It's Crucial for Isaiah Davis to Be a Key Part of Jets' Week 6 Plans to Beat the Patriots

Fresh off a hard-fought 17-12 win over the Browns last Sunday, the Jets turn their attention to a Week 6 clash with the Patriots after snapping a three-game losing streak and injecting a little optimism into an upcoming schedule that presents some opportunities.

While a pitiful trend of going 25-65 against AFC East opponents since 2011 and just 4-26 against the Patriots during that same stretch is not exactly encouraging, the Jets did some positive things in the Week 5 win over Cleveland and have a division opportunity in front of them to build off that and make some proper tweaks.

With Breece Hall sidelined due to a right quad injury, Braelon Allen brought his best with a career-high 116 yards on 24 carries and the game-winning 22-yard touchdown. Although his stock is certainly skyrocketing after a long-awaited breakout performance, there is no reason that fellow RB and 2024 draftee Isaiah Davis should not be more involved in the offense on Sunday.

Davis hasn't been used all that often this season, but that needs to change for the Jets' offense to be a problem for the Patriots' defense.

Jets should lean more on Isaiah Davis as injury concerns remain

While Hall's return is of the utmost importance in terms of getting their versatile RB1 back on the field, ESPN Jets reporter Rich Cimini noted on Thursday that he"is working with trainers on the side field" and is "considered week-to-week."

As Hall continues to make progress, that could obviously impact the amount of playing time that Davis receives.

The Patriots are coming off back-to-back wins, including a signature win over fellow AFC East rival Buffalo in Week 4. That said, their defense hasn't been perfect; tied for the 11th-most catches allowed (24) and tied for the fifth-most receiving yards allowed (200) to RBs this season. That is definitely an area to exploit for a Jets team that is still trying to get healthy.

If Hall can't play, it makes sense to use Davis as a receiving option out of the backfield since he averages an impressive 8.7 yards per catch in his career. He only had two carries for eight yards and one catch for nine yards last week, but the fact that he played a season-high 10 offensive snaps adds to the idea that the Jets are ready to put more on his plate.

As good as Allen has been, he is only averaging 2.7 yards per catch this season with a career-worst 63.6% catch rate. He averages 6.6 in that department for his career, and his lackluster pass-catching production could open the door for Davis to get an uptick in snaps as early as this weekend.

Davis has been productive in his young NFL career and has scored three total TDs without fumbling the ball until this past Sunday, although quarterback Geno Smith recovered it, and it did not result in a turnover. It made sense for New York to get Davis more involved in the game plan while Hall has been out of action and for him to take on a more important role.

Injuries across the offense leave room for Isaiah Davis to step up

Head coach Aaron Glenn shared a conflicting injury update that only raised more questions than answers, specifically regarding the availability of wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. For weeks, this wideout group has been without two of its top-three targets—Mitchell and rookie Omar Cooper Jr.—though Cooper is nearing his crucial return from an ankle injury that he suffered in the opener.

Those depth concerns, along with rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq entering concussion protocol after suffering a head injury in the Week 5 win over Cleveland, have left holes in the passing game behind WR1 Garrett Wilson. Is Davis ready to step up when Gang Green needs him most?

At the same time, Davis has primarily been used on special teams and could find himself on the trade block before the month is over, especially if the Jets continue to shy away from him when the opportunity is right in front of the 2024 fifth-rounder. That's why it's crucial for him to capitalize on every chance he gets, whether it leads to a bigger role with the Jets or elsewhere.

At the end of the day, the Patriots have clearly struggled to contain pass-catching backs so far this season. If the Jets want to put themselves in position to pull off the upset and earn a rare divisional win, Davis should be a key part of those plans, especially if Hall is out for another week.

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