The Buffalo Bills escaped Los Angeles with a 37-34 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams, but running back James Cook’s two fumbles nearly erased a 111-yard, two-touchdown night. One of the giveaways came in overtime after Buffalo (4-1) had moved into field goal range, handing the Rams a shot at victory.
Locked On Bills host Joe Marino said Cook has put the ball on the ground 11 times since the start of the 2025 season (including playoffs), a total that overshadows the production Buffalo needed to survive a game in which its passing offense struggled for consistency.
Marino said Cook’s fumble rate remains troubling regardless of workload. Citing a figure from Bill Barnwell, he said Cook has fumbled once every 44.3 touches since the beginning of 2025, the highest rate among full-time starting running backs over that span.
Cook still supplied much of Buffalo’s offensive answer against the Rams. He carried 25 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns, while the Rams had no answer for quarterback Josh Allen’s scrambles. Allen finished with 121 rushing yards and a touchdown on 10 runs.
The Bills also leaned on their screen game when the passing attack could not find a rhythm. Running backs Ty Johnson and Ray Davis combined for five catches and 103 yards, and Marino credited offensive coordinator Joe Brady for using the calls to help the offense manufacture chunk plays.
Cook’s value makes the ball-security problem more consequential, not less. Buffalo can build a winning plan around his vision, cutback ability and late-game workload, but it cannot repeatedly ask its defense and special teams to overcome sudden-change possessions created by its lead back.
Buffalo heads to Las Vegas next to face the Raiders, and Cook’s workload should again be central to the offense. The immediate task is preserving the explosive production without allowing another fumble to potentially decide the outcome.
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