The Buffalo Bills turned their top running back into a short-order cook. James Cook went back into the game against the New England Patriots to tie a franchise record with his 16th rushing touchdown of the season.

The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots' Week 18 contest to conclude the 2024 NFL regular season will not be a memorable game. It will be one of those for James Cook. The Bills (13-4) lost a 23-16 final in the meaningless contest for them against

James Cook has put together a huge season with the Buffalo Bills. Entering Week 18 against the New England Patriots, he had a chance to at least tie or possibly even break O.J. Simpson's franchise record for the most rushing touchdowns in a single season.

James Cook has tied the franchise record for rushing touchdowns with a 1-yard score midway through the third quarter. That gave Buffalo a 16-14 lead with 7:56 left in the period — which held as Tyler Bass missed the extra point wide right. It was Cook’s 16th rushing touchdown of the season, tying the mark set by O.J. Simpson back in 1975.

Cook will very likely end the 2024 season under 1,000 rushing yards as he sits on 981 currently and in Buffalo’s season finale he won’t see much, if any, playing time. Even so, he ranks second in rushing DVOA this season trailing only the Baltimore Ravens’ Derrick Henry.

Running back James Cook's 16th TD run of 2024 ties the Buffalo Bills' single-season record in that category. New York Giants' kicker Graham Gano gets the Giants' first points vs. the Philadelphia Eagles on a 25-yard field goal.

Going into the final week of the regular season, the Bills offense was second in the league in points per game with 31.8 behind the Detroit Lions' 33.3. Buffalo is one of three NFL teams this season that has scored at least 500 points in the season.

With nothing to play for in terms of playoff positioning, the Buffalo Bills took a logical approach to their regular-season finale Sunday against the New England Patriots.

The Buffalo Bills lost the battle, but may have won the war against the New England Patriots.

Buffalo is playing with house money but many Bills players are playing for extra cash and contract incentives.

Bills drop meaningless regular-season finale to Patriots, finish with 13-4 record (full coverage) Buffalo Bills