New York Jets rookie running back Isaiah Davis took advantage of his opportunity in Sunday's thrilling 32-26 overtime defeat to the Miami Dolphins. Davis rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown via 10 carries. The Jets should feature him more consistently down the stretch of a lost season.
Typically the No. 3 back, Davis saw himself promoted to rotational duties after starter Breece Hall was ruled inactive due to a knee injury. The initial belief was that fellow rookie Braelon Allen would carry the workload in Jeff Ulbrich's backfield. Instead, it was a near-even split with Allen receiving just one more carry (11) than Davis (10).
And Davis was arguably more effective than Allen. The fifth-round rookie averaged a team-high 4.0 yards per carry. Davis also scored the Jets' only rushing score of the afternoon. His biggest gain went for 17 yards, 10 more than Allen's longest run (7).
Davis’ 17-yard gain was actually a touchdown, a second-quarter score that gave the Jets an early 10-9 advantage. The former South Dakota State standout exploded through a hole behind the left side of the offensive line en route to the end zone. Davis showcased terrific burst and evaded a few would-be tackles.
Isaiah Davis is back in the end zone again this week!#JetUp | #RatedRookie
— The Draft Network (@TheDraftNetwork) December 8, 2024
pic.twitter.com/EFW9SUcPgf
It marked Davis' second consecutive contest with a touchdown. In a defeat to the Seattle Seahawks last weekend, Davis recorded three receptions for 28 yards and the aforementioned score. He's beginning to build momentum as the Jets enter an evaluation period heading into an offseason that promises to deliver lots of change.
What made Davis' performance on Sunday more impressive was that the Dolphins' defense set out to stop the run. Davis faced stacked boxes (eight or more defenders near the line of scrimmage) on 30% of his rushing attempts, according to tracking data provided by Next Gen Stats. He also posted five more rushing yards over expected (RYOE) for a positive per-attempt average of 0.47 yards above expectation.
Davis' efficient performance leads to questions about whether or not Ulbrich's team should rush Hall back from his stint on the sideline. Only two teams in the league (New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders) have a worse record than the 3-10 Jets. With nothing tangible remaining to play for, allowing the first-year tandem of Davis and Allen to shoulder the workload would qualify as logical.
The Jets decided to double down on running backs, drafting Davis one round after Allen because the Joplin, Missouri native impressed their scouts after being named First-Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) in 2023. The Jets looked past a lackluster combine showing and saw real talent in Davis. He rushed for 1,451 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, helping lead the Jackrabbits to their second consecutive Football Championship Game title.
There haven't been many heartwarming aspects of this disappointing Jets' 2024 season. Davis, a little-known fifth-round rookie, scoring touchdowns in consecutive weeks qualifies as one of the more positive developments of a wasted campaign. Davis should continue receiving opportunities to establish himself as a roster mainstay over the final few weeks of the year.
