3 storylines to watch on OK Tire Labour Day Weekend
Welcome to the most exciting weekend of the summer!
It’s OK Tire Labour Day Weekend and we’re in for a real treat with three tasty rivalries ready to be served up.
Sure, we may need to wait until Sunday to kick off the week, but it’ll be worth it. Trust me.
With a trio of games on the slate, here’s a storyline to watch in each of them to get you ready.
HOW DO YOU STOP BRADY OLIVEIRA?
Winnipeg at Saskatchewan | Sunday, August 31 | 7:00 p.m. ET | TSN/CBSSN/CFL+
As the season has progressed, Brady Oliveira has continued to heat up.
Last week, the Bombers running back tallied over 200 yards of total offence, powering Winnipeg to a win over the Montreal Alouettes. 137 yards of that offence was from 16 carries, while the other 73 came through the air.
In Week 10, Oliveira was his team’s leading receiver, hauling all nine passes thrown his way for 100 yards, and added another 68 yards on the ground.
Saskatchewan is the best team against the run, allowing a league-low 76.3 yards on the ground per game. But as mentioned, even if Oliveira can’t break through on the ground up the middle, they’ll throw to him in the flat and he’ll make defenders miss, or drag them for extra yards as he moves the chains.
So how do you stop him? That’s going to be the question on the Riders’ minds heading into their Labour Day Weekend game on Sunday.
HE’S MR. LABOUR DAY WEEKEND
Toronto at Hamilton | Monday, September 1 | 2:30 p.m. ET | TSN/CBSSN/CFL+
Bo Levi Mitchell has been sensational during Labour Day Weekend.
The Ticats pivot is an outstanding 7-0 on the rivalry-filled weekend. Yes, you read that right. Mitchell has never lost on Labour Day.
He’s played in two different battles over his career, starting in Calgary in the Battle of Alberta with Edmonton and now in the Battle of the QEW against the Toronto Argonauts.
In last year’s Labour Day Classic in Hamilton, Mitchell completed 20 of 30 passes for 347 yards, a pair of touchdowns and zero interceptions in the Tabbies’ 31-28 win over the Argos.
Will Mitchell continue to ball out on Labour Day? Or will it be the other quarterback in the matchup, Nick Arbuckle, who hit a career-high in passing yards (443) last week, taking the victory?
WILL EDMONTON KEEP IT ROLLING?
Edmonton at Calgary | Monday, September 1 | 6:00 p.m. ET | TSN/CBSSN/CFL+
The Edmonton Elks have won their last three contests as they get set to begin a home-and-home series with the Calgary Stampeders.
First up is a meeting on Labour Day Monday at McMahon Stadium. Both teams are coming off wins last week: the Stampeders downed the West-leading Saskatchewan Roughriders while the Elks defeated the Montreal Alouettes.
Edmonton sits at 4-6, just two points behind the BC Lions, who are currently in the crossover spot into the East Division, and four points behind Winnipeg for the third and final playoff spot in the West. A win this week against the Stampeders will be crucial to keeping pace in the division as the final stretch of the season and playoffs is front of us.
Cody Fajardo has been the catalyst in the Elks winning streak, as he’s completed 77.7 per cent of his passes so far this season and has thrown six touchdowns to just three interceptions in his five starts. Will that continue this week as Edmonton hopes to win a fourth straight?
It’ll be a tough challenge for Fajardo and co. against a team that is difficult to score points against, the Stamps allow a league-low 20.7 points per game. The same goes for Edmonton’s defence, as they look to stop both Vernon Adams Jr. and his receivers through the air and Dedrick Mills on the ground.
