Gabe Davis...best deep threat in the NFL?

[downunderbill]

I recall a post recently that Buffalo still needed a #2 WR and Davis was a JAG.

[K-9]

2 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

Everybody thinks 40 time is the measure of a deep threat… but historically , the best deep threats we’re not smaller guys running 4.3s

 

typically they are 6’2 or 6’3 guys… long striders who can track a ball downfield without losing speed AND battling a DB for the ball

 

McKenzies 4.3 speed does nothing for his ability as a deep threat because he has trouble tracking a ball 40 yards over his shoulder while fighting a DB

 

TO , Eric Moulds , James Lofton , Moss, are prototype deep threats 

 

Davis is in that mold … His hundred time would be much better than his 40 time

Regarding Lofton and Moss, they were also both legit sub 4.4 guys in in the 40 as well. True blazers on the field. It was almost unfair. 

[Demongyz]

In response to the question.

 

Yes he is.

[GreggTX]

I do think he'll have to do more to wear that crown, but 1 thing is abundantly clear. Gabe Davis would be the best WR on several rosters. The offseason WR concerns were overblown and that day 3 guy they drafted 'too late' is probably as good or better than most of the WR's drafted last Spring. They should have given a game ball to Beane. Even the backups were ballin' out.

[Chandler#81]

8 hours ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

He beat the safety twice today on deep balls. 

and a damn Good safety!

[Big Turk]

53 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

and a damn Good safety!

 

2x first team all-pro Minkah Fitzpatrick

[BearNorth]

3 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

2x first team all-pro Minkah Fitzpatrick

Not sure Minkah has ever had a receiver use pure hand and arm strength to rip away a ball he had his hands on.  That was a Wow, as was Allen's 65-YARD throw.

 

[Big Turk]

2 minutes ago, BearNorth said:

Not sure Minkah has ever had a receiver use pure hand and arm strength to rip away a ball he had his hands on.  That was a Wow, as was Allen's 65-YARD throw.

 

 

Yeah, I believe that is the longest air yards in the NFL this year...Bridgewater had a throw to Tyreek Hill on the Thursday night game in Cincinnati that traveled 61 yards that was said to be the longest air yards this season, pretty sure nobody topped that between then and Allen's throw.

[Jerome007]

11 hours ago, Aussie Joe said:

That second TD wrestling the ball away will stay with me for a while 

It's insane that I could to YEAHHH (catch) to NOOOO (INT) to YEAAAAHH  (TD) in likely under a second ha ha.

[Rubes]

Gabe Davis is the reason I can’t understand why people want OBJ on this team. Where would he fit? Why take away plays from Gabe?

 

I just hope Beane can figure out how to keep him long term.

 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

One thing that stood out to me with the video snippets from practice last week (the ladder drill specifically), is he is thick. 

 

The work he has put into his legs is evident. 

 

He's just a big WR, and his end-zone awareness has carried over from UCF from Day One. 

[Rocbillsfan1]

11 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

Everybody thinks 40 time is the measure of a deep threat… but historically , the best deep threats we’re not smaller guys running 4.3s

 

typically they are 6’2 or 6’3 guys… long striders who can track a ball downfield without losing speed AND battling a DB for the ball

 

McKenzies 4.3 speed does nothing for his ability as a deep threat because he has trouble tracking a ball 40 yards over his shoulder while fighting a DB

 

TO , Eric Moulds , James Lofton , Moss, are prototype deep threats 

 

Davis is in that mold … His hundred time would be much better than his 40 time

Yea I immediately thought of randy Moss, and TO. These guys were so strong. Track stats with no pads don’t translate to great football players, and Gabe is on his way. He just looks like the ideal prototype WR when he’s on the field. 

[hellofellowbillsfans]

I remember the Bills embedded video for the 2020 draft and Brandon Beane was watching Gabe’s 40 and was saying “I hope he doesn’t run a sub 4.5”. Beane seemed to know, too, that Gabe played faster on the field and that it would translate to the NFL.

[BillsShredder83]

51 minutes ago, Rubes said:

Gabe Davis is the reason I can’t understand why people want OBJ on this team. Where would he fit? Why take away plays from Gabe?

 

I just hope Beane can figure out how to keep him long term.

