Courtesy: Graham Hughes/CFL.

Even though Montreal Alouettes’ quarterback Davis Alexander said trash talk is not one of his favourite things, he can respond and back it up when warranted.

Alexander invited Winnipeg to come on down to Percival Molson Stadium for the East Semi-Final after Willie Jefferson stated he was playing with a villain attitude, wanting to kick the door and take everything off Montreal’s table.

“If people want to start talking trash… there’s a mutual respect on the field. Willie’s a Hall of Famer. We shook hands after the game; everything’s all good there. It was fun. They wanted to play bully ball, so we said we’re going to play some bully ball,” Alexander said.

“I was saying, they woke up the wrong team. Someone like me, I’m not going to back down, I don’t care who it is, from anyone. I know my team has my back, if they want me to play with that fire, that’s how I’m going to play — as long as I can control it, that’s the most important part.”

Alexander was able to keep his emotions in check enough to complete 24-of-34 passes for a single-game, career-high 384 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 42-33 win. He ran the football three times for 32 yards with one major, including a key first down on second-and-five with less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter, when he made Bombers’ linebacker Kyrie Wilson miss in the hole to pick up 18 yards and help clinch a victory in his first career CFL playoff start.

“I tried to stay as calm as I could. I didn’t want to warrant anything that was due for a penalty. [In Week 17 against] Calgary, coach [Jason] Maas actually yelled at me for the very first time when I got the unsportsmanlike with [Clarence] Hicks. I told him it would never happen again, and I’ll stand on that. As the leader of the team, I’m yelling at guys to not get personal fouls or unsportsmanlike conducts, I can’t be the one to do it either,” Alexander said.

“You don’t want to ever get penalties, and that’s a bad thing, but you want to play on the edge. That’s what he’s good at doing, is playing on the edge. Can you control it? Yes, you can control it,” Maas said. “You gotta make a concerted effort to do that, I think he has done that. I know he talked about the Calgary game. That’s part of being a leader. You can’t preach that way, about being disciplined and don’t take these penalties, and then you yourself do it.”

The energetic 27-year-old did not draw any penalty flags as the Alouettes advanced to the East Final against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Alexander did not play in either game versus Hamilton during the 2025 regular season, both losses, as the franchise man was sidelined with a hamstring injury. The five-foot-11, 210-pound QB was asked if he would respond to any possible trash talk from the Ticats.

“If they want to talk, I’ll probably honestly try to stay out of it. If they want to talk, so be it. We’re going to be ready to play, though. I’m not going to push the limit, but if they’re going to talk, I’m going to talk a little bit too,” Alexander said.

“Be who you are. Be that emotional guy that looks for challenges, looks for things that motivate you,” Maas said. “I know this week, when Winnipeg was saying whatever they were saying, that turned him to another notch. Great, if that’s what motivates you and makes you better, use it. But he doesn’t need any extra motivation, I can assure you that.”

Maas noted Alexander’s compete level is unlike anybody he’s ever been around. Montreal’s hoping that attitude leads the Alouettes to a Grey Cup in Winnipeg. The next step will be to win the East Final as the Als take on the Tiger-Cats Saturday, November 8 at 3 p.m. ET from Hamilton Stadium.

“In the most humble way possible, I feel like I’m built for this: I’m built for this league, I’m built to be the quarterback of the Montreal Alouettes,” Alexander said. “I feel like I’m made for it, but the work will never stop.”