The Bills injury report features a Ray Davis surprise, and a return to action for James Cook
Following a critical early-season win against the New York Jets on Monday, the Buffalo Bills will return home this Sunday after three straight road games to face the struggling 1-4 Tennessee Titans. Running back James Cook, who missed the Jets game due to a toe injury, appears poised to return according to the Bills’ Thursday injury report.
Buffalo fans are used to seeing the Bills “let James Cook,” but in his absence, rookie Ray Davis stepped up, rushing for 97 yards on 20 carries and adding 55 receiving yards against a tough Jets defense.
However, NFL insider Ian Rapoport has reported that Davis is now dealing with a calf injury, placing him on the injury report ahead of the weekend. If Davis can’t play, it could place more pressure on Cook, who may not be at full strength despite practicing fully. This situation might also allow Ty Johnson or even Frank Gore Jr. to see some action against the Titans.
Both Cook and Davis could benefit from a strategy aimed at reducing Josh Allen’s workload. In previous seasons, the Bills have relied heavily on Allen’s unique abilities, but this year, they seem to be working to lighten that load. Allen is averaging just 193 passing yards per game, his lowest since 2019, and his rushing attempts are also at an all-time low.
The result has been a more efficient Allen, as he boasts a career-best in adjusted yards per attempt and currently leads the NFL in QBR. Notably, after throwing 18 interceptions last year, he is the only quarterback with at least three starts this season who hasn’t thrown a pick.
With the Titans’ offense ranked 31st in yards per game and last in turnovers, the Bills’ defense could carry a significant portion of the load on Sunday. However, with challenging matchups against Kansas City, San Francisco, and Detroit coming up in November and December, the Bills will need to strike the right balance as they aim for their first Super Bowl title.
Sonny Giuliano is an experienced sports writer for ClutchPoints, covering the NFL, NCAA football, NBA, and NCAA basketball for over a decade. He holds a degree from Florida Gulf Coast University.
