Bills at Jets All-22 analysis: RB Ray Davis mows down Meadowlands

The Buffalo Bills took on the New York Jets without starting running back James Cook in the lineup. Veteran running back Ty Johnson looked to get the nod in Cook's place from the jump, but it was rookie running back Ray Davis who led the team in attempts and yards on Monday Night Football.

Davis' hard running was a major factor in the Bills' win, and he's put himself firmly in the "pleasant surprise" category after finishing with 23 carries for 97 yards, adding three catches (on three targets) for 55 yards.

Let's take a look at some running plays that featured Davis to see what went right against a tough defense.

Play 1 — Davis the RAC machine Lining up as a deep back, one of Ray Davis' first carries had him trying to keep Buffalo on schedule on a 2nd & 7 play. Davis saw the benefit of solid blocking up front, found a spot to attack and charged in.

It's always fun trying to choose angles for these plays. On the end zone angle, you can see Davis veered slightly to take the best angle to slip off that first contact. I went with this angle because it better shows how Davis fought for another six yards after that second contact. A major theme in the game was Davis successfully finding a bit more yardage.

Play 2 — Team work makes the dream work Not every play showed this level of mastery, but the line and blocking were key components in helping Davis out. Don't get me wrong on this either; Davis showed off a little wiggle and then some boom to get the football to the Jets' one-yard line.

That said, right guard O'Cyrus Torrence and tight end Dawson Knox helped ensure that Davis didn't get touched until a ton of damage had been done.

Play 3 — Davis decisions Running backs are often asked to make rapid decisions and Ray Davis had his share of those moments on Monday night. Here, Davis saw the impending danger and immediately planted his right foot to cut up field. Davis got another small chunk of yards by falling forward.

Play 4 — Ray Davis and geometry This plays off of the above as here Davis chose to take the play farther outside to try and make something happen. This wasn't a huge gain, but Davis' vision on the angles helped him make something out of what could have been nothing.

Play 5 — Davis proves slippery Trying to burn out the clock to seal a win, Davis was faced with a defender in his face thanks to a less-than-stellar situation. Being Devil's Advocate, there's an inclination to immediately lay the blame on the tight end. Without seeing the Bills' playbook, it's hard to be definitive and I could write a much longer paragraph on who might be to blame.

Rather than that, let's focus on his recovery. A quick hop to his left and Davis was around the defender to create something from nothing.

The Final Straw I think it's easy to see what the Buffalo Bills felt they had with Ray Davis. That said, you may have noticed the distances of the runs decreasing. The New York Jets were able to start clamping down on Davis as the game went on, and it's possible the early bigger gains were helped a bit by the surprise factor.

Now with that said, Davis' traits he's now put on film would continue to translate. His performance against the Jets absolutely makes me feel better about the depth at the position.