 

Gabe and obj outside. Diggs in slot. Easy!

Diggs with free release would be unstoppable even more so than now

Edited October 10, 2022 by BillsShredder83

[Warcodered]

Ironically, I think this was the week where the NFL network fantasy football show finally said to sit Davis because of how his ankle was affecting him.

[billsfan1959]

10 hours ago, downunderbill said:

I recall a post recently that Buffalo still needed a #2 WR and Davis was a JAG.

 

Yep. In the immortal words of @Joe Ferguson "Time to move on with Gabe Davis. If the ball goes to him, you already know it's a wasted play."

[Royale with Cheese]

7 minutes ago, billsfan1959 said:

 

Yep. In the immortal words of @Joe Ferguson "Time to move on with Gabe Davis. If the ball goes to him, you already know it's a wasted play."

 

How about this beauty?

 

On 9/21/2022 at 10:22 AM, Back2Buff said:

 

I 100% understand how the NFL works, and could give two craps if someone takes Shakir off waivers.  The guy just isn't quick enough to make it.

 

Stevenson has something that every team is looking for, speed.  I'm sure it will change after we play Miami on Sunday, but this team still lacks speed.  It will come back to bite them.

 

No you can't keep Stevenson on IR all year.  As soon as he is cleared, and he will be soon, the Bills need to make a move.

 

On pure raw talent, Stevenson>Shakir.

 

[folz]

I know a few people mentioned that Diggs takes attention away from Gabe (which I'm sure he often does), but on the 98-yard TD, Romo pointed out that the Steelers had both Stefon and Gabe double-teamed (and that was only the third offensive play of the game for Buffalo). So, it isn't always because Diggs is drawing all of the coverage away from Davis...and other teams obviously know that Davis is also a threat if they are doubling him that early in a game.

 

I remember marveling a number of times in his first two seasons (before the KC playoff game), how wide open he would be on a good number of his TDs. I don't know if there is a video of Davis TD highlights out there, but somehow, he has a knack for getting open/losing his man to the point that some of his TDs, you wonder where the coverage was because he is so wide open.

 

I assume as others have said that it is great route running, his long strides, and defenses underestimating his game speed. I also wouldn't discount scheme/playcalling by Daboll and Dorsey.

[YoloinOhio]

 

[PrimeTime101]

I think Davis is growing into, as close as a #1B WR gets.

[freddyjj]

14 hours ago, george c said:

Where did you get that 40 time from, the combine? 

https://ras.football/2020/02/09/gabriel-davis-ras/

 

[DCofNC]

The Legend of Gabe Davis is far better than the actual player.  He’s a good player, being elevated by Josh Allen.  He’s a number 2 on this team, but a #3 or #4 on others.  I like the kid, but this is another Bills fan over reaction to a couple of flashy plays.

[RoyBatty is alive]

12 hours ago, WideNine said:

 

That was against Minkah Fitzpatrick too who is no slouch.

Davis wanted it more.

 

 

 

In a tie ball the Offense gets possession, both had it for a possession and took several steps in the end zone the right call would have been a Touchdown.

 

What would happen if Minkah ends up with it?  If the refs ruled Pitt possession I would be furious if I were the Bills.

[billsfan1959]

7 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

The Legend of Gabe Davis is far better than the actual player.  He’s a good player, being elevated by Josh Allen.  He’s a number 2 on this team, but a #3 or #4 on others.  I like the kid, but this is another Bills fan over reaction to a couple of flashy plays.

 

In the last five games that Davis has played, on throws over 20 yards. He has 6 receptions on 7 targets, for 328 yards and 5 TDs. On throws of 19-20 yards, he has 12 receptions on 16 targets for 262 yards and 3 TDs...

[CountDorkula]

9 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

The Legend of Gabe Davis is far better than the actual player.  He’s a good player, being elevated by Josh Allen.  He’s a number 2 on this team, but a #3 or #4 on others.  I like the kid, but this is another Bills fan over reaction to a couple of flashy plays.

"A couple of flashy plays" he says.... right.

 

I assume you also think he and Jake Kumerow are interchangable. 

 

[WideNine]

3 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

In a tie ball the Offense gets possession, both had it for a possession and took several steps in the end zone the right call would have been a Touchdown.

