The Hamilton Tiger-Cats will be out to avenge a loss in the Labor Day Classic last season when they play the visiting Toronto Argonauts Monday afternoon.
The Argonauts won last year 28-8 to end their string of seven straight losses playing at Hamilton in the traditional Labor Day matchup.
The Tiger-Cats are 36-14-1 against the Argonauts in 51 Labor Day meetings since the Wildcats merged with the Tigers to form the Tiger-Cats in 1950.
The Argonauts (8-1-0) will be favored to win this time led by quarterback Chad Kelly, who signed a three-year contract extension with the team on Thursday.
Toronto has defeated Hamilton twice this season, home and away.
“I see a really good defense,” Tiger-Cats rookie quarterback Taylor Powell said of the Argonauts. “They’re well-coached and have a lot of veteran players. They’re one of the best teams in the league for a reason.”
The Tiger-Cats (4-6-0) took hope from their upset 30-13 road win Aug. 26 over the B.C. Lions, who were previously undefeated at home.
“We’re finally showing some continuity, as a brand-new team figuring each other out,” said Hamilton running back James Butler, who had 21 carries for 118 yards and added 36 receiving yards and two total touchdowns.
“This game shows that we’re really coming. If we can keep executing in all three phases, we’re going to be a hard team to beat.”
Powell was 18-for-23 for 222 yards in the contest.
In Toronto’s 39-31 home win over the Calgary Stampeders on Aug. 25, Kelly was inconsistent in the first half but finished with 361 yards on 20-for-31 passing with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
Toronto coach Ryan Dinwiddie was impressed by Kelly’s even-keel approach.
“What can you do when you make a mistake?” Dinwiddie said. “You learn from it and get better. You can’t let it linger.”
Kelly knows what to expect on Monday.
“It’s going to be packed and it’s going to be loud,” Kelly said. “Those guys are going to be aggressive and, as we know, they have a great team. We’ve just got to be ready for whatever they throw at us. We know it’s going to be loud, and everybody’s going to make sure we’re all on the same page.”
The Tiger-Cats are 1-4-0 at home. The Argonauts are 3-1-0 on the road.
–Field Level Media