Getty Image
Sunday night was a rough one for fans of the Bills, but it was also a pretty brutal evening for anyone who bet on James Cook to hit the over when it came to the rushing yards he was projected to rack up against the Chiefs.
Common knowledge dictated Josh Allen’s performance was going to be the key to the success of Buffalo Bills offense during their AFC Divisional showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs, but the team was obviously hoping to establish a solid rushing game to give themselves a bit more flexibility.
The bulk of that responsibility fell on the shoulders of running back James Cook, who racked up over 1.100 yards on the ground during 237 carries over the course of the regular season. He averaged 66 yards per game during that span, and oddsmakers set the over/under for the game against the Bills at 61.5.
It looked like Cook was well on his way to surpassing that total by the time the fourth quarter rolled around, as he’s already racked up 67 rushing yards by the time the contest entered the final frame. Unfortunately, he was unable to keep that momentum going.
Cook lost three yards on his first run of the quarter before losing four on his second, and just like that, the under was very much alive. He ended up exactly where he started after getting his third touch, and while he was able to gain a yard on his fourth (and final) one, he ultimately finished with a grand total of 61 yards.
James Cook’s rushing yds prop was 61.5 last night
He entered the 4th quarter with 67 rushing yards
His final 4 carries resulted in -6 yards to finish with 61 ❌
A DISGUSTINGLY BAD BEAT 🤮 pic.twitter.com/OrtI1qwOX2
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) January 22, 2024
The pain of bettors who fell victim to that bad beat obviously pales in comparison to the anguish Bills fans felt after watching their hopes and dreams vanish yet again courtesy of a kicker who missed a field goal wide to the right, but that’s still gotta hurt.