 

What would happen if Minkah ends up with it?  If the refs ruled Pitt possession I would be furious if I were the Bills.

 

Still love the "finish" in Davis wrestling that ball out of Minkah's hands (and taking any decision out of the hands of the refs).

 

 

 

[HoofHearted]

14 hours ago, Big Turk said:

I am honestly not sure how Davis keeps doing it. He only runs a 4.54 40 which is average speed for a WR and certainly not the type of speed that would make you think he has the ability to consistently take the top off a defense, but yet here we are.

 

Since Davis has come into the NFL, he ranks 4th with an average of 18.0 YPC. The only 3 players ahead of him are either fading players like DeSean Jackson who is currently a UFA, Henry Ruggs who is no longer playing and likely never will again, and John Ross who is a bit player and a one trick pony.

 

All of them are speed guys. Looking at the receivers directly after him, you have Marques Valdez-Scantling, Donovan People-Jones and Breshard Perriman. Again all speed guys...

 

Davis doesn't fit the mold of a deep threat but yet he is one of the best ones in the NFL and consistently gets open deep.

 

So my question is how?? Is he simply great at setting up CBs with moves to get them turned or to slow down and then runs by them or does he have much faster play speed than what he ran in the 40?

 

I don't think anyone thought when we drafted him we were getting the NFL's best deep threat(by the numbers at least...I would still pick Hill obviously if I had to have one play) but yet he has turned into the big play WR for us.

Combination of Diggs pulling coverage and choice routes within the scheme.

[RoyBatty is alive]

19 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

The Legend of Gabe Davis is far better than the actual player.  He’s a good player, being elevated by Josh Allen.  He’s a number 2 on this team, but a #3 or #4 on others.  I like the kid, but this is another Bills fan over reaction to a couple of flashy plays.

And on some teams he is a 1.

[PrimeTime101]

10 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

The Legend of Gabe Davis is far better than the actual player.  He’s a good player, being elevated by Josh Allen.  He’s a number 2 on this team, but a #3 or #4 on others.  I like the kid, but this is another Bills fan over reaction to a couple of flashy plays.

Legend to me is a suffix. 

The book is not written yet.

 

Every WR that has a top 5 QB in this league is elevated by their QB. I would even argue top 8-9 QB gets elevated by their QB. Natural.

 

Its what Gabe does at the point of the catch, after the catch and rout running.

 

Lets review.

 

Before the catch. He is really good at Blocking for Screens, running plays

His is amazing at hand checking within the first 5 yards.

 

Rout running First. While he is not a great rout runner, his cuts are smooth and he has some dam good teachers in Diggs and Beasley.

 

At the point of the catch. He has proven he reaches for the ball and does not wait for it to hit him in the chest. 

He is a Solid 50/50 catcher

He catches in traffic quite well

 

After the catch. He has shown he can stack Yak yards.

Amazing Toe Tapping Abilities. this cannot be denied.

 

I just named 8 attributes where, Davis is between Solid and Great at.

 

I would highly disagree with your statement and again... this book is not written yet.

[Mikey152]

14 hours ago, Big Turk said:

I am honestly not sure how Davis keeps doing it. He only runs a 4.54 40 which is average speed for a WR and certainly not the type of speed that would make you think he has the ability to consistently take the top off a defense, but yet here we are.

 

Since Davis has come into the NFL, he ranks 4th with an average of 18.0 YPC. The only 3 players ahead of him are either fading players like DeSean Jackson who is currently a UFA, Henry Ruggs who is no longer playing and likely never will again, and John Ross who is a bit player and a one trick pony.

 

All of them are speed guys. Looking at the receivers directly after him, you have Marques Valdez-Scantling, Donovan People-Jones and Breshard Perriman. Again all speed guys...

 

Davis doesn't fit the mold of a deep threat but yet he is one of the best ones in the NFL and consistently gets open deep.

 

So my question is how?? Is he simply great at setting up CBs with moves to get them turned or to slow down and then runs by them or does he have much faster play speed than what he ran in the 40?

 

I don't think anyone thought when we drafted him we were getting the NFL's best deep threat(by the numbers at least...I would still pick Hill obviously if I had to have one play) but yet he has turned into the big play WR for us.

