The Buffalo Bills are off to a 3-0 start but are dealing with a key injury to a star defender.
Buffalo will host the New England Patriots in Week 4 NFL action, as the Bills are looking to continue to build their lead in the AFC East.
The Bills are 6.5-point favorites at home against New England on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.
Buffalo Bills Get Bad Injury News on Christian Benford
The Bills are set to host the Patriots on Sunday, and they could be without starting cornerback Christian Benford.
Benford left Buffalo’s Week 3 comeback win over the Los Angeles Chargers due to an injury. And, on Wednesday, Benford didn’t practice, which seemingly puts his status to play on Sunday in doubt.
Benford not practicing is a concern, as it does hurt his chances of playing on Sunday. If he is going to play, he will need to participate on Thursday, which will seemingly determine his injury status.
If Benford can’t play, Maxwell Hairston will become the Bills’ No. 1 cornerback, with rookie Davison Igbinosun starting on the opposite side. That could be a concern for the Bills’ secondary, but the likes of Dee Alford, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Cole Bishop will likely help out in coverage.
Benford suffered a toe injury against the Chargers and was seen wearing a walking boot postgame. He’s recorded 16 tackles this season, as Benford has become a shutdown corner after Buffalo selected him in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, which has become one of Brandon Beane’s best draft picks.
Benford is in the midst of a four-year, $69 million deal with the Bills.
Buffalo Preparing for Tough Game Against Patriots
The Bills will host the Patriots in an AFC East showdown.
Buffalo can further separate itself from its division, but the Bills know New England can pose a lot of problems for them.
“It’s a hard team to game plan for, and they do a great job of understanding who they are, their tendencies, switching it up, and that you’re playing a game, both the players and the coaches, the entire game,” head coach Joe Brady said. “They do a tremendous job, and it’s obviously gonna be a tough matchup for us.”
The Bills offense struggled against the Chargers, and they know the Pats’ defense will be difficult to navigate.
“I honestly think this is one of the more well-rounded defenses that we’ve faced and that we’re going to face throughout the whole year,” Shakir said. “They play really well together. You can tell their team chemistry and their bond; they play for one another, which is obviously seen on film. That’s obviously what you want in a team.”
The Bills are 6.5-point favorites at home.
Buffalo Bills Handed Grim Injury Upate on Key Defender Ahead of Pats Game