Bills notebook: Amari Cooper 'waiting (his) whole life to be on a team like this'; Injury report
“Obviously, I'm a receiver,” Cooper said. “Every receiver wants the ball. But, I mean, I'm in Year 10. And so, what's most important to me is winning. And so, I think we definitely have the formula."
In Year 10 and at age 30, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper recently found a way to set a new and unusual stat line. In Sunday’s 48-42 win over the Detroit Lions, for the first time in his career, Cooper was not targeted.
But he’s not worried about it. Asked about the zero targets, Cooper began to smile.
Bills receiver Amari Cooper didn’t receive a target against the Lions on Sunday, and that made him happy. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
“It’s absolutely amazing,” Cooper told The Buffalo News. “Honestly, I’ve been waiting my whole life to be on a team like this.”
Across 152 regular-season games, Cooper has averaged 7.6 targets per game. Prior to Sunday’s game, he only had four games in his career without a catch, much less without a target.
In the Bills’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Cooper was targeted a season-high 14 times.
Make no mistake, Cooper would love to be a part of big plays. But he’s not concerned about the drop-off from Week 14 to 15.
“Obviously, I’m a receiver,” Cooper said. “Every receiver wants the ball. But, I mean, I’m in Year 10. And so, what’s most important to me is winning. And so, I think we definitely have the formula.
“So, I think it’s actually kind of cool, like going from 14 targets to zero targets, and we win, we beat a great team, actually a potential matchup down the road.”
Cooper, in fact, thinks his zero targets reflect a healthy and lethal Bills offense.
“It’s so much pressure when you’re the guy that everybody knows is getting the ball. And pressure is a good thing,” Cooper said. “But also, in that situation, everybody knows what’s coming, and it makes the offense more predictable, making the offense easier to stop.
“But we are part of a team to where guys go down, and the offense is still putting up 40, 50 points. That’s truly a team that has a chance.”
Fellow receiver Khalil Shakir can appreciate Cooper’s mindset.
“It’s pretty crazy, because you have a guy that’s at the top of our position,” Shakir said. “A freak of nature in everything that he does. And for him to say that, it shows that’s he’s really bought into everything we’re trying to accomplish here.”
Cooper won titles at Northwestern High School in Miami and in college at Alabama in 2012. That taste has upped his hunger for another.
“I won a championship on every level,” Cooper said. “And I’ve been dying to win one in the league. And I know what it takes. And this is exactly what it takes: everybody making plays at any given week.”
Traded to the Bills from the Cleveland Browns in October, Cooper has found his time in Buffalo to be rejuvenating. His team-first approach fits in with offensive coordinator Joe Brady’s style of spreading the ball around.
“We talk about ‘everyone eats’ kind of vibe here, it’s more of a mindset,” Brady said Monday.
“If you saw Coop after the game in the locker room, smiling and having a good time. You see him running to the football and chasing and helping guys up. And it’s not about the targets, the catches. It’s about finding ways to win football games.”
Still, don’t expect zero targets to become the norm for Cooper. Brady has seen what can happen when quarterback Josh Allen throws Cooper’s way.
“We’re better when Amari Cooper is out on the football field,” Brady said. “I’ve got to do a better job of getting the ball in his hands, because he helps us. But I love how Josh is just playing within the system and trusting the guys that are out there and doesn’t feel like he’s forcing anything and allowing the game to come to him.”
Injury report
The Bills held a full practice in pads outdoors on Thursday, and cornerback Rasul Douglas (knee), safeties Taylor Rapp (neck) and Damar Hamlin (ribs) and linebacker Matt Milano (groin) remained limited participants.Also limited were receiver Curtis Samuel (ribs) and linebackers Dorian Williams (elbow) and Baylon Spector (calf). Tackle Dion Dawkins was excused but made it for at least part of practice. He walked off the field in full uniform with his teammates.
New England, meanwhile, had a major development on the injury front as star defensive tackle Christian Barmore went on the injured reserve/non-football injury list. Barmore had missed the first 10 games of the season after being diagnosed with blood clots in July, and has experienced recurring symptoms, the team announced.
Patriots nickel cornerback Marcus Jones (hip) did not practice Thursday. Other Patriots starters who were limited include safety Kyle Dugger (ankle/illness), cornerback Christian Gonzalez (shoulder), edge rusher Anfernee Jennings (knee), tackle Vederian Lowe (shoulder) and linebacker Jahlani Tavai (groin).
Douglas trends in right direction
While cornerback Douglas was limited Thursday with a knee injury that caused him to miss last Sunday’s game, he believes he’ll be set to go against the Patriots.“I’m good,” Douglas said after practice, adding that he feels ready for Sunday.
“Last week I was close,” Douglas said.
The Bills had Douglas stay in Western New York instead of traveling with the team. He watched the game against the Lions on television, which he did not enjoy.
“It’s trash,” Douglas said. “They be showing bad angles. I be just trying to watch CB (Christian Benford) and Kaiir (Elam) … I don’t wanna see Ed (Oliver). … They were just showing the wrong stuff. I’m just trying to see the corners and the safeties.”
