Every point was valuable in today’s tightly contested matchup between the Bills and the Chiefs. As Buffalo was heading into the final ten minutes of the match with a 9-point lead, James Cook’s 2 TD proved to be a difference-maker.
Advertisement
The Bills RB takes his total to 10 for the season. This is the first time a Bills rusher has found the end zone ten times since LeSean McCoy in 2016.
James Cook runs for his 10th touchdown this season, becoming the first Bills RB to run for 10+ TDs since LeSean McCoy in 2016.
— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) November 17, 2024
Cook’s 10 rushing touchdowns this season have pushed him ahead of Saquon Barkley, who has reached the end zone eight times. However, as per ESPN, Cook still trails Ravens’ star rusher Derrick Henry, who leads the league with an impressive 12 rushing touchdowns—more than any running back or wide receiver.
The Alabama alum continues to dominate in scoring, setting the pace for all offensive playmakers.
However, Cook is still far behind both Henry and Saquon when it comes to all other categories. The Ravens RB has had more carries, rushing for 1120 yards. He is averaging 6.1 yards per carry and 112 yards per game. Henry also has 2 receiving TDs and 96 receiving yards.
Barkley leads the league in rushing yards, amassing 1137 yards on 197 carries. He averages a healthy 5.8 yards per attempt and 113.7 yards per match to go with his 8 TDs.
Saquon also has 210 receiving yards and 2 TDs. They are only two RBs who have surpassed the 1000-yard mark this season, making it a two-horse race for leading rusher. Both are also favorites for Offensive Player of the Season.
Cook, on the other hand, might have found the end zone 10 times this season, but he is nowhere at the top in other categories.
He has rushed for merely 576 yards on 128 carries, which is good enough for only 17th place in the league. He is averaging only 4.5 yards per attempt and averages only 64 yards a game. The Bills see him as a red-zone target, splitting his carries with other running backs.
So how did Cook find the end zone twice against the Chiefs?
James Cook’s two rushing TDs against the Chiefs
Cook’s first on the night opened the scoring for the Bills in the 1st quarter. It was a 3-yard run toward the end zone around the 10-minute mark and gave Buffalo the first lead of the night. Tyler Bass missed the extra point on this play.
The Bills RBs’ next touchdown came in the came from a 6-yard run, restoring Buffalo’s lead on the night after the Chiefs had scored at the start of 2nd Quarter thanks to Xavier Worthy. It came when ten minutes were still left in the 2nd Q and came after the Bills drove 70 yards in nine plays. Bass converted the extra point this time. Cook had 16 yards on six carries up until then.
He didn’t do much after that, ending his night with 9 carries for merely 20 yards. This was his worst game this season, but his two touchdowns proved to be vital. The Bills inflicted the Chiefs their first loss of the season, winning 30-21. This is the first time in the last five that the contest between these two ended with more than one score difference. Buffalo is now 9-2, staying in the hunt for the top seed in the AFC.
Kansas City’s dream of an undefeated season is over as they get their first defeat of the season but are still the top seed in the AFC.
