Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo is already privy to the chess match Bills RB James Cook will try to play with Kansas City's edge defenders

Spagnuolo reveals how James Cook is so dangerous

“This is a real dynamic runner (Bills RB James Cook)," Spagnuolo told reporters earlier this week. "We’ve faced a bunch of them already this season. This guy might be the top of the crew. I think he is really – I’m always impressed with running backs that can make the jump cut behind the line of scrimmage, and go, and he can do that.

"He really – I showed three of them this morning, he can capture that edge (and) he can convince an edge defender that he is going inside and then boom get outside on them, and that’s where he is really dangerous, because he’s got really good speed. He can do it all. I mean, he’s going to look to cut back on us – it looks to me like they really are trying to feature their run game and they’re doing a really good job of it.”

Cook is easily one of the Bills' best players, and not just on their offense, but the entire team. Obviously, Josh Allen runs the show, and he's great, but you can make a case for Cook being just as valuable this season. According to Sports Info Solutions, the Bills' EPA in 2025 with Cook on the field is 0.21, where their EPA with him off the field is 0.05.

Cook is so vital to the Bills' offense that he even has a significant impact on how well Allen plays. In 99 snaps with Cook on the field, Allen has a 73.7 completion percentage, 875 passing yards, seven touchdowns, one interception, and a 0.32 EPA. Whereas in 97 snaps without Cook on the field, Allen has a 62.9 completion percentage, 685 passing yards, five passing touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 0.19 EPA.

Cook is a game-changer for everyone involved, and that's not even mentioning the mental chess game he makes edge rushers play. His cutbacks make the defenders hit a gap they think Cook will be in, when really he's not. He turns potential negative plays into positive plays just from that alone.
Kansas City has done well, though, this year with top RBs, and this one should be no different.

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