James Cook has been one of the Bills’ most steady ground threats through the first month, but Sunday night’s matchup with the Rams could make his life a lot tougher than usual.
That’s the reality Buffalo is staring at in primetime. Josh Allen is still the engine, the name everyone zeroes in on when the Bills come up.
And with Allen chasing a chance to get Buffalo back on track while also making history, the offense is going to need more than just its quarterback carrying the load. Dalton Kincaid and the rest of the playmakers have to chip in, too.
Buffalo’s defense, at some point, has to create a stop and ease the pressure on the offense.
But if Cook is the player Bills fans are hoping can tilt this game, the Rams might have something to say about that.
Los Angeles has already shown a clear jump against the run since Week 1. In its opener against the San Francisco 49ers, the Rams allowed 174 rushing yards.
Since then, they’ve tightened things up dramatically, giving up just 234 rushing yards total from Weeks 2 through 4. That works out to 78 per game, a far cry from the opening-night leak.
Cook has been rolling on the ground, averaging more than 105 rushing yards per game over the first four weeks. His big days against the Lions and Chargers added up to 289 yards and two touchdowns, and he entered Week 5 with 421 rushing yards, good for third in the league.
That’s what makes this such an interesting test. Buffalo may want to lean on Cook to keep the offense balanced and keep Allen from having to do everything, but the Rams have looked far tougher against the run lately. If they control that part of the game early, the Bills could be forced right back into a pass-heavy script.
There’s also recent history to keep in mind. When these two teams met in 2024, Cook was held to just six carries for 20 yards. Buffalo was already trailing 31-14 at one point, so the game state pushed the Bills away from the run and into a heavier passing approach.
That doesn’t mean Cook is destined for another quiet night. But if the Rams’ run defense sets the tone and their offense jumps ahead against a Bills secondary that has issues, his workload could shrink fast.
In Other News...
Josh Allen Could Make Bills History On A Huge Monday Night
Josh Allen and the Bills head into Monday nights meeting with the Rams carrying more than the usual prime-time stakes. Buffalo has spent much of the early part of the season leaning on Allen to keep drives alive and to set the tone, and this matchup gives him another chance to add to a growing list of accomplishments against a familiar opponent. The setting alone should be enough to grab attention, but the individual milestones hanging out there give the night an added edge.
Allen has already had his share of memorable moments against Los Angeles, and another strong outing would deepen that history while pushing him toward a club of quarterbacks reserved for sustained early-career success. There is also a narrower mark in play tied to his work on the ground, a reminder of how much Buffalos offense expands when he is using both his arm and legs to stress a defense. Whether the numbers fall into place or not, this is the sort of national-stage game that can nudge Allens season into a different conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Deone Walker May Be The Bills' Best Hope Against The Rams
Buffalos defense has spent the last month trying to steady itself after allowing an average of 372.3 yards per game over the past four contests, with a lot of that damage coming through the air. Now the Bills get a Rams offense that ranks among the leagues most productive in yards per game, which is a tough assignment for a group still looking for more disruption up front.
Deone Walker has become an especially interesting piece in that equation. The rookie interior lineman has been creating pressure at a level few defensive tackles can match, and one national analyst has even singled him out as the Bills best bet to land a sack on Matthew Stafford. If Buffalo is going to slow Los Angeles enough to give itself a chance, Walkers ability to collapse the pocket may be a big part of the answer. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Trade Buzz Centers On A Defensive Problem Fans Can See
Buffalos defensive issues have been hard to miss, and the linebacker group has been one of the clearest trouble spots. That has pushed the Bills into the kind of trade chatter that tends to surface when a team believes it can still clean up a problem before the season gets away from it, especially with the NFL trade deadline approaching.
One name floating around is Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson, a player who could be on the move while Arizona works through a rebuild. The appeal for Buffalo is obvious enough: a chance to add help without paying premium price, with the idea being that a midrange pick could be enough to get something done. [Read more 🡒]