Pollock: A look at McDermott's smart play calling to beat KC, and why we are taking James Cook for granted?

(Cutline: Chuck Pollock points out James Cook has 11 TDs in as many games and he’s scored in eight of them, three times having multiple touchdowns. Derrick Henry has 13 rushing TD’s. Photo by Ben Ludeman/Buffalo Bills)

A column by CHUCK POLLOCK, Sun Senior Sports Columnist

Some reflections on the Bills’ impressive 30-21 victory over the previously-undefeated Chiefs on Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium:

• Buffalo coach Sean McDermott has been the victim of more-than-a-few critical assessments in this space over the past four months. But this time, he’s not getting enough credit.

Conservative coaches, when faced with a critical decision, often deflect to the conclusion that’s easiest to defend.

And against Kansas City he had a reason that would be hard to argue.

Up 23-21, Buffalo faced a 4th-and-2 at the Chiefs 26-yard line. A 44-yard field goal would put the Bills up by five, though place-kicker Tyler Bass has had his recent issues, including a missed extra point early in the game. McDermott could also choose to go for it as a successful first down would virtually ice the result. Then, too, if the field goal attempt failed, KC would be about 30 yards from range for a game-winning field goal attempt, albeit with a backup kicker.

The Bills’ eighth-year coach opted to go for the first down and quarterback Josh Allen made him look like the second coming of Vince Lombardi by racing those 26 yards into the end zone for the clinching score.

Had McDermott chosen the field goal try, and it was made, it would have been hard to criticize his reasoning of forcing Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes to score a touchdown to win. Had Bass missed though, leaving the Chiefs needing only a short drive to set up the winning field goal, McDermott would have been filleted by fans and media alike.

He made the right choice for the right reasons and admitted that in a meeting with the coaches during the week, if such a situation arose, given Mahomes’ uncanny skills, the right option was to be aggressive. Allen’s TD was merely the cherry on the sundae.

• The last previous time the Bills and Chiefs met was in a divisional playoff game in January at Orchard Park with KC winning, 27-24, after Bass missed a potential game-tying 44-yard field goal in the final two minutes.

But this wasn’t on Buffalo’s kicker, its defensive line was absolutely invisible putting up puny numbers. Seven edge rushers and tackles COMBINED for seven tackles, three quarterback hits, one tackle for loss and no sacks.

That’s one reason why tackle Linval Joseph and edge Shaq Lawson are no longer with the team.

So I was a bit surprised that Sunday’s TV announcers, Jim Nance and Tony Romo, were so effusive in their praise of the Bills’ defensive line play. Their most flowing compliments were for end Greg Rousseau (no tackles, no sacks, two quarterback hits) and tackle Ed Oliver (no sacks, one tackle, one QB hit).

On the day Buffalo’s eight defensive linemen COMBINED for 15 tackles (though nine were assists), a sack and five QB hits … not exactly Steel Curtain numbers.

• It’s become a bit too easy to take James Cook for granted.

Maybe it’s his simple, common name, or that he doesn’t run with the flair and power of Derrick Henry or the speed of Jonathan Taylor.

But Buffalo’s third-year running back has been everything the Bills had hoped when they drafted him in the third round out of Georgia in ’22.

His numbers were lousy against the Chiefs, nine carries for 20 yards, except for one. He scored on runs of three and six yards.

Henry leads the NFL with 13 rushing touchdowns, but Cook is tied for second with the much more highly-publicized David Montgomery of the Lions, with 10 each.

Cook also has a receiving score giving him 11 TDs in as many games. He’s scored in eight of them, three times having multiple touchdowns.

His relative anonymity is perplexing. Montgomery doesn’t have a receiving score, at 5-11, 225 pounds, he’s a power runner for a 9-1 team. Henry, 6-foot-2, 250 pounds with sprinter’s speed, is also a pass catcher with two receiving TDs for a total of 15.

Cook, 5-11, 190, is doomed to be a tough, gritty runner that all but Bills’ fans and fantasy players seem to have noticed while leading Buffalo to a 9-2 record.

(Chuck Pollock, an Olean Star and Wellsville Sun senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)

Pollock: A look at McDermott’s smart play calling to beat KC, and why we are taking James Cook for granted?

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