The Buffalo Bills have had an impressive campaign so far this season. They shook off early-season inconsistency to reach a 5-2 record after Week 7, rediscovering the balance that eluded them for long.
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Josh Allen continues to be a top-tier quarterback, but what’s made this season special is how the team around him, particularly running back James Cook, has stepped up in big moments. The performance prompted Kay Adams to take on one of the NFL’s most persistent narratives: That the Bills have “no talent outside of Josh Allen.”
Adams called the claim “ludicrous,” pointing to Cook’s recent record-breaking performance as proof that Buffalo’s offense is far more than a one-man show. “A narrative that I hate in the NFL for several years now is that Buffalo doesn’t have any talent outside of Josh Allen. It’s a ludicrous conversation,” she said on Up & Adams.
“There are great guys on this team. James Cook! He had a 214-yard performance by the five-minute mark of the third quarter. He didn’t get a touch after that because the Bills were up so big,” Adams added passionately. “You’re saying there’s no talent on this Bills team? Josh Allen has to do it all? No, he doesn’t.”
Adams isn’t exaggerating one bit here. Cook has been nothing short of sensational this season. After rushing for a career-best 216 yards and two touchdowns in the Bills’ blowout win over the Carolina Panthers last Sunday, Cook was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week, and, later, AFC Offensive Player of the Month for October.
Cook’s 11.4 yards per carry marked the best single-game average by an NFL running back in the last seven seasons. And his 153 first-half rushing yards were the most since his brother Dalvin Cook accomplished the same feat in 2021.
Going by sheer numbers, it becomes apparent that Buffalo’s offense has evolved. Allen has been his usual dynamic self and continues to make plays both through the air and on the ground.
Cook, meanwhile, ranks second in the NFL with 753 rushing yards and is tied for fourth with seven touchdowns. His performance has given the Bills one of the league’s most balanced offensive duos.
Beyond those two, players like Khalil Shakir, recently nominated for the 2025 Salute to Service Award, and Dalton Kincaid have provided steady production. So Allen now has legitimate targets. This further proves that Buffalo’s offensive success isn’t dependent on one man.
