The Ray Davis-backup running back discussion

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

1 minute ago, TBBills Fan said:

I just looked his first 4 games last year was 26 for 75 yards. 3.0 yards per carry. 

 

So he is down on touches and YPC but it's not some huge difference

 

Maybe it just feels that way to me. 

 

3 games this year he has had 1 or fewer carries.  It's kinda hard to judge anyone on that little film.  A few of the jets ones were in garbage time too.  

 

11 carries in 39 snaps - which includes kneeldown's potentially.  

[Flip Johnson]

Big picture: the running game itself is amazing, we just don't want Cook banged up or overused before January.

 

Ty is fine, there will be games where he is featured a bit more.

 

Davis just doesn't look right and maybe this benching will light or fire under him or send a message regarding his physical composition.

 

Gore is not an NFL talent, I don't see a world where activating Gore lightens Cook's load.

 

If Davis doesn't get rolling, I could see the Bills adding an RB via trade that is more in the bruising north-south role that Davis seems to have opted out of. Someone like Braelon Allen (although Jets probably will not trade) that is getting lightly used on a team that will need to stack picks.

[skibum]

I don't care if it's Ray Davis, Ray Charles, or Sammy Davis Jr, they just need to find a legit #2 and use him. It's bizarre how few touches the rest of the RBs are getting this season. You need a guy with a different style who can get 6-7 carries, BLOCK, and give Cook some rest. Some thunder to go with the lightning, you know?

Edited Thursday at 06:14 PM by skibum

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

5 minutes ago, Flip Johnson said:

Big picture: the running game itself is amazing, we just don't want Cook banged up or overused before January.

 

Ty is fine, there will be games where he is featured a bit more.

 

Davis just doesn't look right and maybe this benching will light or fire under him or send a message regarding his physical composition.

 

Gore is not an NFL talent, I don't see a world where activating Gore lightens Cook's load.

 

If Davis doesn't get rolling, I could see the Bills adding an RB via trade that is more in the bruising north-south role that Davis seems to have opted out of. Someone like Braelon Allen (although Jets probably will not trade) that is getting lightly used on a team that will need to stack picks.

 

Davis yards before contact is currently 1.2, league average is 2.4.  He doesn't have the carries to show up on a league list - but there are 5 backs with a sub 1.5 yards before contact with the qualifying number of carries.

Charbonnet - 2.5 yards per carry

Warren - 3.1 yards per carry

Conner - 3 yards per carry

Brown - 2.3 yards per carry 

Jeanty - 4.1 yards per carry - Helped tremendously by a 64 yard carry.  Without that he'd be averaging 3.2 yards per carry.  
 

He hasn't had the touches to get in a rhythm, and the run blocking has likely been worse during his limited snaps.  

[notpolian]

Davis hasn't looked great this year.  But Cook has been so much better in short yardage and yards after contact this year that Davis just isn't getting the opportunities.  I'm pretty dubious about his weight loss this offseason.  Seems not a smart move for a power back, but what do I know.  He's low cost so I doubt any changes happen this year.

 

I'm a tiny bit concerned about Johnson, his strong suit is the passing game, and he has had a few unexpected drops this year. Again here Cook seems to be doing better catching the ball (normally short passes) and he is a yac machine.

 

I'd be really surprised to see any RB moves unless there are injuries.  Bills have far bigger issues on defense and need to use any capital or practice squad call-ups there IMO.

[Kirby Jackson]

I have pretty strong feelings on this. Davis seems like a fantastic guy. He also is the worst player on the 53 IMO. His feet are so slow. He’s Zack Moss. I’d certainly give Gore a chance. I’d trade Davis for whatever I could get. I’d just draft another RB in 2026 in the middle rounds. 

Edited Thursday at 06:16 PM by Kirby Jackson

[JohnNord]

I don’t think either have looked great this season.  From what I can recall however, it seems like most of their rushing attempts were in obvious running situations and there was a whole lot of daylight.

 

I remember earlier in the season Ty Johnson dropped a sure TD on the route he ran to success in Detroit.

 

Its still early though and there’s time to turn things around for them

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

1 hour ago, TBBills Fan said:

So Ray Davis said he dropped about 15 lbs and wanted to be more elusive. However, that is not what brought him to the big leagues and so far this year we are seeing a much less productive Ray Davis. 

 

In the preseason he looked awful and so far this year he has looked awful.

 

So I am curious as to if the staff will use a call up soon on Frank Gore Jr, put him in Davis role, make Davis inactive and see if that is an upgrade. 

 

We have 3 call ups, so at one point would you say, ok let's see what Gore can do for us this year?

 

After all, Gore ran behind the same backups that Davis did in preseason and looked much better. 

 

Goes stats in 2025 

11 carries, 29 yards, 2.6 yards per attempt. 

 

We will need someone to spell Cook...

 

So if you had a say, would you give Gore a call up and make Ray inactive to see if this helps. And if so, how long a leash are you giving Davis before you do this?

https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/gamelog/_/id/4429501/ray-davis

 

We can't expect Cook or any running back to have almost 400 touches....

 

So based on 11 carries for the year and 8 of them came in the Jets game, likely in the 4th quarter playing with all other backups, you can figure all this out that he's no good?? 

 

 

[nedboy7]

I hope we dont end up with a Cook injury to figure this out.  At this rate it is much more likely.  

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Just now, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

So based on 11 carries for the year and 8 of them came in the Jets game, likely in the 4th quarter playing with all other backups, you can figure all this out that he's no good?? 

 

 

 

4 were after allen came out of the game, as did the entire left side of the offensive line.  But lets all judge a guy for 7 carries across 3 games.  

