There was no added incentive to be the hero in red.

No promise of a thank-you dinner or a round at the go-to watering hole in the hopper.

“Nah,’’ Emanuel Davis protested. “Nothing like that. I was just handling business.

“I wanted a win, not bragging rights.

“I barely talked to those guys before the game. They know I’m a competitor so there wasn’t too much chit-chat.

“During the game, a lot of eye-contact with a lot of guys who were – who are – friends of mine. But that was it. We’ve all got jobs to do.

“Extra sweet? Every win is sweet, doesn’t matter who it comes against.”

There was some extra attention focused on the ex-Ti-Cat DB’s first game in Stampeder silks, and against his old mates from Steeltown, no less, as both clubs kicked off the  2018 season kicked off.

“He’s all business,’’ said boss Dave Dickenson of the newcomer at DB. “He wants to get better. I can’t really critique because I haven’t watched the tape but I do know he’s competing out there and playing physical.”

On a cool, wet, work-out-the-kinks early evening out at McMahon Stadium, the Stampeder defence – such a tower of strength last season – drove the stake into the hearts of the Tabbies with 1:38 left, that wily old pickpocket Brandon Smith, showing he still has those exceedingly light fingers, lifting Jeremiah Masoli’s wallet, and the ball, to end any debate.

A subsequent 44-yard, final-30-seconds-left touchdown sprint by tailback Don Jackson made the final scoreline 28-14.

This opener turned into a tough, down-in-the-trenches slog, virtually from the outset. Johnny Manziel or, as it turned out, no Johnny Manziel.

On the decisive Smith interception, Masoli was flushed out of the pocket, to his right, and the eyes of No. 28, lying in the weeds, must’ve gotten as big as manhole covers when the play began to unfold.

“He started to run around, buy time with his legs and look for the receivers coming back towards him,’’ recalled Smith. “I had a jump on the ball. I had an itch where it was gonna go. Saw the direction he was looking and beat the receiver to the spot.

“So I just tried to make a play.”

Only a momentarily bobble marred the purity of the pick.

“C’mon, man,’’ teased Smith in good-natured rebuttal. “That guy has a cannon for an arm. He put some pepper on it. Some hum. So I had to slow it down first, then catch it.

“All got done in the end, didn’t it?

“Actually, I was looking for two stats on the one play: A break-up and an interception.”

Brandon Smith hauls in an interception (Photo by Candice Ward)

Outside of a couple big plays – a 76-yard down-the-sidelines catch from Hamilton wideout Mike Jones, most notably – the hunker-down, bend-don’t-break philosophy that made the unit the league’s best was in evidence Saturday.

There are undoubtedly key changes to the group from a year back but the key stat line – only one touchdown conceded – was reminiscent of the 2017 group’s level of defiant performance.

“We knew the type of game plan they’d bring tonight,’’ said interior D-lineman Micah Johnson. “They’re a max protection team, tough to get the type of heat we wanted so our defensive backs were going to have to play real good and get some pressures from them.

“Everybody’s a pro. Everybody gets paid. So you can’t take anybody lightly.

“It felt good. Areas to improve? Of course. But I think we can take some forward steps from last year.”

Any first game is, of course, only pencil sketch for the finished canvas.

“We’ll get better. We made some mistakes,’’ conceded Smith. “But it’s all about how you rebound from those mistakes.

“We gave up some plays we’re not proud of. As a resilient defence, we’ve got to let those plays go, keep plugging away and worry about the next play.

“The biggest thing is not to give up touchdowns. This is the CFL, a lot of good players. If we just can limit the TDs, we’ll be fine. You can’t dwell on big plays or them moving the ball.

“You just have to anchor down when it matters. That’s what this defence is all about.”

Davis seems happy to have climbed aboard.

“In my opinion, this defence can be dominant,’’ praised the two-time Eastern all-star. “We all saw how good they were last year, have been the last few years.

“Up front, we have first-tier guys in this league as far as pass-rushing the quarterback goes.

“The linebackers are quality. Led by Alex Singleton, of course, the defensive player of the year. And on the back end, we’re all of a single mindset.

“The sky’s the limit, in my opinion.

“We can go anywhere, as high, as we put our minds to.”