CFL Week 13 picks and predictions: Back Lions with Rourke, Argos in Labour Day Classic

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Check out these CFL Week 13 picks. Photo by Christopher Katsarov/CP.
Avery Perri
@AveryPerri
August 29, 2024

The Labour Day Classic has arrived in the CFL.

The pregame narrative: Four games are running from Saturday through the holiday Monday and I've got picks on two of them. Take the BC Lions to cover with Nathan Rourke under centre and the Toronto Argonauts to do the same against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Check out the best CFL Week 13 picks below.

CFL Week 13 picks

Best Bet: Lions -2.5 (-118)

I'm going to go ahead and assume Rourke has shaken the rust off.

BC is 0-2 since the Canadian sensation returned to the league but I'm seeing improvements.

Rourke completed just 8-of-25 passes for 126 yards and two interceptions in an embarrassing defeat to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in his first taste of CFL action in two years. He followed that up with a 22-of-31 performance for 234 yards against the Ottawa Redblacks after that.

The Lions still lost that game, 34-27, but the quarterback looked more comfortable and used his legs for 63 yards on four carries.

He's been trending upward and this could be the breakout week.

Rourke's ceiling in this league is the roof. He threw for 3,349 and 25 touchdowns while adding another seven rushing TDs in just 10 games in 2022.

Ottawa is a stellar 7-2-1 this year but is 2-2 on the road, losing by two scores to both the Blue Bombers and Montreal Alouettes.

Key stat: BC is 3-1 at home, covering this line in all three victories.

Quick pick

Argonauts -5.5 (-110): Chad Kelly's suspension is over and the Argonauts are back to being a problem.

Toronto was a middling 5-4 while the reigning Most Outstanding Player was sidelined and won its first game back with him under centre. Kelly didn't have his sharpest game but still threw for 322 yards in the victory.

The Boatmen didn't cover this spread but looked competent enough where I can see a big leap in offensive production against the Ti-Cats.

The Kelly-led offence ranked second in points (32.8) and third in yards (386.4) per game last season.

Hamilton has paced the league in yards per game this season (395.8) but Bo Levi Mitchell and Co. still can't outscore their bad defence.

The Ti-Cats are giving up by far the most points per game (32.7) and have lost three of their last four games by two scores.

Picks made at 11:35 a.m. ET on 08/29/24.

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