Bench Davis and start Brown!

[OldTimer1960]

16 hours ago, buffalo2218 said:

I'm not ready to give up on Davis yet, I agree with the rotation with Brown however. What Davis did last year can't be dismissed just like that, I'm willing to see how he does in the playoffs

This is probably wise.  Just look at how well Zay Jones is doing in Jacksonville.  He had major drop issues here and improved for the Raiders, but still didn't look like a really good player, but now 82 catches on the season - still not a ton of yards, but he has become a reliable NFL receiver.  

[T master]

Yes we are in the play offs & 1 drop could be the difference between a W & a L so if they were to sit Davis in some kind of motivational move which McD has done before it wouldn't hurt my feelings but Davis has usually lifted his game during the play offs so hopefully he will get out of this funk now .

 

We can only hope he will be the guy he was when it comes to his ability to make the big catch when needed ...

[BearNorth]

One thing to consider before we send Davis "up in Smoke", he's probably our best run blocker among the WR group.

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

I do love Davis, but I do think he's best as WR #4. He has struggled as a #2

[pocoboy]

Just now, WhitewalkerInPhilly said:

I do love Davis, but I do think he's best as WR #4. He has struggled as a #2

 

Yeah I'm not sure he has the route precision & ability to separate against NFL CB talent. He looked at his absolute best when the safety had to make a choice.

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, Fan in Chicago said:

I am not sure Brown's body and skills are up to the task of being elevated to #2. However, Davis' snap count should go down in favor of Brown and Shakir.

Allen has been focusing on the short and medium passing game (which is very good, @Beck Water), but we saw yesterday that the dagger is slammed in with the deep balls.  

 

Unsure why I'm being tagged here?

 

In case it wasn't noticed, Tee Higgins had a terrible, no-good, very bad day yesterday.  1 reception on 7 targets.

 

I think it's probable that he is still being affected by the Hamlin injury, and that several players on the Bills team are also being affected.   Davis 3 receptions on 10 targets indicate him as a candidate.  He's been catching much more reliably this back half of the season...except for (wait for it) the Week 11 NWE game which was similarly bad - so how he's being covered, and what type of routes/targets he's getting may just have an influence.

 

If he contributes nothing else, Nyheim Hines gave the Bills players a huge lift, and a gift, by showing them he would play still play absolutely fearless (and that good things would happen when he did)

Edited January 9, 2023 by Beck Water

[Beck Water]

23 minutes ago, pocoboy said:

 

Yeah I'm not sure he has the route precision & ability to separate against NFL CB talent. He looked at his absolute best when the safety had to make a choice.

 

This, if you'll excuse me, rather echos the plaint made by cover1 and several others that Dorsey is doing less to scheme his guys open, but rather expecting the WR to win against coverage.  Diggs can.  McKenzie can if it's M2M and he's not held.  Obviously Davis can at times.

 

One reason the Bills moved on from Brown was that he suffers from the same problem McKenzie does - he can be neutralized by physical DB play and uncalled DH/DPI.  In theory, Davis size and strength should allow him to win those battles, but like Knox, he doesn't always.

 

The guy I'd actually like to see some more of is Morris.

Edited January 9, 2023 by Beck Water

[K D]

Diggs, Beasley, Brown would be just as good as Davis or McKenzie if not better. And those are throwaway guys that nobody even wanted on their team that we signed on a whim. Makes you wonder how good our passing game could be if we actually had a couple of guys like Cinci or Miami 

[Fan in Chicago]

14 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

Unsure why I'm being tagged here?

 

I tagged you because you have been pointing out an area of improvement for Allen - the short and medium passing game. I think he has made progress in the second half of the season. 

[Beck Water]

17 minutes ago, Fan in Chicago said:

I tagged you because you have been pointing out an area of improvement for Allen - the short and medium passing game. I think he has made progress in the second half of the season. 

 

Ah! Well, some good, some bad.  He's definitely taken a few more of the short options.  But he's still, at times, ignoring the short options to throw the ball into danger.  Throwing to a double-covered McKenzie when he had underneath options (at least 2) vs. Chicago would be one example of this.  And in last night's post-game presser he was basically chiding himself for getting away from throwing the ball into danger at Diggs.

 

If I figure out how to watch all-22 without paying NFL+ $25, I'm pretty sure I'd see open throws underneath on a few of those heaves to Davis.

 

So improvement, yes, but I don't think we're where we want to be yet.

