TMQB: Labour Day Edition (Week 10)
Labour Day is a special day in the schedule of the CFL season as it marks one of the biggest weeks of the season. The Labour Day weekend is a lot of things to the CFL as it marks a halfway point, a chance for rivals to face off, and for teams to begin coming back. Last year the Labour Day weekend was one of the most important for one team in particular. After a season that started with a record of 2-7 the B.C. Lions looked like one of the worst teams in the CFL. Then came the Labour Day weekend when the Lions beat the Toronto Argonauts 29-16 and looked like a different team. Still it was a hill to climb for the rest of the season as the Lions needed a lot of wins to make it to the playoffs. The Labour Day weekend was just the start for the Lions though as they went on a 9-1 run to end the season. The biggest game of the season was more than just another game on the schedule for the Lions though as it marked the beginning of a great run. The run ended with the Lions finishing first in the West division and winning the Grey Cup for a great comeback season. As that season is behind the Lions they look very strong this year but a bigger question could be whether or not this Labour Day would see another beginning to a Lions type of season. As teams approached the Labour Day there were a few that could have started a second season like the Lions in 2011. In the West the Lions were out of the running to repeat the performance as they sat in first place as the best team in the CFL. The Montreal Alouettes were also out of the running as the top team in the East. Meanwhile the two teams in the west that could use a boost was the Edmonton Eskimos and the Calgary Stampeders. Both teams have been having up and down seasons as they have failed to do much but their game on Labour Day could change that. With a big win the Stamps are hoping to go on a run to end the season and earn the top spot in the West. In the East the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats were looking to get their offences going on the weekend. The Argonauts won with a great fourth quarter that they hope is the beginnings of a resurgence of the offence. There were two teams that needed this potential boost over the weekend as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders. Both teams were sitting at the bottom of their divisions and were struggling leading into the weekend. With a win on Labour Day both teams were looking for a restart to their season. Only Saskatchewan got it though and they got it in a big way with a dominating win against the Bombers. It was a rough day for the Bombers who were shut out on offence while the Riders went on a 52 point run. For the Bombers it was not what they were expecting as they took the big loss and seemed no closer to rebooting their season. Meanwhile the Riders did exactly what they wanted with a big win that should provide a lot more confidence going forward. Now the CFL will look closer as the Riders will be looking to make a run like the Lions did in 2011 as they are hoping that the big win on the weekend was the boost they needed. As the season continues on the Labour Day weekend has passed which means the playoff race has begun and with that the best part of the season is just getting going.
Four Quarters:
(Four Quick Thoughts on Week 10)
Calvillo is Running out of Records
Anthony Calvillo guided his team to yet another win on Labour Day and in the process broke another CFL record with the most consecutive 300+ yard games
The Coach is the Least of the Bombers Problems
With a new coach the Bombers were looking to get back on track but it wasn’t to be as they seemed even worse getting blown out by their longtime rivals
Labour Day Classic is Just that
The Labour Day Classic between Toronto and Hamilton was not what it used to be in recent years but that all changed this year as the Argos and Tabies played a thrilling game
Battle of Alberta is another Classic
To finish off Labour Day the Eskies and Stamps faced off in the second classic of the day with only one point separating the two longtime rivals
CFL Players of the Week:
Offensive POW:
Chad Owens, SB (Toronto Argonauts)
11 rec
176 yds
16 avg
1 TD
Defensive POW:
Ahmad Carroll, CB (Toronto Argonauts)
1 tkl
0 sck
1 INT
0 FF
1 TD
Special Teams POW:
Chris Williams, PR (Hamilton Tiger-Cats)
5 ret
158 yds
31.6 avg
1 TD
Canadian POW:
Jon Cornish, RB (Calgary Stampeders)
13 rsh
71 yds
0 TD
1 F
CFL Standings:
Eastern Division:
1. Montreal Alouettes (12)
2. Toronto Argonauts (10)
3. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (6)
4. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4)
Western Division:
1. B.C. Lions (12)
2. Calgary Stampeders (10)
3. Edmonton Eskimos (10)
4. Saskatchewan Roughriders (8)
Scores:
Montreal Alouettes 30 – 25 B.C. Lions
– In a matchup of the two best teams in the CFL Travis Lulay and Anthony Calvillo went head to head with the old veteran coming out on top after another 300+ yard game to lead the Als to the best record in the CFL
Saskatchewan Roughriders 52 – 0 Winnipeg Blue Bombers
– The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were looking for a new start with a new coach but the problems seemed much bigger than just the coach as the Riders looked like their week 1 team completely dominating the Bombers in the Labour Day matchup
Toronto Argonauts 33 – 30 Hamilton Tiger-Cats
– In the Battle of Ontario the Ti-Cats and Argos were both looking to get their offence finally going halfway through the season and the Argos got their wish even if it was only for one quarter as the Argos got by their longtime rivals
Calgary Stampeders 31 – 30 Edmonton Eskimos
– The Stamps and Eskies were looking for second place in the Battle of Alberta and the Stamps got it in what ended up being the highlight of the 2012 Labour Day weekend with the Stamps and Eskies cutting it very close in the last game of the weekend
Next Week:
Calgary Stampeders vs. Edmonton Eskimos (September 7th; 9:00 pm EDT)
– Rematch week begins with the last game last weekend as the Eskimos and Stampeders face off again in what many are hoping is a game much like the Labour Day game when the Stampeders won by one point
Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs. Toronto Argonauts (September 8th; 1:00 pm EDT)
– The Battle of Ontario saw another classic game on Labour Day and in rematch week the Tiger Cats are looking to spoil the party in their first and only trip to Toronto this year as they hope to draw even with their rivals in the East division
Montreal Alouettes vs. B.C. Lions (September 8th; 4:00 pm EDT)
– The Alouettes were able to get past the B.C. Lions as they took the title of the best team in the CFL but in rematch week the Lions are looking to take the title back as Lulay looks to one up his veteran counterpart in Anthony Calvillo
Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (September 9th; 1:00 pm EDT)
– The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were simply embarrassed in their matchup on Labour Day weekend as they look to gain some respect back in the annual Banjo Bowl with the Riders looking to continue what they started on Labour Day
The Sport Addiction 