Amari Cooper delivered his most productive performance for the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, moving within 33 yards of becoming the 57th player in NFL history to surpass 10,000 career receiving yards. The former Alabama standout caught six of 14 targets from quarterback Josh Allen for 95 yards in the Bills’ narrow 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Buffalo acquired Cooper in a trade with the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 15, and the connection between him and Allen continues to develop.
“It takes time for quarterbacks and receivers to get on the same page,” Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady said Monday. “There are nuances in how receivers run routes and communicate, and Josh is learning to anticipate what Amari is thinking when he makes certain moves. We’re better when Amari Cooper’s on the field, and he’s continuing to grow in this offense. With more practice and game reps together, that progression will only improve.”
Amari Cooper’s performance with the Buffalo Bills continues to evolve, as he put up his best numbers of the season on Sunday, coming just shy of his first 100-yard game in 2024. After being traded from the Cleveland Browns in mid-October, Cooper recorded seven receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown in his first three games with Buffalo. However, a wrist injury sidelined him for the final two games of November. He returned on Dec. 1, contributing three catches for 12 yards in a 35-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers, before posting a season-high 95 yards against the Los Angeles Rams.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott noted that Cooper’s 14 targets on Sunday were encouraging for the team.
“That’s a good sign for us,” McDermott said on Monday. “I think there’s a chemistry that’s been developing between Josh [Allen] and Amari. Is it perfect? Probably not, and they’d both admit that. But they’re working through it, as we saw yesterday. The connection is growing, and Josh is making the right reads and going through his progressions, whether it’s Amari, Mack [Hollins], or someone else. Amari’s targets show promise, and hopefully, that continues.”
Through 11 games this season, Cooper has caught 40 passes for 481 yards and three touchdowns on 80 targets. However, his catch rate of 50 percent is the lowest among NFL players with at least 40 receptions, reflecting the ongoing adjustment between him and Allen.
The Buffalo Bills will face the Detroit Lions at 3:25 p.m. CST on Sunday at Ford Field in Detroit.
Both teams have already secured playoff spots, making this matchup a high-profile clash between two of the NFL’s top teams. The Lions, boasting a league-best 12-1 record, will look to defend their home field, while the 10-3 Bills, fresh off clinching their fifth consecutive AFC East title, aim to solidify their standing as Super Bowl contenders with four weeks left in the regular season.
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