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CFP Canadian Three Stars - Week 5
It’s not Labour Day Weekend without the fireworks, and we got just that in Week 5 action in the Canadian Football League.
Once again, I didn’t have to dive too deep into the stats sheets to find some breakout performances from National players. There were a number of banner days for Canadian receivers and a certain running back returns to the three stars for the second straight week
Without further adieu, let’s hop in and check out the National Players of Labour Day Weekend.
Daniel Petermann - Ottawa REDBLACKS REC
Yes, the REDBLACKS allowed 51 points to open Labour Day Weekend. Yes, they lost by 22 points. But despite that, Daniel Petermann had a big day to help the team out offensively.
The Stoney Creek, Ont., native tied for the team lead in receptions for the evening, hauling in seven of the nine passes directed his way. He also added 32 yards after the catch and scored a pair of touchdowns.
A lot was made of the REDBLACKS’ passing attack heading into this season. Despite the addition of Matt Nichols, they also suffered a few tough losses to the receiving corps when Dominique Rhymes and Caleb Holley walked to BC in the off-season.
RJ Harris, Ryan Davis, and Nate Behar have led the team in receiving through this point of the year, but Petermann has proven during his time with the Bombers that he can be relied on when thrown to. He set new career highs in receptions, targets, and yards in this game, and he also tied his career total for touchdowns in one night.
It was a big game from Petermann, although I’m guessing he’d trade the personal accomplishments for the win. But it was impressive to watch him work nonetheless.
Mike Jones - Edmonton Elks REC
With his second appearance on the National Stars of the Week this season, Mike Jones had a whale of a day in Calgary.
While he finished with just four catches, but he made the most of each of them, piling up 107 yards, with 52 of them coming on a go route down the left sideline that went for six. His touchdown late in the fourth quarter put the game on ice and secured the victory for the Elks.
Jones now sits third on the team with 222 yards on 14 catches. He’s been able to carve out a role for himself within an offence that features two star receivers in Derel Walker and Greg Ellingson.
Andrew Harris - Winnipeg Blue Bombers RB
Another week, another big game from the Bombers’ bellcow. Harris was heavily relied on heavily once again by Mike O’Shea and Buck Pierce in the Bombers’ big win over the Roughriders at Mosaic.
The 34-year-old had 18 carries for 95 yards while he didn’t find the end zone in his second game of the year.
Harris is getting the same heavy workload as he did in the 2019 campaign -- a year where he would’ve been a legitimate MOP candidate before his suspension for violating the CFL’s drug policy. He has 35 carries so far on the year through two outings.
If he continues to run over defences at this rate, it opens up a lot of different things for the Bombers. Whether it’s defences stacking the box or downfield opportunities coming from defenders cheating to stop the run, Winnipeg is at its best when No. 33 is rolling.
Austin Owens is a double grad in journalism at Centennial College, previously a Junior Content Coordinator with the Canadian Football League. Austin has also had stops at Sportsnet 590 the FAN and theScore.