Matt Dayes shows up in any conditions, remains underappreciated

Matt Dayes is coming off one of his more impressive performances this season. It was the fourth time he’s been over 100 yards rushing this year but the first time this season he’s gone over 100 amidst a hurricane-fueled downpour.

And according to Pro Football Focus, he also tied a career high with nine missed tackles. There weren’t many chunk plays to happen in this game, but Dayes managed to provide highlights anyway.

Managing 126 yards on 5.5 per carry in that mess is an accomplishment worth mentioning. The footing was damn near impossible and Dayes was up against a defense that knew all day that it was a run-first type of game.

I think we take for granted how decisive he is as a runner, which is a compliment to how good he is. Dayes doesn’t waste time in the backfield figuring out what he wants to do—he sees a lane, he plants, he goes. And when it’s raining like hell, he takes extra care to make sure he doesn’t slip.

He’s 437 yards away from hitting 1,000 yards on the ground. Begin the countdown; he’s earned it.