Devin Singletary, James Cook ‘one-two punch’ Bills vs. Bears
The Bills finished their game on Christmas Eve in Chicago with a 35-13 win over the Bears, clinching their third straight AFC East division crown in the process.
Buffalo went ahead and added to their lead over the second half of the game, and came from behind to do so.
After entering the half down 10-6 on the back of a missed field goal, the Bills offense charged forward, scoring on consecutive drives in the third quarter to take the lead.
Those points came by way of running backs, Devin Singletary and James Cook. Singletary’s TD run was his longest of the season (33 yards), then following a turnover on the ensuing drive, Cook uncorked a long run of his own for a score (27 yards).
“I know James had a long one there and made a great cut at the end to put it in the end zone,” head coach Sean McDermott said during his postgame press conference. “I think that that one-two punch with the run game combined with the pass game, it’s just better complementary that way.”
The two RBs combined for 254 rushing yards on Saturday, the most Buffalo’s had since a December 2016 game against Miami in which two Bills backs also went for 90+ yards apiece. Which was the last time that happened.
In quarterback Josh Allen’s first-ever contest against the Bears, the Bills logged more yards on the ground than in the air for the first time this season, as the QB would throw for 172 yards and two TDs while carrying the ball six times for 41 yards and a TD on the ground as well.
“It was just the flow of the game, that’s just how it went,” Singletary said to the media. “We’re always trying to run the ball when we have to. So it’s been like that all year. … That’s just how it played out today.”
The fourth-year pro would finish Saturday with 106 yards on 12 carries to go with his TD, netting his first 100-yard rushing game of the year. Fellow running back James Cook added a career-high 99 yards on 11 carries with his score as well.
For a team that has been scrutinized for their run game in recent seasons, this year they have been the only NFL club to log 100+ yards on the ground in every game they’ve played.
After the game, Allen notably pointed to Cook’s progression and contribution to the Bills’ ground attack and impact on the field.
“He’s progressed a lot,” the QB said. “He’s learned a lot – obviously, the speed of the game. You know, it seems like it’s kind of more natural for him now. He’s understanding our concepts, what we’re asking for him, and to have a little bit of a change of pace back that can hit a hole and really go, it’s exciting.”
