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Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
The Buffalo Bills offense hummed during the 2024 regular season.
Josh Allen was able to minimize the turnovers, utilize a plethora of receivers and was the leading candidate for league MVP in Week 18.
But overlooked in the offensive hoopla is one of the best seasons ever for a Buffalo Bills running back.
James Cook scored touchdowns in 2024 at a pace not matched by any other running back in the league this season.
James Cook scored a touchdown 7.5% of the times he touched the football in 2024.
— Matt (@BlindTiger913) January 9, 2025
This was by far the highest percentage of all eligible running backs this season.
James Cook 7.5%🔥
Jahmyr Gibbs 6.6%
JK Dobbins 6.6%
D. Montgomery 5.4%
Derrick Henry 5.2%
#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/0SIOvdZrV1
Cook scored a touchdown 7.5% of the times he touched the ball this season—this was also a Bills single season record for running backs.
James Cook scored a touchdown 7.5% of the times he touched the football in 2024.
— Put Steve Tasker in the Hall of Fame (@HOFSteveTasker) January 9, 2025
This was the highest percentage for a running back in Bills history.
‘24 James Cook 7.5% 🔥
‘75 OJ Simpson 6.4%
‘62 C. Gilchrist 6.3%
‘75 Jim Braxton 6.1%
‘63 C. Gilchrist 5.5%#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/5ogL8PhfuB
Also, with 1009 rushing yards, Cook became only the eighth Bills running back to record 1,000 rushing yards in consecutive seasons.
James Cook became the 8th running back in Bills history with consecutive 1000 yard rushing seasons.
— Built in Buffalo (@BuiltInBuffalo_) January 10, 2025
Thurman Thomas (8)
OJ Simpson (5)
Greg Bill (2)
Travis Henry (2)
LeSean McCoy (2)
Willis Mcgahee (2)
Marshawn Lynch (2)
James Cook (2)#BillsMafia | #BuiltInBuffalo | #GoBills pic.twitter.com/8X4dyyAq7A
In previous seasons, the knock on Josh Allen-led offenses has been the fact that there was no consistent running back and that Allen had to put the team on his back to get needed rushing yards. But with James Cook’s uncanny ability to find the endzone this season, the once “incomplete” Bills offense is now primed for a deep postseason run.
Cook took his game to another level this year, and his efficient running game adds another layer to a Bills offense that was already hard to beat without it. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady and offensive line coach Aaron Kromer deserve their praise for the rise of the Bills rushing attack as well. It is the most balanced we’ve ever seen from a Bills offense in the Sean McDermott era. We’ll see how far it can take them.