Can we talk about Gabe Davis's performance?

[White Linen]

Davis isn't the #2, he's a role player.  

[PBF81]

Really?  Already?  

 

Davis has the 2nd most receiving Yards and receiving 1st-Downs of anyone on the team.  

 

 

[Pirate Angel]

19 minutes ago, BuffaloBillsGospel2014 said:

 

Then design a playbook or series of short plays specifically for this where everyone who's in the play goes no more than 15 yards, it's really that simple. I'm also not saying take the long plays completely out but this trying to air it out 15 times a game just isn't working any longer.

So, keep all corners and both safeties close to? The plays aren't designed to air it out its designed to spread the defense Allen decides to air it out, he has options underneath he holds the ball to long and wants to make the big strike. 

[Dan Darragh]

5 hours ago, julian said:

I’m ready to make this a Diggs Kincaid offense as far as amount of targets. I’m not paying Davis.

Actually you're not paying anyone

[CSBill]

Did Gabe dress for the game?

[Matt_In_NH]

No, now is not the time

[JerseyBills]

7 hours ago, HappyDays said:

Most of the focus this week has been on Josh Allen's struggles. Rightfully so. He almost singlehandedly lost us the game. But evaluating other players on offense shouldn't be ignored.

 

The biggest question on offense coming into the season was how Davis would step up in his second season as the presumed #2 WR. Against the Jets he finished with 2 catches on 4 targets (50% catch percentage) and 32 receiving yards.

 

Despite playing on 94.2% of snaps, he finished with equal or less catches than:

 

Damien Harris (13% of snaps)

Deonte Harty (21.7% of snaps)

James Cook (59.4% of snaps)

Dalton Kincaid (80% of snaps)

Dawson Knox (84% of snaps)

 

The obvious caveat is that is based on exactly one game. But the presumed #2 WR who was on the field for all but 4 snaps is catching the ball less than guys that are supposed to be role players. And it continues a worrying trend of Davis only catching 50% of the targets that come his way which is bottom of the barrel efficiency. He was also at least partially to blame for Allen's 3rd interception because of a lazy route that gave Jordan Whitehead easy leverage.

 

Davis had the longest catch of the night at 26 yards and it was a big one. But right now the common complaint is that our passing offense was way too inefficient against the Jets and that Allen needs to get the ball out faster. We have a 50% catch WR where every meaningful target is 3+ seconds after the snap, playing almost every down on offense and operating as our presumed #2 receiving target. He can't separate quickly and he's almost useless as a pass catcher within 10 yards of the LOS. Isn't it possible that such a glaring problem is contributing to a good chunk of that inefficiency?

I mean he did only get 4 targets and since their DBs don't travel, felt like he was lined up with Sauce alot to give Diggs better matchups

 

Interested to see his route tree and hopefully he's not just running deep routes all day. They said during the off season how they want to give him more underneath routes. 

 

Either way, he's the least of my worries, as Josh was brutal and hard to judge the WRs after your QB looked like that. He did have a nice 26 yard rec

[Ethan in Cleveland]

What were the two missed targets to Davis? If one was the INT how is that his fault? The safety caught it before it got to him. It was a bad throw that should have been closer to the sideline.

I dont recall the other missed target. Certainly don't recall him dropping a pass.

[newcam2012]

7 hours ago, HappyDays said:

Most of the focus this week has been on Josh Allen's struggles. Rightfully so. He almost singlehandedly lost us the game. But evaluating other players on offense shouldn't be ignored.

 

The biggest question on offense coming into the season was how Davis would step up in his second season as the presumed #2 WR. Against the Jets he finished with 2 catches on 4 targets (50% catch percentage) and 32 receiving yards.

 

Despite playing on 94.2% of snaps, he finished with equal or less catches than:

 

Damien Harris (13% of snaps)

Deonte Harty (21.7% of snaps)

James Cook (59.4% of snaps)

Dalton Kincaid (80% of snaps)

Dawson Knox (84% of snaps)

 

The obvious caveat is that is based on exactly one game. But the presumed #2 WR who was on the field for all but 4 snaps is catching the ball less than guys that are supposed to be role players. And it continues a worrying trend of Davis only catching 50% of the targets that come his way which is bottom of the barrel efficiency. He was also at least partially to blame for Allen's 3rd interception because of a lazy route that gave Jordan Whitehead easy leverage.

