It could have been worse.
Toronto Argonauts defensive end Ja’Gared Davis was rushing Calgary’s quarterback in a game at BMO Field on August 20. Just before he got to his man, he was chop blocked; a play that would see him injure his medial collateral ligament (MCL), the ligament on the inside of the knee that helps connect the shin bone to the thigh bone.
When a star player leaves the field with a limp, the gut reaction is to fear the worst and hope for the best. In this case, it was far closer to a best-case than worst-case scenario. There was no tear, so there was a high confidence level that Davis would be back in the lineup soon.
The Southern Methodist product was placed on the six-game injured list but was pulled off after just three games. In the subsequent three games he’s played his best football as an Argo, recording 12 tackles and four sacks.
Davis told Argonauts.ca that the unexpected mid-season break may have actually helped him refresh for the stretch drive.
“It did,” he confessed. “It’s football, it’s the game we love, though it doesn’t love us back all the time. I missed it. I watched my brothers go to war, week in, week out. The most I could do during that time was give them all the knowledge I could to help them be in the best position possible to make plays. That’s what they did and I was so proud of them, watching them go out there and exceed everybody’s expectations.”
Two players benefited from Davis’ absence from the lineup in terms of additional playing time. Rookie Brandon Barlow played exceptionally well, as did Robbie Smith.
It’s Smith’s third year in the league, his first playing with Davis, who was an off-season free-agent signing from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. How much has the younger player learned from spending the year watching and talking to the veteran?
“A lot,” Smith replied without hesitation. “Especially in terms of versatility and how much you can do at the defensive end position. I remember last year when he played with Hamilton, when he covered our running back down the field. He made a similar play to that this year.”
That play in the Eastern Final will be forever etched in the minds of those who saw it. The 270-pound lineman followed Argo running back D.J. Foster stride for stride into the back corner of the endzone, turning his head and effortlessly knocking the ball away.
Few knew then that Davis played safety in high school. To be fair, the big man’s body has changed significantly since then and he looks more like a defensive tackle than defensive end – but he’s still lightning quick and he’s definitely faster than he looks.
Smith said that his fellow defenders were warned about Davis’ unique style and approach to the game by first-year defensive coordinator Corey Mace, who was Davis’ positional coach for three seasons
“It’s funny, one of the first things Coach Mace said was, ‘When you see J.G. don’t try to do anything that he does, you can’t do that.’ (laughs) I do take a lot of coaching points from things he does, especially how he reads different plays, but I don’t try and set up and use the same slide that he does, that’s strictly J.G.”
Davis is best known for a several things; his outgoing personality, his engaging smile, and his ability to play his best football when the games are most important. In 2021 he was arguably the CFL’s best post-season player. He made a huge goal-line play and recorded two sacks in the Eastern Semi-Final against Montreal, added two more sacks to go with the pivotal pass knockdown in the Eastern Final in Toronto, then added a fifth post-season sack in the Grey Cup loss to Winnipeg.
It’s no coincidence he’s playing his best ball with the playoffs now visible on the horizon.
“After Labour Day is when I really kick it into gear,” said Davis. “For me, it’s a different type of excitement that comes into play. Every game means ten times more than it did in the first half. I switch into a playoff mindset where it’s win or go home and I’m trying not to go home.”
Davis has found a home in Toronto, where everyone involved with the team is waiting to see if he continues a trend. He’s been to the Grey Cup in each of his first five years in the league.
Argo fans are hoping he makes it 6ix for 6ix.