Bills Central

Late-season additon proves more valuable than Joey Bosa in Bills' win over Jaguars

Despite not being on the roster until late November, veteran WR Brandin Cooks came up with the Buffalo Bills' biggest play of the season at Jacksonville
Richie Whitt|
Brandin Cooks
Brandin Cooks | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

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The Buffalo Bills made a huge decision last March to make a splash signing that could help them a Super Bowl. In late November, they made an under-the-radar move that turned out to help them win their first playoff game.

Joey Bosa, make room for Brandin Cooks.

Of course the Bills' dramatic 27-24 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday at EverBank Stadium was led by Josh Allen. He fought through injuries to his head, finger and knee to will his team to its first road playoff win since 1992.

MORE: Rapid reaction as Josh Allen goes God mode, powers Bills to Wild-Card win vs. Jaguars

But he had lots of help. Not from Bosa, the defensive end who was invisible. But from the likes of Javon Solomon, who had a key tackle on Buffalo's final kickoff coverage. From receiver Khalil Shakir, who caught all 12 passes thrown his way. From much-maligned safety Cole Bishop, who sealed the win with a late interception of Jaguars' quarterback Trevor Lawrence. And from veteran Brandin Cooks, who wasn't on the Bills' roster until Nov. 25.

In 10 games with the New Orleans Saints, Cooks had only 19 catches and was cut.

With Josh Palmer's season short-circuited by injuries and Keon Coleman languishing in Sean McDernott's doghouse most of the year, the Bills desperately signed the 32-year-old Cooks hoping to add some juice to a stagnant offense.

It paid off huge on Sunday, with Cooks catching three passes for 56 yards including Buffalo's biggest reception of the season — a 36-yarder down the left side to set up the game-winning touchdown. On the play, Allen was pressured but threw a rope 40 yards in the air in his back foot. Cooks got behind Jacksonville's defense and secured the catch that kept Buffalo's Super Bowl LX hopes alive.

MORE: Bills' Josh Allen endures brutal hit before heading to medical tent vs. Jaguars

Five plays later Allen scored from the 1 and the Bills won a playoff game that they trailed in the fourth quarter 17-13 and 24-20.

Brandin Cooks
Brandin Cooks | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Richie Whitt
RICHIE WHITT

Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.

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