Buffalo Bills running back James Cook scored a touchdown in the team’s 23-6 road win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football, extending his streak of games with a score to seven straight—matching the NFL’s longest active run this season.
Cook’s performance included 107 rushing yards on 31 carries, marking his seventh consecutive game with at least 75 rushing yards, the league’s longest active streak. The Bills improved to 7-1 with the victory, setting up a Week 9 matchup against the New York Jets.
Cook’s touchdown came on a nine-play, 8:32 drive in the third quarter, capping a 15-play possession that consumed nearly half the game’s total clock time (17:28 for Minnesota). His nine carries on that drive included a five-yard score up the middle, giving Buffalo a 14-point lead with 6:17 remaining.
The Bills’ offense relied heavily on Cook, who set a career high with 31 carries—one shy of his 2023 mark against Pittsburgh. His longest gain of the night was 11 yards, and he finished the game with 8 total first downs on the ground.
Across the seven-game scoring streak, Cook has rushed for 757 yards and eight touchdowns, with Buffalo winning six of those contests. His streak began in Week 2 against Detroit, where he posted 135 yards on 21 carries, followed by a season-high 154 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers. The closest call came against New England, where he managed exactly 75 yards on 12 carries.
Cook’s only multi-touchdown game during the stretch came in a 37-34 win over the Los Angeles Rams, where he added 95 yards against Las Vegas and 80 against Baltimore before reaching 100 yards again in Minnesota.
Streaks and milestones
Cook’s seven-game scoring streak ties San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey for the NFL’s longest active streak this season. His seven consecutive games with at least 75 rushing yards is the league’s longest active run and the longest by a Bills player since Travis Henry’s eight-game streak in 2003.
The Bills will next face the Jets on Sunday, where New York will defend its own streaks—including a potential defensive stand after allowing 20+ points in just two of their first seven games.
Game flow and possession dominance
Buffalo’s methodical drive to open the second half consumed 8:32 of game time, nearly half of Minnesota’s total possession time (17:28). The Vikings managed just three drives of more than three minutes, with their longest lasting 5:42.
Cook’s 31 carries accounted for 42% of Buffalo’s total offensive snaps, while Allen completed 12 of 18 passes for 120 yards and no interceptions. The Bills’ defense held Minnesota to 6 points, sacking Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs three times and forcing a turnover on downs in the red zone.
Looking ahead
The Bills travel to MetLife Stadium with a first-round bye on the line, while the Jets (4-4) aim to extend their own momentum. New York has allowed the fewest rushing yards per game in the NFL but ranks 28th in pass defense, setting up a potential matchup where Cook’s ground attack could again dictate tempo.
Buffalo’s offensive line, anchored by left tackle Dion Dawkins, has allowed just 12 sacks in seven games—tied for the fewest in the league. Cook’s durability and workload have been central to the Bills’ offensive identity, with 31+ carries in three of his last four games.
The team’s next challenge comes against a Jets defense that has limited opponents to 3.8 yards per carry but has struggled in coverage, ranking 29th in yards allowed per pass attempt.