Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis is keeping things in perspective.
“Season’s been going good,” Davis told The Buffalo News on Thursday. “A lot of ups and downs, but I’m having fun, I’m embracing it. It’s been a pretty good season so far.”
The Bills are 4-1 as they gear up for a road match with the Atlanta Falcons, but Davis’ role has been diminished this season.
Through five games, he’s had 13 carries for 30 yards. As a pass catcher, he’s been targeted just twice, with one catch for a loss of a yard. Over the last three games, he’s averaged just five snaps per contest.
Ahead of the Week 5 meeting with the New England Patriots, offensive coordinator Joe Brady lamented that he had not been able to get Davis more involved. Brady put the onus on himself to deploy the second-year running back more frequently.
Davis’ minimized role also comes in the context of running back James Cook having a commanding season. Cook already has put up 450 rushing yards (second most in the league) on 90 carries. His five rushing touchdowns trail only the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor, who has six.
Cook has been proving that his contract extension was worth it, and Brady is feeding the hot hand.
Still, Brady voiced in Week 5 a need to spread the ball around the running back room, in part to keep Cook fresh for the long haul. But then, against the Patriots, Davis played just six offensive snaps.
“There’s a lot of guys that I’d like to get more reps,” Brady said this week. “But I also don’t want to force it and make it a, ‘Hey, this guy has to play this many plays,’ because I can’t guarantee how many plays are going to happen in the game. But I still believe we’re better when all those guys are playing.”
Davis was glad to hear the vote of confidence from his offensive coordinator, even if it has yet to translate to playing time.
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The Buffalo Bills spent all offseason telling anyone who would listen about the maturation of wide receiver Keon Coleman. It took one offensive series Sunday night against the New England Patriots for that conversation to ring a bit hollow.
“Good, I guess, it’s just really going to come down to what’s going to happen when I get my opportunity when that comes,” Davis said. “But it’s good to hear that he still has confidence in me.”
Bills head coach Sean McDermott says Davis has handled the season like “a pro.” Davis is focused on maximizing any touches he gets in a game.
“When I get it, I try to make the most of it,” Davis said. “Some games it’s there, some games it’s not. But whenever my opportunity comes, just gotta be ready.”
He can lean on his rookie experience as a guide.
“Last year it was kind of like that,” Davis said. “First couple of games, nobody really knew about me, and then I got my opportunity. So, all I could do was continue to wait. But when you’ve got a guy like James in front of you, you kind of just get to watch some greatness and try to take some of his game, and when I get my opportunity, try to put it on the field.”
The Buffalo Bills have an extra day to prepare for the Atlanta Falcons, and they certainly can use that time from an injury standpoint.
Davis’ breakout game came this time last season in Week 6 against the New York Jets. With Cook sidelined for the week with a toe injury, Davis took over. He had a whopping 20 carries for 97 yards in a 23-20 win on the road. He added another 55 yards on three catches, the longest a 42-yard reception, showcasing his ability to contribute in the passing game as well.
So far, Davis’ season highs this year also have come against the Jets. Nine of his 13 carries this season were in the Week 2 blowout at MetLife Stadium as the Bills were able to dictate the game. Outside of that game, Davis has just four carries for six yards.
Brady points to the fact that the Bills have only had so many drives each game, and it’s been hard for him to get Davis in a rhythm. Any running back wants to get a feel for how the defense is playing, and Davis hasn’t had that chance. He simulates what he can.
“I think Ray and Ty (Johnson) get a lot of reps in practice, of understanding how we’re approaching the blocks, how we’re going to do it,” Brady said. “But it’s one thing to get in practice and get in the game, but just continuing to take advantage of the practice reps that you’re getting asking the questions, and kind of rolling with it.
“I have all the confidence in (Davis). Now, it’s just a matter of him getting those opportunities and making the most of it.”
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Katherine Fitzgerald
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