The Buffalo Bills rode running back James Cook to a blowout 40-9 win over the Carolina Panthers, with the running back gashing for 216 yards on 19 carries with two touchdowns.
"When you have James Cook, you let him cook," reigning MVP Josh Allen said Sunday, via The Associated Press.
The Bills did indeed let James cook, with the rumbling runner picking up chunk gains every time he touched the ball. It wasn't just the 64-yard TD that blasted the game open or even the 21-yard score that all but iced it. In between those, Cook was picking up 8-, 9-, 10-yard runs with ease. Twelve of the Bills' 23 first downs came on the ground Sunday.
It was evident from the start that Cook was in for a big day.
"We harped on all week, starting fast and setting our identity as a football team," Cook said, "and I felt like we did that early on."
Offensive coordinator Joe Brady has gotten away from Cook for stretches far too often. It felt like it was starting to happen early again on Sunday. Then, the Bills fed their chef.
The offensive line did work, opening massive holes. Cook's 141 rushing yards before contact in Week 8 are the most by any player in a game in 2025, per Next Gen Stats.
"Joe was just like, 'Guys, we're going to in there and we're going to do what we do best,'" Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins said. "If it was a toss play, if it was an inside zone, if it was an outside zone, if it was a gap scheme -- whatever was called -- our job was to block and I'm happy that we got the right guys to be able to do it.
"Cook was feeling himself, Josh was in his rhythm. We could tell the play-caller was in his rhythm and the offensive line was in a rhythm, and when you're in a good rhythm as a unit, good things happen."
Cook's 216 rushing yards were the most by a Bills player since Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson in Week 12, 1976 (273). His 11.4 yards per carry were the highest for an RB in a game since Derrick Henry in Week 14, 2018 (min. 15 carries).
Cook became only the fourth player in NFL history with 215-plus rush yards and two-plus rush TDs on fewer than 20 carries in a game, joining Henry, Bobby Mitchell and Bo Jackson.
"I feel like I could go again, so I don't feel like I got hit," Cook said after the win.
