Don’t blink. The NFL’s first month has come and went and the Buffalo Bills are the only team in the AFC to escape without a loss. The 4-0 defending AFC East champions are once again riding the coat tails of the MVP frontrunner, Josh Allen, as well as getting historic levels of production from the most recently paid member of their offense, running back James Cook.
The NFL announced Tuesday that James Cook has been named the AFC offensive player of the month.
This is the first time Cook has brought home this award in his fourth season in the league as he is well on pace to eclipse the 1,000 yard rushing mark for the third season in a row.
James Cook Leads League In Rushing Touchdowns
Cook’s season started slow, with a 44 yard performance in the team’s first game against the Baltimore Ravens. However, his 58 yard receiving performance helped him pass 100 yards from scrimmage, finding the end zone on the first drive of the second half to help jump start the come from behind effort.
Since that game, the running back has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of the last three games, including a 132 yard, two touchdown effort against the New York Jets in Week 2.
Although he sits ten yards behind fellow AFC back Jonathan Taylor in the rushing yard leader boards, he is the only back in the NFL to amass five rushing touchdowns so far this season.
This follows a season in which he lead the entire league in touchdown production in 2024. A stat that many analysts believed to be “unsustainable”.
Cook’s Holdout Not Affecting Performance
Many folks, myself included, feared what James Cook’s preseason contract hold out would mean for his early season production. For many players, the decision to sit out during the preseason often has a direct correlation with their production in the opening weeks of the year.
Look at Terry McLaurin for example, in the opening three weeks of the year, the former Pro Bowler only hauled in ten receptions before going down with an injury.
Scary Terry is not the outlier however, James Cook is.
His four-year, $48 million contract extension was considered a good deal for the Bills’ at the time it was announced. It’s certainly aging well, as the seventh highest paid running back in the league is playing better than the other six.
He walks into this weeks prime time matchup against the New England Patriots with 401 rushing yards on the season. The Pats rank second in the league as far as rushing yardage allowed is concerned, allowing less than 80 yards per game. Additionally, the league’s touchdown leader will be facing a New England defense that has allowed just two scores on the ground.
He will have his work cut out for him on Sunday Night Football in this divisional matchup.
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