Buffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady warned on Tuesday that running back James Cook III’s carries may decrease unless his ball security improves, after Cook lost a fumble in Monday’s 37-34 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams.
After Brady made the statement, several fans questioned why the Bills coach hasn’t had the same criticism for quarterback Josh Allen’s laundry list of turnovers.
Bills Fans Raise Questions as Joe Brady Puts James Cook on Notice
Brady, who is the Bills’ first-year head coach, said Cook’s fumbles could cost the team games. Buffalo turned it over twice on Monday, first with Allen’s second-quarter interception and then Cook’s overtime fumble.
Brady later told reporters, “Our two best players turned the ball over last night.”
He then focused on Cook, saying the fumbles were negating the good he does and that at some point there have to be consequences. “It’s got to improve, or the carries are going to decrease.”
Cook fumbled twice on Monday and lost the second in overtime, with the Bills still managing to win it after the Rams had a field goal attempt blocked and kicker Tyler Bass made a 45-yarder with less than two minutes to play.
Despite the win, Cook’s constant fumbles have been concerning. Including the postseason, Cook has fumbled 11 times since the start of the 2025 season. Notably, no other back has more than six over that same timespan, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell noted.
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Soon after Brady’s comments, fans went straight at him with questions about why Allen wasn’t getting the same amount of heat, with one fan asking, “Why he ain’t threatening to bench Josh Allen??”
Allen has thrown four interceptions and lost a fumble through Week 5. Three of those turnovers came in a 24-16 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on September 27. The Bills QB was ranked 25th in PFN’s NFL QB Impact Score with a 70.1 grade that week.
The Bills turned the ball over five times in all that day, Cook included, to which Brady said afterward, “That’s unacceptable and that falls squarely on me.”
Another fan said that Brady’s comments were “out of pocket” and that “17’s mistakes actually cost us games. We not doing this to 4!”
In the Bills’ only loss this season, 29-26 to the New England Patriots on October 4, Allen threw an interception in the final two minutes, just after the Patriots had taken the lead.
Last season ended in a 33-30 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round on January 17, when Allen threw two interceptions, including one in overtime, and lost two fumbles.
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Other fans felt Brady’s criticism was unwarranted, as Cook had performed at a high level. He led the NFL with 1,621 rushing yards last season. One wrote, “Bro, you cannot say this to a rushing champ”.
Cook has 532 rushing yards through Week 5, third in the NFL, and 5.6 yards per carry, tied for fourth of 43 qualified rushers. He is ranked eighth in PFN’s NFL RB Impact Score with an 82.4 grade through Week 5.
Still, Brady had his defenders, with one writing, “Ain’t nothing wrong with a coach saying this; he has a fumbling problem”.
Another fan pushed back against comparing Allen with Cook, replying, “Quite a big difference between QB1 and 2 vs RB1 and 2. Not that hard to understand.”
Cook and the Bills (4-1) are staying in California this week to practice at UC Irvine before Sunday’s game at the Las Vegas Raiders, with a bye to follow in Week 7.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.