James Cook — Week 3: Eleven Carries in the Fourth
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 28
Cook carried 24 times for 154 yards and a 3-yard touchdown with 3:16 left, the third-most rushing yards of his career, with 11 carries for 77 yards in the fourth quarter. He fumbled on Buffalo's first snap and the Chargers scored on the next possession, in a 24–16 win over the Chargers.
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17 to 13, Bills, four 24 left in the fourth quarter, second and seven at the Chargers 42. James Cook went behind the right guard for 23 yards to the Chargers 19. +1.8 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and 4.9 points of win probability, the chance of winning the game after the play against before it, his best carry of the day on both. Three snaps later DJ Moore caught a third-down ball at the three, and Cook went up the middle for the touchdown, 24 to 13 after the kick.
The line: 24 carries, a hundred 54 yards, one touchdown, one fumble lost, eight first downs, 15 of the 24 successful, +0.5 expected points on the carries. The carries went four, eight, nine, three, five, 15, six, three, three, three, 15, two, one, five, four, 11, 11, four, three, 23, three, two, two and nine. The first was the first Buffalo snap of the game, four yards to the 47, and he fumbled; the Chargers recovered and scored a touchdown on that possession. −5.4 expected points, the worst Buffalo play of the day by that measure. 10 carries before halftime for 59 yards, 14 after for 95, and 11 of those in the fourth quarter for 77. On the go-ahead drive he ran 11, 11 four to the Chargers one, and Josh Allen scored from there. The last carry was nine yards on third and six with a minute six left, and Allen knelt after it. One target, incomplete. The hundred 54 yards trail only 216 against the Panthers last season and a hundred 79 against the Cowboys in 20 23.
The split: 31 Buffalo designed runs, 24 to Cook, six to Allen and one direct snap to Dawson Knox.
Back in June the preview called Cook one of the more stable backfield profiles in the league, 17 games last season. Week 1 was 13 carries for 57 with the goal-line work going to the quarterback. Week 2 was 21 for a hundred 35 and a touchdown. Sunday was 24 for a hundred 54 and a touchdown, though the one-yard score on the go-ahead drive again went to Allen after Cook had carried it to the one. Three games: 58 carries, 346 yards, two touchdowns, and more carries each week. Three games settle little. Buffalo is home to the Patriots on Sunday the fourth.
_Data via nflverse._
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