Prater injury, Cook's league lead, 6 takeaways as Bills beat Jets in Highmark finale

An emotional day inside Highmark Stadium finished appropriately, with a Buffalo Bills win.

Sunday’s 35-8 Bills victory was the final regular-season game held at the longtime home of Buffalo’s professional football franchise, with a new building set to open across the street in time for the 2026 season.

Pregame ceremonies and special giveaways began a nostalgic afternoon in Orchard Park, while a throttling performance from the Bills (12-5) served as the finishing touch on a memorable Week 18.

The results were relatively meaningless for both teams, as the Bills had already clinched a postseason berth, while the Jets (3-14) were already eliminated from playoff contention. With that said, there is a bit to discuss following what went down at One Bills Drive on Sunday.

Consecutive starts streak

Leading into Sunday’s game, many were wondering if Josh Allen would get the start, as he had dealt with a foot injury that had left him a bit hampered the past few weeks. Allen wound up taking just the Bills’ first offensive snap against the Jets, a repeat of what we saw from the Bills’ franchise QB during the team’s 2024 regular-season finale against the New England Patriots.

While he has manufactured things the last two years, Allen’s consecutive starts streak now sits at 122 regular-season games and 135 if you include the playoffs. That is the longest active streak of any player in the NFL.

Mitch Trubisky took over for Allen and performed well, finishing the win 22 of 29 passing for 259 yards and four touchdowns.

MORE: James Cook beats out Colts' RB for NFL rushing title, dark horse remains in pursuit

Jan 4, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis (22) carries the ball defended by New York Jets safety Keidron Smith (46) during the first half at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

James Cook rushing title

James Cook also had a light day, earning the start but recording just two carries for 15 yards before exiting to the sideline early in the first quarter. The Bills’ RB finished the regular season with 1,021 yards rushing, 152 yards ahead of Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry, who will take the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 8:20 p.m. Sunday.

If Henry remains behind Cook following the game against the Steelers, Cook would end the year as the Bills’ first RB to win an NFL rushing title since 1976.

With Cook on the sideline, Ray Davis shouldered the load out of the Bills’ backfield, finishing the game with 21 carries for 151 yards and a touchdown receiving to help power the Buffalo offense. Ty Johnson also got in on the fun, finishing with two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving), helping him seize a $250,000 performance-based contract incentive.

Cashing in

Like Johnson, Dawson Knox had a chance to record a massive payday against the Jets, and it didn’t take him long to cash in on Sunday.

Knox needed just seven yards and one touchdown to trigger two performance-based contract incentives against New York, and he did so on the same play, a 17-yard touchdown reception from Trubisky on the Bills’ opening drive. It was Buffalo’s ninth opening-drive touchdown of the season, which is the most of any team in the NFL.

Knox has enjoyed a resurgent season, surpassing 400 yards receiving for the first time since 2022 and scoring four touchdowns, also his most in three years. He finished the win over the Jets with two receptions for 24 yards and the score.

MORE: Josh Allen reflects on life-changing moment as Bills bid farewell to Highmark Stadium

Return of the Matt

After a two-game absence, Bills kicker Matt Prater returned on Sunday, which was initially a good sign for Buffalo’s special teams unit with the postseason beginning next week. But things quickly took a negative turn, as Prater exited due to a setback to a pre-existing quad injury midway through the contest.

Prater was out for the Bills’ previous two matchups due to a quad ailment and was replaced by free-agent Michael Badgley. Badgley’s stint with the Bills was as unsuccessful as it was brief, as after two missed extra-point attempts in two weeks, the Bills cut bait with the midseason addition before Prater was welcomed back against the Jets.

Now, with Prater out once again, the Bills will likely have to go back to the free-agent well for what will be the fifth player to kick for the team this season.

Fresh look

One of the many exciting features of the farewell game at Highmark Stadium was the 1990s Super Bowl-era red helmets worn by the Bills, which looked mighty sharp paired with blue jerseys, white pants and red socks. The Bills elected to wear the throwback helmets just once this season, but after seeing them flash on the TV screen on Sunday, they should become, at the very least, a regular part of Buffalo’s alternate uniform rotation next season.

I would go as far as to say the team should consider transitioning to them full-time. They looked that good.

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Looking ahead

With the Bills’ win and the Los Angeles Chargers’ loss on Sunday, Buffalo will be the No. 6 seed entering the playoffs and will go on the road to take on the No. 3 seed Jacksonville Jaguars in next weekend’s wild-card round.

The kickoff date and time for the Bills’ first postseason game of the year is yet to be determined.

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