Bills Eye Defensive Fixes, Ball Security Ahead of Week 6 at Raiders
The Buffalo Bills plan to make defensive adjustments and address ball-security issues as they prepare for their Week 6 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Bills insider Chris Brown wrote on the team website. Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said he is evaluating every decision and believes there is time to change play calls and personnel to improve the unit’s consistency. Head coach Joe Brady echoed concerns about situational awareness and trusting the scheme as the young defense searches for steadier play.
Leonhard acknowledged stretches of good play but said the defense has not sustained performance for full games. Buffalo’s defense ranks 30th in total defense, 31st in first downs allowed per game, 31st in pass defense and 28th in points allowed. He noted the front is generating consistent pressure and that the team ranks 15th against the run, but he said the unit must produce better down-to-down and series-to-series consistency.
Leonhard already altered the lineup by inserting cornerback Davison Igbinosun into the starting rotation. Igbinosun platooned with cornerback Max Hairston opposite cornerback Christian Benford in Week 5 as Benford returned from a toe injury. The team briefly signed cornerback Anthony Kendall to the active roster for nickel duty; he has since been released from the active roster and presumably will be re-signed to the practice squad where he was previously. The move addressed absences at the position with cornerback Dee Alford, defensive back Jordan Hancock and defensive back Te’Cory Couch sidelined by injury.
Turnovers present a separate and pressing problem for Buffalo. Through five games, the Bills are tied for third in the NFL with 10 fumbles and tied for second with five fumbles lost, and they have four interceptions for a minus-four turnover margin that ranks 24th. Running back James Cook III has been a focal point of the issue, with 11 fumbles since the start of the 2025 season including playoffs and six fumbles lost in that span, the most among running backs.
Brady said he has confidence in Cook but warned that continued ball-security issues will carry consequences and could reduce his carries if they do not improve. The Raiders figure to test Buffalo’s ball protection. Las Vegas forced 10 turnovers through five games, tied for the NFL lead, and has a league-high 11 forced fumbles, six of which have been recovered.
With at least one forced fumble in four of their first five games, the Raiders have produced their most forced fumbles through five games in a decade. Their takeaways via forced fumbles stand out as a primary source of turnovers. Brady said opposing staffs will highlight Buffalo’s fumble history on scouting reports, increasing focus on ball security for this matchup.
On offense, the Bills must also account for Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, who returned from knee issues and has been a major playmaker. In his first NFL season Bowers set marks for receiving yards (1,194) and receptions (112) by a rookie tight end. He has 16 catches for 202 yards and two touchdowns in his last two games, and Leonhard called him “a problem” that will shape Buffalo’s game plan.
Buffalo’s coaching staff said it will try to build game plans that play to current personnel strengths while making adjustments where necessary. Leonhard stressed accountability and the need to put players in better positions to succeed. Both coaches signaled a willingness to alter personnel and play-calling to shore up weaknesses before Week 6.
NFL Sports Blog Take
The Bills face a two-fold test in Las Vegas: steady the defense and stop giving the ball away. Poor pass-defense and first-down metrics explain why Leonhard is reworking calls and rotations, and recent personnel moves at cornerback indicate the staff will try different looks. Limiting James Cook’s exposure to forced-fumble situations and keeping Brock Bowers from becoming the focal point of the Raiders’ attack will determine whether Buffalo can translate a narrow Week 5 overtime win into consistent performance on both sides of the ball.