Ray Davis Shouldn't Be Overlooked Anymore

The Buffalo Bills and New York Jets have taken part in several highly entertaining matchups over the years, and Monday’s contest between the two teams was no different.

In a matchup that featured eight combined trips to the red zone, a Hail Mary touchdown, three missed field goals, and 22 penalties, Buffalo prevailed with a 23-20 victory. By doing so, they ended a two-game losing streak and established a gap between them and the rest of the AFC East, but there was another storyline that may have slid under the radar.

When the Bills announced that they would be without starting running back James Cook, who is suffering from a turf toe injury, it was easy to imagine them not having as much success with their rushing attack. Considering their lack of depth at the wide receiver position had been limiting their passing offense, this generated real concern against a very talented Jets defense. 

Instead, none of those concerns came to fruition. Buffalo’s 149 rushing yards came within one yard of their previous high mark this season, while they nearly had as many first downs (24) in this game alone as they did in their previous two affairs (28). That could not have happened without a player filling Cook’s shoes. Fortunately, rookie running back Ray Davis was ready for the challenge.

After a busy five-year college career in which he played for three different programs (Temple, Vanderbilt, Kentucky), Davis was a fourth-round pick by the Bills this past draft and did not receive a single carry in the team’s Week 5 loss to the Houston Texans. Naturally, Buffalo reversed course in New York, handing him the ball 20 times on the ground in addition to targeting him as a receiver three times as well. All told, Davis totaled 152 combined yards, six first downs, and a barrage of highlight-worthy plays.

Although his overall usage was a surprise after previously splitting reps in a backup role with Ty Johnson, Davis’ production shouldn’t be. TDN’s Damian Person analyzed him as a prospect this past January, highlighting him as a “talented and scheme-versatile running back with pass-catching reliability and upside.” Furthermore, he highlighted how Davis was able to get the most out of his strong 5’8”, 211-pound frame while providing tremendous value as a receiver:

“Ray Davis has a natural lower center of gravity and uses it well. He runs hard and behind his pads. Davis will lower his shoulder with a full head of steam to run through would-be tacklers. Davis’ contact balance is above average, he can bounce or pinball off defenders if he is not properly wrapped up. 

Davis displays good nuance as a runner with a good feel for space. His footwork is a strength—he has quick bouncy feet to jump cut and exchange gaps between the tackles. In the open field, Davis reads and cuts off the upfield defender’s leverage. He forces missed tackles fairly well, accounting for 106 over the last two seasons. 

Davis offers upside as a receiving threat out of the backfield. He can run options, texas/angle, screens, and more routes. He matches up well against linebackers in coverage. With his short-area quickness and quick footwork, Davis has real value on third downs.”

Davis’ speed (4.52 40-yard dash) is not going to blow defenders away. However, multiple draft pundits credited his power and tenacity as a runner, in addition to his receiving prowess. His usage in Monday’s game reflects that, as Buffalo relied on him constantly on inside carries while quarterback Josh Allen wasn’t afraid to target him down the field on one of the best receptions from a running back this season.

In his final college season at Kentucky, Davis ran for 1129 yards (5.7 yards per carry) and accumulated 21 total touchdowns. In the ultra-competitive SEC, that is remarkable production and speaks to his overall talent. While he had averaged just 2.9 yards per carry in his first 26 carries, that is a very small sample size for a player who wasn’t able to garner the playing time necessary to establish any sort of rhythm transitioning to the NFL. Even including Monday’s game, the Jets are a top-10 defense in yards/carry allowed, making Davis’ efficiency (4.9 yards/carry) in that game all the more impressive with an extended workload.

Plus, Davis has been placed in difficult situations this season. In addition to limited opportunities, he has faced a defense with eight-plus men in the box at the tenth-highest rate, per NFL Next Gen Stats, while a majority of his carries came in the fourth quarter of already-decided games. Consequently, Monday’s game should take precedence as the main evidence of Davis’ ability to perform at the professional level. 

 It isn’t hard to see why Cook, who has been amongst the league’s best running backs both after contact as a runner and after the catch as a receiver, is considered the clear lead back for the Bills. Since the team had already been optimistic he could play in Week 6, there is a chance he’ll be back as soon as this week. If Davis proved anything, though, it’s that the organization should not feel obligated to rush Cook into action. With more power and aggressiveness, Davis complements the shiftier Cook extremely well, and the duo gives Buffalo a running back tandem that they can continue to rely on. Trading for veteran receiver Amari Cooper will help their passing attack, but it would be a surprise for offensive coordinator Joe Brady to shift away from an established run-first mindset.

When you take advantage of opportunities that present themselves, more tend to follow. Davis took advantage of every opportunity provided on Monday and has quite the pedigree to support belief in him moving forward. In addition to being a tremendous inspiration, his talents as a running back should not be overlooked any longer.