CFL.ca Photo/Johany Jutras
CALGARY — While defensive coordinator DeVone Claybrooks wasn’t on the sidelines at McMahon Stadium for Saturday’s 39-26 Calgary victory, his defence’s tenacity and talent was on full display for all to see.
Defensive end Ja’Gared Davis hauled in two interceptions — his first since 2016 — and the unit limited star Bombers running back Andrew Harris to just 13 rush yards in the win.
Claybrooks missed Saturday’s game as he continues to address a medical issue, but the defence played on as though he was right there alongside it.
“He brought us all together, so to be able to go out and put together a performance like this for him, it’s just a testament to what we’re trying to do here,” said Davis of the team’s defensive coordinator. “When he’s here, when he’s not here, we know the standard he’s trying to keep up. Get to the quarterback, create disruption and play as a team. That’s what we did today.”
For Davis, who sealed the victory with a rare pick-six, his two-interception performance was proof of what he has been telling teammates and coaches for years.
“I’ve been telling our defence all day long: I have the second best hands in the front seven,” laughed the Crockett, Tx. native. “To be able to come out with two, and one to the house, it’s a testament to how great our defence is. If it wasn’t me, it would’ve been Micah Johnson, it would’ve been (Derek) Wiggan or (Jameer) Thurman. For us to come out like that in a big game like this means a lot.”
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Davis quickly became one of the pre-eminent defensive playmakers in the CFL when he joined Calgary in 2016, and head coach Dave Dickenson said his performance Saturday embodied what he could become.
“I’ve been thinking about ways to use J.D. offensively,” chuckled Dickenson. “He’s been wanting that jump ball at the goal line…he had a great game. We knew our ends needed some pressure, (and) we put a lot of faith in him in the offseason. Felt like he was a guy that was gonna make that step and we saw it tonight.”