[BuffaloBillyG]

I was pretty vocal last week on having Gore active against the Saints to see what he could do. I stand by that.

 

The thing about the RB position is you earn snaps and carries based on performance. Not only in games but in practice and the film room. His usage would suggest he has not done that. There are backs that need a few touches to get into the flow of the game and he may be one. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen when you play behind a guy like Cook. So find someone that doesn't need that. 

 

We NEED someone that can absorb 5-8 touches a game to lighten Cooks load. But those touches have to be positive plays...not whatever it is Davis is doing. We have now had Baby Gore in the building for over a year. I'd say let him show what he can do.

[Alphadawg7]

1 hour ago, Simon said:

 

He started slow last year too but by the end of the season was really taking advantage of his opportunities.

We've seen some ability from him to get skinny and make hay in limited space; I don't really recall him getting any kind of space to work with this year.

 

Yeah, spot on.  If you look at the carries, he hasn't had any space of opportunities on the few touches he got.  This is why people checking stat sheets and ignoring context, sample size, etc are led to misleading conclusions that he is the problem or failing.  

 

Someone was talking about this on social media and cut together a bunch of his carries this year, and on those plays Cook would not have fared any better if he had gotten the carry, the play was blown up with the RB having nowhere to go.  It would be one thing if there were holes he was either late or slow to hit, or just flat out not seeing and running into a wall by choice.  If there is no place to go, there is no place to go.  

 

This isn't like Davis and Cook are a "Thunder and Lightning" duo right now where they both get relevant carries and series to play.  Davis usually comes in on one play, that is an obvious running situation, and the D is ready and the play has no where to go.  I am hoping as the season goes on they start giving Davis more like a series or two instead of a couple one off individual plays to both reduce Cooks wear and tear over the long season and to also get Davis going for the playoffs where we may be in snow every round of the playoffs as the 1 seed and having a power run game will be of value.  

[WotAGuy]

47 minutes ago, gonzo1105 said:

You could be right , or maybe the Bills asked him to shed the weight. Usually players don’t lose or gain weight on their own. The coaches, with the strength staff usually decide the playing range they want a player at 

 
Davis is getting his training plan from Epenesa. 

[Simon]

5 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

Yeah, spot on.  If you look at the carries, he hasn't had any space of opportunities on the few touches he got.  This is why people checking stat sheets and ignoring context, sample size, etc are led to misleading conclusions that he is the problem or failing.  

 

Someone was talking about this on social media and cut together a bunch of his carries this year, and on those plays Cook would not have fared any better if he had gotten the carry, the play was blown up with the RB having nowhere to go.  It would be one thing if there were holes he was either late or slow to hit, or just flat out not seeing and running into a wall by choice.  If there is no place to go, there is no place to go.

 

There was a good post above, pointing out some numbers that support that:

 

21 minutes ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

 

Davis yards before contact is currently 1.2, league average is 2.4.  He doesn't have the carries to show up on a league list - but there are 5 backs with a sub 1.5 yards before contact with the qualifying number of carries.

Charbonnet - 2.5 yards per carry

Warren - 3.1 yards per carry

Conner - 3 yards per carry

Brown - 2.3 yards per carry 

Jeanty - 4.1 yards per carry - Helped tremendously by a 64 yard carry.  Without that he'd be averaging 3.2 yards per carry.  
 

He hasn't had the touches to get in a rhythm, and the run blocking has likely been worse during his limited snaps.  

 

[TBBills Fan]

21 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

So based on 11 carries for the year and 8 of them came in the Jets game, likely in the 4th quarter playing with all other backups, you can figure all this out that he's no good?? 

 

 

Did I say he's no good?

 

I've said he has not looked good SO FAR. And that is true. 

 

Then I asked others opinions.

 

Thank you, you've added so much to the conversation. 

Edited Thursday at 06:41 PM by TBBills Fan

[Charles Romes]

The come to Jesus sitdowns the brass had with Kincaid and Coleman after last season have paid big dividends so far. It irritates me they let Davis do whatever he wanted in the offseason, to the point he’s regressed all the way off the roster for all intensive purposes. 

[zow2]

Joe Brady already said in his press conference this week, they are over using Cook and under using the other RBs.  He said it’s mostly about playing the hot hand but he has to do a better job of getting the other RBs going. So i think vs New England we will see more of Davis and Ty in there.

[TBBills Fan]

33 minutes ago, skibum said:

I don't care if it's Ray Davis, Ray Charles, or Sammy Davis Jr, they just need to find a legit #2 and use him. It's bizarre how few touches the rest of the RBs are getting this season. You need a guy with a different style who can get 6-7 carries, BLOCK, and give Cook some rest. Some thunder to go with the lightning, you know?

This

2 minutes ago, zow2 said:

Joe Brady already said in his press conference this week, they are over using Cook and under using the other RBs.  He said it’s mostly about playing the hot hand but he has to do a better job of getting the other RBs going. So i think vs New England we will see more of Davis and Ty in there.

That's good to hear

[transplantbillsfan]

At this point we should absolutely be bringing Frank Gore Jr. up and seeing what he can do in games.  Joe Marino actually mentioned this in his podcast this week.

[TBBills Fan]

6 minutes ago, Charles Romes said:

The come to Jesus sitdowns the brass had with Kincaid and Coleman after last season have paid big dividends so far. It irritates me they let Davis do whatever he wanted in the offseason, to the point he’s regressed all the way off the roster for all intensive purposes. 

That is a good question. We don't know did Ray do it without talking to the club or did the club ask him to do this

Edited Thursday at 06:51 PM by TBBills Fan