on-one matches going. LaboUr Day always results in drama between these teams, so despite the Argos being huge favourites right now, I hope Hamilton can find a way to make it close.

PICK: Toronto

Edmonton (2-9) vs. Calgary (3-8), Monday, September 4th, 7:00 PM EDT (TSN, CBSSN, CFL+): Don’t look now, but if the Elks can somehow pull this game out and turn things into a three-game win streak, they’ll actually be leapfrogging Calgary for fourth in the West. Edmonton had a putrid start to the year, and while I still think they’re fundamentally a bad team, there’s no denying that Tre Ford has given fans, coaching and management a little bit of hope for the future. Calgary, however, has been a major disappointment this year. Jake Maier redeemed himself with a strong game last week, but it sure appears right now that was more of an outlier compared to much of the rest of this season. So too the Stamps’ D hasn’t played at the level it needs to reach to make them a playoff contender. Change is coming – it probably won’t be to coaching staff right now, but more so to player personnel. Edmonton is likely already looking ahead to next year, but if Calgary loses this one, they should probably consider doing the exact same.

PICK: Calgary

BYE: Ottawa (3-8)

STANDINGS AND STATS

East Division Standings

West Division Standings

Passing Yards 

1. Maier, CGY – 2785
2. Adams, Jr., BC – 2651
3. Collaros, WPG – 2538

Passing TDs

1. Collaros, WPG – 20
2. Adams, Jr., BC – 17
3. Kelly, TOR – 16

Rushing Yards

1. Oliveira, WPG – 902
2. Butler, HAM – 638
3. Ouellette, TOR – 631

Receiving Yards

1. Mack, MTL – 828
2. Begelton, CGY – 814
3. Hollins, BC – 791

Defensive Tackles

1. Awe, CGY – 77
2. Morgan, EDM – 71
3. Dean, SSK – 64

Sacks

1. Betts, BC – 12
2. Leonard, EDM – 9
3. Jefferson, WPG – 8

Interceptions

1. Houston, WPG – 7
2. Dandridge, OTT – 4
3. Daniel, TOR – 4

Field Goals

1. Paredes, CGY – 34
2. Ward, OTT – 30
3. Whyte, BC – 30

PICK POOL

A bunch of you picked the Elks to snap their home losing streak this week, and it finally paid off… but major kudos must be given to BugEyedBoo, who was the only member of the pool to take Hamilton as road dogs against BC last week. Congrats to you on the gutsy pick.

Remember to submit your picks here! https://www.pooltracker.com/join.asp?poolid=205786

Enjoy the games, everyone.