Thad Brown: 'A ton of good' from Bills' season-opening win

Breakout performances from James Cook, Khalil Shakir key parts of victory

The Bills began their 2022 season by beating the Los Angeles Rams in a thrilling opening-day victory in front of their home crowd. While the end result was not close — the Bills won 31-10 — the contest was much more competitive through most of the first three quarters. The game was still in reach for the Rams until late in the third, with the Bills leading by just 10 points at that time.

Cook, Shakir make their presence felt

The Rams defense entered the game with a tall task, facing one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. Though the Bills were missing some key pieces, including Tre'Davious White in the secondary, and with Stefon Diggs limited in his first game back from injury, Buffalo had enough firepower to easily defeat the Rams.

James Cook, the Bills' rookie running back, flashed his potential on a few different occasions. He made several defenders miss with his elusive running style and showed good vision in the open field. He led the Bills in rushing with 110 yards on 20 attempts and added 23 receiving yards on two receptions.

Khalil Shakir, another rookie for the Bills, had a breakout performance in his first career start. He was targeted eight times and caught seven passes for 75 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. Shakir also showed off his versatility by rushing for 14 yards on one carry.