Gabriel Davis knows how to make the most of limited chances. The second-year wide receiver was targeted three times Sunday. All three were in the third quarter, and all three resulted in catches. Those three catches were good for 105 yards, the longest a 49-yard reception. Buffalo scored the very next play.
It was his second time passing 100 yards in a game as a Buffalo Bill, and by far his most of the season. Prior to the blowout win over the Jets, Davis’ season high was 40 yards, set in Week 1. He’s had three games without a catch.
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Davis admits he feels out of place sometimes on the sidelines while waiting for his chances, but he’s stayed patient.
“It’s definitely a hard situation to be to in, to be able to not get that many reps, but to still have to go out there and execute in such big opportunities like that,” he said Thursday. “I’m obviously just happy I was able to come down with all those balls and make those plays.
As a rookie last year, he finished with 599 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 35 catches. Now, through nine games, he’s at 238 yards and two touchdowns on 13 catches – on pace for less in each category. He balances a competitive nature with understanding that this simply happens when a receiving corps is as deep as the Bills’ corps is.
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The addition of Emmanuel Sanders – the notable difference in the group from last year to now – had a nuanced effect for Davis: It often means fewer chances for Davis in games, but it’s making him better behind the scenes.
“Even having E (Emmanuel Sanders) here was a big jump for me, because he taught me something a couple weeks ago that kind of changed my game,” Davis said. “And I thank him a lot for that. It was just one little thing that he taught me that he likes to do, that I added to my game, and definitely gotten way more successful with it.”
Davis won’t get too specific: He doesn’t want to let other teams in on the tweak. But it came from Sanders’ observations of the young receiver’s tendencies.
“Yeah, it’s a secret,” Davis said. “It’s a secret – I can’t tell nobody. But he definitely helped me figure out the things I need to do with the type of play style I have, and it helped me out a lot.”
Quarterback Josh Allen says Davis has grown the most in his mental approach to the game, and it shows up on the field. He sees the patience, as well, and he hopes Davis won’t have to always be waiting.
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When it comes to the Bills’ run game, he loves a big play, of course, but Brown finds the most delight in controlling the game.
“When he’s in the game, he’s going in the there and digging out a linebacker, or a safety,” Allen said Wednesday. “He’s making some spectacular catches along the sidelines, catching touchdowns for us. He’s able to do a lot of different things for us. So again, just the patience, and that virtue of playing a certain role, it’s gonna help him. It’s gonna pay dividends in the long run, and we’re gonna need him more going forward.”
Sunday, Davis showed plenty to build off of. Still, he's focused on waiting and trusting what comes next.
"It was just one game," Davis said. "So, just have to keep doing it consistently when I keep going in there and getting the opportunities to make a play."
