Buffalo Bills running back James Cook scored a hat trick on his return home, reaching the end zone three times while playing in front of his hometown South Florida crowd in his team’s convincing 31-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night.

His first score of the night came on a bold fourth-and-3 call in the first quarter, an expertly drawn play by offensive coordinator Joe Brady that allowed Cook to sneak into the flat and reach paydirt nearly untouched. His second came on a goalline run in the second quarter, taking his next carry 49 yards to the house to put Buffalo up 24-7. The three touchdowns headlined a stellar outing by Cook, who averaged 7.1 yards per carry and finished the game with 95 total yards.

Head coach Sean McDermott was very complimentary of his player in his third year as a ball carrier during his post-game press conference, calling the running back a player who had made a significant contribution to the convincing victory.

“James Cook showed himself for us in many different ways tonight,” the team boss told reporters.

Related: 5 Stats You Want to Know From the Bills’ Assertive 31-10 Win Over the Dolphins

Cook was a hot topic in Western New York all summer after a breakout sophomore year, during which he quietly performed at a near-elite level; finishing fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (1,122) and sixth in scrimmage yards (1,567) in 2023, his stellar stat line largely overlooked by national pundits given his lack of scoring production (he finished the season with just six total touchdowns). Whether Cook would continue his improvement under now-full-time play-caller Joe Brady or regress closer to the mean was a popular topic of conversation throughout the offseason; after two games, the former appears the more likely outcome.

The 24-year-old was electric through the first two games of the new season, rushing for 71 yards and receiving for 32 in Week 1 before scoring a hat trick to open AFC East play. He’s already scored half as many touchdowns in 2024 as he did a season ago, and if his early usage and ability are any indication, he’s projected to blow those numbers out of the water this season.

McDermott spoke about Cook’s development during his post-match press conference, saying his visible development has been encouraging to see.

“James just keeps growing and getting better,” McDermott said, “He was one of our captains tonight and he deserved it. He’s from (Miami) and I know it was important for him to play well, and he just keeps growing and developing. I’m just so proud of him.”

Cook has not only developed into one of the league’s most intriguing and exciting young running backs, but he’s also added an extra dimension to a Buffalo offense that, for much of the recent past, has struggled to find consistent production out of its backfield. He’ll look to build on his stellar 2024 campaign when the Bills host the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3 Monday night football to collide.

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