Against a Vikings defense that has been teeing off on opposing quarterbacks this season, Bills coach Joe Brady knew he needed to lean on his running back on Monday night.

And so he did, with Bills running back James Cook getting 31 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown in a 23-6 win over the Vikings.

Cook’s 31 carries were the most any running back has had in any NFL game this season.

Cook led the NFL with 1,621 rushing yards last season, but he’s actually been even more productive so far this season. He’s averaging both more carries per game and more yards per game in 2026 than he did in 2025. Josh Allen makes the Bills’ offense go, but the Bills rely on their running back as much as any team in the NFL, and on Monday night, Cook delivered.