Labour Day Rivalry Weekend in the CFL continues on Monday as the Argos head down the QEW to take on their cross-highway rival Ti-Cats. On paper, this matchup might not seem overly compelling. However, when these teams meet, anything can happen. Think AFC North or NFC South. Records fly out the window in this rivalry, especially on Labour Day.
The Argos have won the last two Labour Day battles against the Ti-Cats, and it’s safe to say that if Hamilton doesn’t find a way to win on Monday, their season is over. The Ti-Cats are 2-9 while the team they are chasing, the Argos, are 6-4. Chances are slim as it is, but if they lose this one, it’s over.
We won some money on Sunday, thanks to Winnipeg, so buckle in and let’s do it again.
Toronto Argonauts vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | Money Line |
| Toronto Argonauts | -5 (-110) | Over 52.5 (-110) | -258 |
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats | +5 (-110) | Under 52.5 (-110) | +210 |
| **Odds Subject to Change** | |||
Toronto Argonauts vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats Match Details
- Fixture: Toronto Argonauts @ Hamilton Tigers
- Date and Time: September 2, 2:30 pm EST
- Location: Hamilton, Ontario
Apex Tale of the Tape
| Toronto Argonauts | vs. | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 6-4 | Record | 2-9 |
| 27.6 | Points Per Game | 25.4 |
| 116.9 | Rushing Yards Per Game | 76.1 |
| 56.2 | Offensive Plays Per Game | 56.7 |
| 46.1% | 2nd Down Conversion | 45.1% |
| 25.3 | Points Allowed | 32.7 |
| 23 | Sacks Per Game | 23 |
| 1.0 | Interceptions Per Game | 0.6 |
| 71.6 | Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game | 105.5 |
| 285.6 | Passing Yards Allowed | 270.1 |
| +2 | Turnover Ratio | -10 |
| 30:18 | Time of Possession Per Game | 29:45 |
Key Stats
Toronto Argonauts (6-4)
Chad Kelly‘s first game back from suspension resulted in a gutsy 20-19 win last week against the Roughriders. It wasn’t always pretty, but 322 yards with limited practice time ain’t too shabby. Another week of preparation and time with his receivers, not to mention playing against the worst defense in the league, should only help last year’s CFL MOP. Kelly threw for 4,123 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 12 picks last season, starting in all 18 games.
If there was one disappointing aspect of last week’s victory, it was their moving away from the running game. With Kelly’s return, it was predictable, but the Argos have the best running game by far, and they probably could have won by a bigger margin if they stuck with their biggest strength. RB Ka’Deem Carey is third in the CFL with 646 rush yards and first among running backs with five touchdowns. As a team, the Argos lead the CFL with 116.9 rush yards per game.
Defensively, the Argos defense is around the middle of the pack but has been great when it has needed to be. They are fifth in points allowed, fourth in yards allowed, and sixth in pass yards allowed. Their real strength is in the running game. They allow a league-best 71.6 rush yards per game, and they are playing a Ti-Cats offense that can’t run the ball to save their lives, running for only 76.1 yards per game.
At 6-4, home-field advantage in the playoffs seems a little far-fetched, and they’ll most likely travel to Ottawa for Round 1 in November. That said, if they beat the Ti-Cats on Monday, their ticket to the CFL playoffs is pretty much booked.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2-9)
This season for the Ti-Cats has been a disaster. This is not an opinion or speculation, it’s just a fact. They are 2-9 heading into Labour Day, dead last in the East Division, and the play on the field looks like it. Their offensive numbers have been pretty good for the majority of the season, leading the CFL in yards per game, 385.5, and passing yards per game, 320.1. It doesn’t really matter, though, when you give up 32.7 points per game, a full touchdown more than their 25.4 points for per game.
On the surface, Bo Levi Mitchell has had a great statistical season. He leads the CFL in pass yards per game, 3,036, and touchdowns, 19. He also leads the league in interceptions with 19. In 11 games, he has thrown at least one pick in eight of them. He completed only 3 passes before he was pulled in Week 10, and threw a pick in that game as well. He has 779 yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions in the last four weeks, and it’s hard to imagine that production increasing against a pesky defense like the Argos.
Receivers Bridges and White are both in the top ten in the CFL in yards with 758 and 649 respectively, and they have four touchdowns each. The problem is, with Mitchell’s inconsistent play, it’s hard to trust any of those numbers. RB Greg Bell has been productive since taking over for James Butler in Week 11. This season, Bell has 178 rushing yards on 37 carries, and 132 receiving yards on 14 catches, and a total of four touchdowns. That being said, Toronto has the best run defense in the CFL.
Defensively, there’s not a whole lot of positive to say. They are middle of the pack in yards against and in both rush and pass yards against. However, the only stat that counts when the clock hits zero is the score. They allow 32.7 points per game in 2024, which is last in the CFL by almost a full four yards.
Prediction
Toronto being favored by five is a lot for a rivalry game. That being said, the Ti-Cats can’t score points or stop offenses right now, and one more week of Chad Kelly points to the Argos covering with ease. Take Argos -5 (-110).
Kelly threw for 322 yards in his return last week, and while Hamilton’s pass defense isn’t horrible, allowing 270.1 yards per game, his chemistry with his receivers is only going to get strong this week. Take over 280.5 passing yards (-125)
A long-shot bet that really jumps out is the Toronto defense to score a touchdown (+400). As previously mentioned, Mitchell has been throwing interceptions left and right. Literally. The Argos cashing in a pick-six is not out of the realm of possibility, and the +400 number proves that.
Final Pick
Toronto Argonauts -5 (-110)
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