 

Davis had the longest catch of the night at 26 yards and it was a big one. But right now the common complaint is that our passing offense was way too inefficient against the Jets and that Allen needs to get the ball out faster. We have a 50% catch WR where every meaningful target is 3+ seconds after the snap, playing almost every down on offense and operating as our presumed #2 receiving target. He can't separate quickly and he's almost useless as a pass catcher within 10 yards of the LOS. Isn't it possible that such a glaring problem is contributing to a good chunk of that inefficiency?

This is nothing new. Gabe is what he is which is a limited wide receiver. He had little to no likelihood to succeed against that Jets secondary. 

 

He will have better games vs weaker teams. He's on his last year of his rookie contract so he's cost effective and cheap. Next year he won't be a Bill and that a good thing. 

 

The Bills will have to find a legit WR2.

[BuffaloBillyG]

I'll say this. The gameplan seemed to be short quick passes. That isn't Gabe's wheelhouse. He cannot seem to get open quick and short.  I would be interested to see what percentage of his routes were short/intermediate/long. If I have time today I may dive into that.  

 

I'm expecting him to put up his yearly "flashy numbers" game this week or next against Vegas or Washington. That "glimmer of hope game" against secondaries that can be prone to get beat deep. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

8 hours ago, julian said:

I’m not paying Davis.

[zow2]

Gabe has really been a disappointment overall, especially if he's considered the #2 WR on what has been a high powered offense.  Need better from him.  His routes are deep and appear lazy sometimes..  and last year he drops a few in his hands.  Hope that trend does not continue.  I'd expect him to be putting out max effort after that lousy Jets game.

[The Jokeman]

8 hours ago, Jerry Jabber said:

In the offseason, I posted concerns about the receivers on offense outside of Diggs. Most importantly, Davis. I felt Davis is a good #3 WR, but a below average #2. Had a bunch of people disagree with me, and had some rave about “Playoff Gabe,” make excuses about his ankle, and that I didn’t know what I was talking about. Well, it’s another year, had another game against a division opponent and had another below average game.

 

You are 100% correct in your assessment about Davis. A #2 WR should be getting about 6-8 receptions a game and be able to take the pressure off the #1 WR, but Davis hasn’t been able to do that. 
 

I was really hoping for a legit #2 WR like Hopkins or someone else. IMO, Diggs’ best years are being wasted. If Diggs goes down with an injury, the Bills offense is toast. 

Davis also needs targets, I think Josh only threw his way four times during the game as I recall. So how's he supposed to get 6-8 catches?

[RunTheBall]

Josh threw a horrible ball on that out route to Davis that got picked but if Gabe rounded out that cut any more it would have been a sphere

[Straight Hucklebuck]

Gabe Davis 3+ years in still runs two routes:

 

The post

 

The comeback off the post

 

No burst, no cutting ability, no jump ball, no precision. Completely inefficient in an era all about extracting the most from the margins of difference. 

 

As I said in other threads, he is a black hole in the offense. 
 

I wish the Coaches would start cutting his snaps back by phasing in Sherfield and Shakir.  
 

How can you pay a player who over 50% of the time gives you 40 yards or less? 
 

Hard pass, let some other team waste their money on the “hardest worker”. 

[HOUSE]

He's your Captain, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...

[Kaenon]

Gabe has missed only 1 game in his career with Buffalo.

 

He was a 4th round pick.

 

His average stats over the last (3) seasons are 40 rec. for 660 yards and 7 TDs.

 

That is pretty good.

[BuffaloBillyG]

58 minutes ago, The Jokeman said:

Davis also needs targets, I think Josh only threw his way four times during the game as I recall. So how's he supposed to get 6-8 catches?

You get targets by getting open. Davis does not get open consistently enough. If you can't create space as a WR you need to be good at winning contested catches. He is not. So that's 2 reasons why he doesn't get targets. 

[BADOLBILZ]

46 minutes ago, Straight Hucklebuck said:

 

I wish the Coaches would start cutting his snaps back by phasing in Sherfield and Shakir.  
 

 

 

This is the answer, IMO.

 

The reason is two-fold............it makes the offense less predictable when he's not out there...........and it takes away the temptation for Allen to make those throws to Davis which resulted in an inordinate amount of his worst decisions last year.  

 

The offense Dorsey is running is fine...........it should work even if there are weaknesses in terms of offensive weapons.    The step he needs to take as an OC is to eliminate the aspects of the game plan that invite poor execution.    Like having Gabe out there too often.    Or like the run game choices on Monday.   

[BillsVet]

To answer the OP's question:

 

No, we can't talk about Gabe Davis.  Maybe next week.  

 

Signed, 

 

People who start threads that are descriptive and don't ask rhetorical questions.