The Buffalo Bills started the season a promising 4-0; however, the team has dropped three of its last five contests, and now sits 6-3 and 1½ games back behind New England for the division lead. With the recent step-back, these three Bills have been the most underwhelming.
Player #1: Christian Benford
This past offseason, Buffalo extended the 25-year-old cornerback to a four-year $76 million contract. Benford has not played to the level that the contract extension suggests.
When targeted this season, opposing quarterbacks are 24-of-40 for 266 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. Through the Villanova product’s eight games this year, the four surrendered passing touchdowns match a career high, and the 113.1 passer rating when targeted sits as a career-worst. For reference, Benford’s worst passer rating when targeted entering this season came in 2023 when he allowed an 88.3 rating.
Editor’s note: Benford initially does a nice job making contact in press coverage, but Hollywood Brown runs a great route and beats him. Great effort by Benford to make the tackle, as it proved to be a four-point play, but plays before halftime like this cannot happen.
Player #2: Keon Coleman
Buffalo needed their second-year wideout to take that next step this year, and that hasn’t happened. Through nine games, Coleman’s recorded 32 catches for 330 yards and three touchdowns. Since the 22-year-old’s Week 1 112-yard performance, he has posted just 24 receptions, 218 yards, and two scores.
Since his rookie season, Coleman’s receiving yards have decreased by more than six yards per game, his yards per reception have almost been cut in half, and his average yards after catch have diminished from 7.4 to 1.8.
Much of Coleman’s struggles come from his lack of separation, as he ranked near the bottom of the league in separation, entering Week 8.
Player #3: Taylor Rapp
Entering the season for Buffalo, the main question was who would play next to Rapp at safety, and would they suffice? It turns out Cole Bishop has been Buffalo’s best safety, while Rapp has faced struggles.
The 28-year-old safety has missed tackles at a career-high 21.2%. Before injury, he was on pace for just 74 total tackles, ranked 83/88 among safeties, and conceded a 113.3 passer rating when targeted, according to Pro Football Focus.
Editor’s note: Rapp reads run late, takes an inefficient pursuit angle, and is outrun by Derrick Henry.
On Oct. 24, Buffalo placed Rapp on injured reserve due to a lingering knee injury from training camp, and according to Sean McDermott, the injury could end his season.