It wasn’t the prettiest win for the Buffalo Bills, but they got the job done for the second consecutive week out west against the Las Vegas Raiders, winning 33-30. It was one of those wins that didn't look too inspiring, despite the offense putting up 30+ points up for the 4th time this season. Maybe it was because of the way the defense performed, but they managed to make the plays when they needed to.
On offense, things weren't looking so great in the first half. The Bills and Raiders were tied 13-13, and Buffalo's offense couldn't get into a rhythm. Then in the second half, things started to click which included the rushing attack.
Bills' rushing attack led by James Cook came alive in 2nd half
After a slow start, Cook picked things up himself and finished with 95 yards on the ground and he managed to get into the endzone to put the Bills up 30-23. Cook's longest run of the day was only 13 yards, but he managed to average 4.3 yards on the ground.
Now granted, Buffalo's rushing attack was not the driving force for the offense but just like most weeks, we saw Cook run hard for extra yards to where he was gaining 5-7 yards per carry at one point. However, the biggest thing that stood out about Cook's performance was his ball security and how he managed to hang onto the ball.
James Cook's ball security stands out in a great way
Cook was called out by head coach Joe Brady after Buffalo's Week 5 win over the Los Angeles Rams for fumbling twice (including once in overtime). He has 4 fumbles on the year already, which is over half of what he had last season (6). Cook has 15 carer fumbles, losing 7 of them which is a major problem.
Despite his greatness and the pressure he takes off of this offense, the ball security has been a major issue for him. Maybe what Brady said motivated him because there were a handful of times where Cook held onto the ball with two hands and even tucked it away into his chest to avoid a punch-out.
The way he was running with the ball and providing extra protection deserves praise. With this game coming down to a field goal essentially, if Cook had fumbled at any point and lost it, that could have easily been the difference maker for the worse for the Bills. Luckily, Cook kept the ball protected, he did his job, and the offense avoided any turnovers.
James Cook's Week 6 grade: B+
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