Buffalo Bills running back James Cook heads into the final game of the regular season with a chance to do what no Bills player has in 50 years — win the league rushing title.
Cook is leading the league in rushing heading into the team’s Week 18 game against the New York Jets, with a slim lead over Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts. But an analyst warns that Cook could face a surprise challenge from the final game of the slate on Sunday, one where both teams are fighting for their playoff lives.
James Cook May Need to Pad Stats
As SI.com’s Alex Brasky noted, Cook enters the final week with 1,606 rushing yards and is 47 yards ahead of Taylor, who has 1,559. But Derrick Henry — who enters the week with 1,469 yards — could present an unexpected challenge.
Brasky noted that the chances of Henry surpassing Cook are slim, but not out of the question given the Ravens running back’s propensity for monster games.
“With that said, the Baltimore RB is coming off his most productive outing of the season this past week against the Green Bay Packers,” Brasky wrote. “In a 41-24 win over the Packers, Henry rushed for 216 yards on a whopping 36 carries, powering his team to victory with former MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson absent due to injury.”
The Ravens face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night, a game where the winner takes the AFC North and the No. 4 seed in the playoffs and the loser heads home for the offseason.
While Cook will know exactly how many yards he needs to beat Taylor, who is playing at 1 p.m. Eastern while the Bills are in the later slate of games, it’s less clear what he would need to build a safe lead over Henry.
James Cook’s Linemen Pushing for Title
There are some other members of the Bills with a strong interest in Cook getting the rushing title, which would be the first for the franchise since O.J. Simpson in 1976. Right guard O’Cyrus Torrence said it would be an honor to know that he blocked for two of the best offensive players.
“That’s one of the main things for our offense right now,” O’Cyrus Torrence said, via The Athletic. “As an offensive lineman, to block for an MVP quarterback and a rushing champion in back-to-back seasons? That’s nice. That’s what we’re playing for in this last game.”
Right tackle Spencer Brown added that it would be one of the top highlights of his career to know that he paved the way for the league’s best running back.
Brown added that Cook has been a hard worker and deserves the recognition that comes with the league rushing title.
“Outside of the Super Bowl, the one thing you could tell your kids as an offensive lineman: ‘Back in ’25, we blocked for the rushing champ,’ ” Brown said. “For a guy like Jimmy to get it is super special. He works hard. Does a lot of the right things. As an O-line, we take a lot of pride in getting that done for him.”
Bills RB James Cook Faces Warning Over Rushing Title Pursuit