ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen may be hard-pressed to top 4,000 yards passing for a fifth consecutive season. And that’s not a bad thing. As much as the five-time defending AFC East champion Bills (12-3) rely on Allen to run what’s still a highly productive offense that’s averaging 31.3 points per outing, a James Cook-led running attack has provided Buffalo an added dimension. Take Buffalo’s 24-21 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday, for example. In a first half in which the defense struggled to get the Pats off the field and Allen went 9 of 17 for 78 yards, Cook injected the necessary spark with a 46-yard touchdown run in helping Buffalo rally from a 14-0 deficit. How to watch, stream and listen to Bills vs. Jets in Week 17 The touchdown was Cook’s 14th rushing of the season, moving him into a tie for the NFL lead entering Monday. And it was Buffalo’s 29th TD rushing of the season, matching the team record set in 2016. Allen’s passing numbers have dipped — he’s averaging 237 yards per outing, as opposed to 284 in 2020 when he shattered the Bills single-season record. The run game has picked up the slack. Buffalo is averaging 366.5 yards per outing — down slightly from last season (374.5). And yet it hasn’t dented the team’s record. The Bills have 12 wins for the eighth time in team history, and third since 2020. This is the balance coach Sean McDermott not only envisioned, but demanded when changing offensive coordinators midway through last season by replacing Ken Dorsey with Joe Brady. McDermott has always emphasized his belief of games being won at the line of scrimmage. And the Bills have been a different team with Brady overseeing the offense and incorporating six-man fronts to help open holes for the running game. Buffalo’s running attack takes the pressure off Allen having to win games with his arm. It also gives the Bills a ball-control dimension to ease the load from a patchwork and injury-depleted defense, which should be McDermott’s most pressing concern entering the playoffs. The defense — missing four starters including three in the secondary — overcame its depleted ranks against New England with takeaways on the Patriots first three possessions of the second half. The turnover run was capped by cornerback Taron Johnson falling on a loose ball for a touchdown to put the Bills ahead 24-14 with 10:10 left after rookie Drake Maye’s backward pass glanced off the hands of Rhamondre Stevenson. The Bills improved to 24-2 against quarterbacks with 16 or fewer starts since 2019. But that won’t matter much if Buffalo envisions a deep playoff run in an AFC bracket that already includes the experienced likes of Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson. Meantime, McDermott has another growing concern on his hands involving a mistake-prone special teams unit. Three weeks ago, in a 44-42 loss to the Rams, Buffalo couldn’t muster a punt block in the final seconds because it only fielded nine players. Against New England, the Patriots caught Buffalo sleeping with a fake punt to convert a fourth-and-1 at its 23. “We got to do a better job there in making sure we get the right grouping on the field,” McDermott said, before acknowledging the decision fell on coordinator Matthew Smiley. What’s working Generating takeaways. The defense has forced a turnover in all but one outing this season. Buffalo enjoys a league-best 20-plus turnover differential entering Monday. What needs help An injury-depleted defense that allowed 379 yards to New England — the ninth time this season an opponent has topped 350 yards. In its past three games, Buffalo has allowed a combined 1,357 yards and 86 first downs, with opponents going 24 of 40 on third downs. Stock up Cook. The third-year running back’s 14 rushing TDs rank third on the team’s single-season list. Only Allen, with 15 last season, and O.J. Simpson, with 16 in a 14-game season in 1975, have more. Stock down Smiley. Special teams breakdowns continue to grow for a coordinator who was promoted to the job after Heath Farwell left Buffalo following a 42-36 OT loss to Kansas City in the 2021 playoffs. The Bills were second-guessed for kicking off into the end zone, allowing the Chiefs to gain 44 yards on two plays in the final 13 seconds to set up Harrison Butker’s game-tying 49-yard field goal. Injuries Allen hurt his throwing elbow but did not miss a snap. Buffalo’s defense was minus LB Matt Milano (groin), safeties Taylor Rapp (neck shoulder) and Damar Hamlin (ribs), and cornerback Rasul Douglas (knee). LB Baylon Spector, starting in place of Milano, has been placed on injured reserve after hurting his calf on Sunday. Key number 4 — Number of times the Bills have finished with 13 wins. Next steps Have a chance to finish 8-0 at Orchard Park for just the second time in team history in closing their home schedule against the New York Jets on Sunday.