It’s because it’s not a race…only one guy knows the finish line and can even change it on the fly. 
 

on a go route long speed, flying 20, top speed, etc are way more important than 40 time…if gabe Davis walked his route, the corner is walking too. 
 

this is how Jerry Rice always got open…his 40 was slow, but his flying 20 (ie second 20) was elite. 

[DCofNC]

55 minutes ago, CountDorkula said:

"A couple of flashy plays" he says.... right.

 

I assume you also think he and Jake Kumerow are interchangable. 

 

Davis is better than Kumerow, but it’s like Bills fans forget their prize toys are literally throw always, McKenzie was another team’s cut, as was Kumerow, the highest drafted player in the WR room is Crowder, then Davis for crying out loud.

Edited October 10, 2022 by DCofNC

[Mr. WEO]

I read here that some guy said he died last week, or seemed a paraplegic or something.

[Nextmanup]

I'm guessing a chunk of his success comes not from him, but from who else is around him on the field: i.e., Diggs.

 

Diggs is going to make everyone around him look better as the defense is looking to defend him first and foremost.

 

I also think Davis has sort of deceptive speed--like he isn't ultra fast in an artificially timed track meet type of setting, but with all that gear on in a real game setting, he's faster relative to others on the field.

 

And he always looks BIG and STRONG to me, with a naturally powerful build.  Not sure that helps him on these deep balls, but it helps in some situations when he can go up and just take the ball out of the air, even while defended.

 

I would be trying to turn that guy into an absolute superstar with Josh's arm!

 

 

Edited October 10, 2022 by Nextmanup

[billsfan1959]

Just now, DCofNC said:

Thanks for making my point, you can Take all your numbers and project them for a season, for his very best games, he would be at 41 catches, 890 yards and 10TDs, the Legend of the player is far greater than the player.

 

You need to check your math. BTW,  those were just throws at 10+ yds. 

 

Over his last 6 games (2 of which he was clearly hurting) he has 546 yards and 8 TDs. If you project that over a 17 game season, that would be around 1500 yds and 22 TDs

[Royale with Cheese]

1 hour ago, DCofNC said:

The Legend of Gabe Davis is far better than the actual player.  He’s a good player, being elevated by Josh Allen.  He’s a number 2 on this team, but a #3 or #4 on others.  I like the kid, but this is another Bills fan over reaction to a couple of flashy plays.

 

Every great QB elevates the WR.  Look at what Diggs has done since coming to Buffalo because of Allen.

 

It's more than a few flashy plays. 

57 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

And on some teams he is a 1.

 

I think he would be a 1 on the Jets and Pats.

[billsfan1959]

15 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

Davis is better than Kumerow, but it’s like Bills fans forget their prize toys are literally throw always, McKenzie was another team’s cut, as was Kumerow, the highest drafted player in the WR room is Crowder, then Davis for crying out loud.

 

McKenzie, Kumerow, and Crowder are our "prize toys?"  

 

And since when is draft position for a WR commensurate with his ability?

[Warcodered]

 

[HappyDays]

4 hours ago, Rubes said:

Gabe Davis is the reason I can’t understand why people want OBJ on this team. Where would he fit? Why take away plays from Gabe?

 

Because he hasn't really proven himself worthy of being more than a deep threat. There's nothing wrong with that skill set, but ideally your #2 WR should excel at every route. OBJ would give us more consistency at the position on a play to play basis and we'd be able to use Davis in his preferred role stretching the field vertically.

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, DCofNC said:

The Legend of Gabe Davis is far better than the actual player.  He’s a good player, being elevated by Josh Allen.  He’s a number 2 on this team, but a #3 or #4 on others.  I like the kid, but this is another Bills fan over reaction to a couple of flashy plays.

 

He averages 18.0 Yards per catch over his career. That's absurd, I don't care who you are.  That's far more than a few plays. Doesn't even count the playoffs where he has made more than a few plays as well.

Edited October 10, 2022 by Big Turk

[strive_for_five_guy]

55 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

Davis is better than Kumerow, but it’s like Bills fans forget their prize toys are literally throw always, McKenzie was another team’s cut, as was Kumerow, the highest drafted player in the WR room is Crowder, then Davis for crying out loud.

Well by your logic, Diggs isn’t a #1 WR because of where he was drafted, and Tom Brady is a throw away too.