[pocoboy]

25 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

This, if you'll excuse me, rather echos the plaint made by cover1 and several others that Dorsey is doing less to scheme his guys open, but rather expecting the WR to win against coverage.  Diggs can.  McKenzie can if it's M2M and he's not held.  Obviously Davis can at times.

 

What one would hope is that the "scheming guys open" bit is being back-pocketed to a point where it's absolutely crucial. And that time has come, most likely.

[Beck Water]

6 minutes ago, pocoboy said:

 

What one would hope is that the "scheming guys open" bit is being back-pocketed to a point where it's absolutely crucial. And that time has come, most likely.

 

I dunno.  I'm a big believer in "dance with what brung ya".   Scheming guys open typically involves precision and timing, stuff that's hard to practice during the dings and dents of the season.

 

I hope you're right.

 

1 hour ago, Blah Blah said:

If Davis' ankle is still bothering him, I don't see how you can rely on him to make those tightrope catches on the sideline. Davis seems limited by something or other. The drops have been mystifying. His catching technique is different than other receivers and maybe the coaches are trying to change this but something's up in his head. Since Allen got hurt, the whole passing game seems off. Allen has been throwing more than his share of bad balls and, more bothersome, ignoring the wide open guy for the riskier chunk play. 

 

If Davis ankle is still bothering him, it raises the question of whether he has the physical capabilities to play a season in the NFL because this would be the second season in a row that an early-season ankle injury which has not caused Davis to appear on injury report for literally months, has been raised on TBD as a hypothetical reason for Davis not performing as we would like to see.

 

Allen was ignoring open guys for riskier chunk plays before he got hurt.  Getting hurt did seem to increase his bad ball %

Edited January 9, 2023 by Beck Water

[Beck Water]

35 minutes ago, KDIGGZ said:

Diggs, Beasley, Brown would be just as good as Davis or McKenzie if not better. And those are throwaway guys that nobody even wanted on their team that we signed on a whim. Makes you wonder how good our passing game could be if we actually had a couple of guys like Cinci or Miami 

 

You're mistaken.  These guys weren't home sitting on their sofa because they still have the physical capability to play 70-80% of the snaps in an NFL game for 4 games.

 

In case it went unnoticed, Beasley didn't haul in an admittedly somewhat off ball from Josh that would have converted a key 3rd down on our 1st drive in the Bengals game and possibly scored - but Beasley of 2 years ago would absolutely have had the acceleration and athleticism to get there.

 

They are both there to be a 5th or 6th WR option and as "break glass in case of emergency"

 

In his post-game presser, Allen said that he threw to Brown because the safety went with McKenzie.  Having two speedy guys on the field at once enables some things like that.

Edited January 9, 2023 by Beck Water

[MarlinTheMagician]

I would work Brown in more evenly with Davis.  Different skill sets can diversify the offense.  I posted back on about December 16 that I thought Brown could really contribute because he was productive not that long ago, then hurt.  He runs quality routes and can stretch the D; and he catches the ball.  Gabe gives us a more physical presence and can block.  There is room for both, with Brown getting a bit more run.  Liked seeing a few more plays for Shakir too - he seems a RAC animal.

[HappyDays]

Not good enough:

 

 

[Drew21PA]

Feel he cost us the Dolphins game in Miami - that was huge

 

Dropped multiple Tds - ran wrong routes resulting in Picks....idk - i do blame him for quite a bit this season, but THE PLAYOFFS start a new season - hopefully he can take responsibility and step up

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

Hate to say it but it seems like Brown wants it more.

 

Davis is just going through the motions.

[pocoboy]

9 minutes ago, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

Hate to say it but it seems like Brown wants it more.

 

Davis is just going through the motions.

 

Man, can really tell a LOT from 7 plays.

[stlbills13]

Davis should see the field because he's a legit run blocker. But the targets may need to start going elsewhere. Maybe he flips the playoff switch again though. I still think he has a big moment in him in the playoffs

[ILBillsfan]

9 hours ago, John from Riverside said:

That ball absolutely should’ve been caught by Davis. It was into his body and good receivers catch that.

After see ing the review from the backside agreed it should of been caught not sure why he hops there...Seems like he got caught up i need to jump to catch and then last minute oh craddle catch ...... etiehr 3way attack the ball with the hands Gabe catch it with your hands and it gets simpler

 

There do seem to be lapses but he is still a valuable piece on this team, and from the OP should not be replaced with John Brown  GO BILLS!!!!

 

 

 

Edited January 9, 2023 by ILBillsfan