Ticats will have to become road warriors to keep Davis' Grey Cup streak alive

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats will have to become road warriors and register two season firsts to keep Ja'Gared Davis' impressive Grey Cup streak alive.

The burly defensive lineman has been a Grey Cup fixture since 2016, having appeared in the last six CFL championship games (2016-18 with Calgary, 2019 and '21 with Hamilton, 2022 with Toronto). Twice he's been on the winning side -- 2018 with the Stampeders and last season with the Argonauts.

Given his track record, Davis could be seen as something of a good-luck charm for whatever team he plays for.

"A good charm? I'll let you (media) all say that," Davis said with a chuckle Thursday. "For me, I say it's a testament to the teams I've been on . . . everybody doing their part and being able to put our best foot forward to go out there and compete.

"I feel we have everything we need to make that push again."

The Ticats face an uphill trek to reach this year's game, which will be held Nov. 19 at Tim Hortons Field, and keep Davis's streak alive. Hamilton (8-10) will have to record consecutive road playoff wins over the Montreal Alouettes (11-7) and Toronto Argonauts (16-2) after finishing third in the East Division.

Hamilton faces Montreal in the East Division semifinal Saturday at Molson Stadium. The Alouettes edged the Ticats 22-20 there last weekend in the regular-season finale for both teams that had no bearing on the conference standings.

Montreal registered a sweep of its three-game season series with Hamilton. The Ticats also had their problems against Toronto, dropping all four of their contests this year with the Argos.

"We've have an up-and-down year but the guys have stayed resilient, stayed together and saw it through," Davis said. "To help these guys have their names cemented in history, that's all I care about."

The good news for Hamilton is a third-place finisher has won the Grey Cup six times in CFL history. The last team to do so was the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2019 when they downed Davis and the Ticats 33-12 in Calgary.

The bad news, though, is only one East Division team has achieved the feat and it happened over 20 years ago. Montreal defeated Calgary 23-10 in 1970 in Toronto in a battle between the two third-place finishers.

Then again, Hamilton was 5-4 on the road this year compared to just 3-6 at Tim Hortons Field.

"This (road playoff games) is the way it's going to be for us the rest of the way," Hamilton head coach Orlondo Steinauer said. "We're not running from it, we're embracing it and just excited for Saturday."

The '23 season has been an uncharacteristic one for Davis. The 33-year-old Texan was limited to just six regular-season games, registering eight tackles and another on special teams.

Injuries have certainly played a role, but earlier this year the Ticats dealt Davis to Calgary, only to have the trade voided after Davis failed his medical with the Stampeders.

And for the first time in his CFL career, Davis didn't register a sack. He recorded 49 over his previous six campaigns.

"It's been a joyous roller-coaster," Davis said of his season. "It's had its highs, it's had its lows but we're here.

"For me, the most important day is (Friday), the final preparation for this big game come Saturday. That's where my main focus is."

Steinauer said Davis's meaning to a team far extends past his Grey Cup streak.

"Ja'Gared's resume is fantastic," he said. "I know you guys like to say how many Grey Cups he's been to but he has produced.

"I'm just looking forward to him turning it up and helping us win Saturday."

For Davis, the playoffs are always a special time of each football season.

"There's more at stake, it's that win or go home factor," he said. "I've always been told ever since I was a kid, big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games.

"For us, it's doing whatever it takes to get the job done. If we hold them to zero points or 50, as long as we have 51 and win at the end of the day, that's what the game comes down to. Just understand to keep the mistakes to a minimum and go out there and do what you do best. Play fast, play free, enjoy the moment and live in it."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2023.