Oct 21, 2024, 10:49 AM
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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Early in the fourth quarter of the Buffalo Bills’ Week 7 game against the Tennessee Titans, the Bills offense was driving downfield, looking to take a three-score lead.
On second-and-8 from the Tennessee 47-yard line, quarterback Josh Allen took a couple steps back in shotgun but was quickly under pressure. Allen looked to his left as wide receiver Amari Cooper turned and got open in tight coverage and threw the ball to Cooper, who had to reach back to come down with the football and a first down.
“Coooooop” echoed around the stadium in response.
The play was one of four catches (on five targets) resulting in 66 yards and a score for Cooper in his first game with the Bills, including his first reception coming in the end zone, on 18 snaps non-penalty played. Buffalo went on to win 34-10 thanks to scoring 34 unanswered points and improved to 5-2 on the season.
‘It was just another day at the office at the wide receiver position,” Cooper said on his comfortability in the game.
What was remarkable about the catch amid the team’s second half offensive success is that the 10-year veteran runs slant routes differently than some other receivers, self-describing it as “atypical.”
So, after being traded from the Cleveland Browns five days before the game on Sunday, Cooper — who was informed he would be playing on the same call that he found out he was being traded on Tuesday — had to explain to Allen about the specific way he may run the route, not even running the rep in practice.
“We talked about it, but he kind of had a guy in his face, and I don’t think he kind of, he really knew where I would be because we didn’t really get a rep at it,” Cooper said after the game. “We just talked about it. So, I think moving forward, it’ll be better.”
Cooper still came down with the important catch, a play that Allen noted after the game.
“I think being seven years in the league now, just like understanding guys of [Cooper’s] caliber, they don’t need a lot. They go out there, give him a clear mind, let him go play,” Allen said of his rapport with Cooper. “That’s what he did out there a couple times, just finding zones, finding windows. He made a really good catch on that slant. But, again, just the professionalism that he has, the ability that he has, just trusting what I see with him, and things will turn out pretty good.”
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Cooper, 30, said that he felt 100% comfortable on the plays that were for him after going over them a lot. Multiple people included Allen, noted the work that offensive quality control coach DJ Mangas and wide receivers coach Adam Henry did with Cooper to make sure he was ready to go on gameday.
“It’s good to have [Cooper] here. He made an impact just in four days, really, four teachable, learnable days,” coach Sean McDermott said. “And then to come out on day five here and execute like he did was impressive.”
Cooper’s first reception that went for a touchdown in third quarter made him the second player in NFL history to record a receiving touchdown in his first game with multiple teams after changing teams midseason (Cowboys), joining Chris Chambers (Chiefs, Chargers).
“I do have [an] impressive memory, I think, but these playbooks, they have, sometimes hundreds of plays,” Cooper said. “So, I knew I wouldn’t be able to learn all of them, so I just tried to learn as much as possible and you just try to be there for the team.”
That scoring drive was the first of five straight scoring drives in the second half for the Bills with Cooper’s performance helping open opportunities for other players.
Rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman, who Cooper was actually communicating with to confirm the play call on his TD pass before the ball was snapped, had his best game thus far in the NFL, recording four catches for 125 yards. It is the most yards by a Bills rookie in a game since Sammy Watkins in 2014 and he became the fourth Bills rookie with 125 receiving yards in a game in the Super Bowl Era (Sammy Watkins, Chris Burkett and Jerry Butler). Two other Bills players — Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid — went for over 50 yards.
The second half offensive performance was led by Allen in his 100th regular season start after he went 1-of-5 passing for five yards for in the first quarter. He finished 21-33 for 323 yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked once.
Allen became the fourth quarterback in NFL history with 12 passing touchdowns and zero interceptions through Week 7 or later.
“It was very impressive. He’s a great player,” Cooper said of Allen. ” … I believe his hundredth start today, seems like he had a hundred amazing performances. So, I guess this was no different. He went out there, he did his thing like he usually does, but he’s a phenomenal player, for sure.”
What awaits the Bills offense as a whole once Cooper settles in more is still to be seen, but the first glimpse offered some pretty good returns once the Bills offense got in a rhythm in the second half, continuing a trend of scoring 30-plus points in all three of home games this season, the Bills’ longest streak to start a season since 2016.
“[Cooper’s] such an incredible threat in the passing game that he’s going to get attention from DBs all over the place,” tight end Dawson Knox said. “So, it’s naturally going to open other guys up, when he’s out there, he made some huge plays for us. It’s going to be a fun rest of the year with him.”
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Commanders’ Jayden Daniels exits with rib injury vs. Panthers
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Jayden Daniels leaves game after taking a hit on QB scramble (0:35)
John Keim, ESPN Staff Writer
Oct 21, 2024, 09:03 AM
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LANDOVER, Md. — Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a rib injury on his first possession of Sunday’s game and was ruled out of the 40-7 victory against the Carolina Panthers.
Daniels headed to the locker room in the first quarter and did not return to the sideline until after halftime, when he was dressed in street clothes.
A source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler about Daniels’ X-ray: “He’s good.” His mother also posted on social media that “he’s fine.”
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Daniels appeared to suffer the injury at the end of a 46-yard run on the Commanders’ first play from scrimmage. At the end of the run, Daniels turned slightly to his left to try to stiff arm Panthers safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. Linebacker Marquis Haynes helped tackle Daniels from behind as well.
After the next play, a handoff to Austin Ekeler, Daniels appeared to grab at his left side as he carried out a fake run to the left.
Daniels carried the ball two more times on the series. After the possession, trainers examined Daniels on the sideline before he went to the medical tent.
He threw a warm-up pass on the field before the Commanders’ next offensive series and grimaced in pain. He left the field and slammed his helmet to the ground on the sideline as Marcus Mariota took over.
Daniels, who has been the main sparkplug on an offense that entered the game ranked second in scoring, soon walked into the locker room for the remainder of the half.
He spent the second half on the bench chatting and laughing with teammates.
In the first six games, Daniels completed 75.3% of his passes for 1,404 yards, 6 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He also rushed for 322 yards and four more scores.
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