Tag: Christian Benford

WATCH: Week 15 mini movie of Bills win over Lions

WATCH: Week 15 mini movie of Bills win over Lions

The Buffalo Bills held off a dangerous Detroit Lions team in Week 15 to win, 48-42, in what many considered a “Super Bowl preview”.

Quarterback Josh Allen and the offense continued their red-hot streak by scoring 48 points, their second straight 40-point game and eighth straight 30-point game. Meanwhile, the defense made a few game-altering plays to hold off a Lions offense that ranks first in the NFL.

The Bills improved to 11-3 on the year and currently sit in second place in the AFC.

In a game full of highlight-reel plays, relive the high-scoring showdown with a mini-movie from the Bills’ official YouTube channel:

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Bills secondary with massive concerns ahead of Lions clash

Bills secondary with massive concerns ahead of Lions clash

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott announced on Friday that starting cornerback Rasul Douglas will miss the Week 15 game at the Detroit Lions due to his knee injury suffered in the loss to the LA Rams last week.

This will be Douglas’ first game missed this season. He and Christian Benford have proven to be a reliable duo of outside corners since Douglas was brought over in a trade at last year’s deadline.

Without Douglas, the Bills could look to former first-round draft pick Kaiir Elam to take over the starting position. Ja’Marcus Ingram, a University at Buffalo product, is also in the mix for playing time.

Not only will Buffalo be down a starter at corner, but their safeties are banged up as well. Both starters Taylor Rapp (neck/shoulder) and Damar Hamlin (back/ribs) were limited in practice on Friday.

Rapp didn’t practice until Friday this week, and is officially questionable for the Detroit game.

The good news for the Bills is that he was able to play in last week’s game after dealing with similar circumstances leading up to that game.

As for Hamlin, he popped up on the injury report Thursday after practicing in full on Wednesday. Like Rapp, Hamlin is questionable for Week 15.

Find the full Friday injury report below:

NFL analysts suggests the Vikings replace starting cornerback

Should the Minnesota Vikings be looking towards the NFL’s trade market to find an improvement over starting cornerback Byron Murphy?

The Minnesota Vikings’ defense has once again been one of the big storylines in the NFL. Last season, the defense was the only thing keeping the Vikings afloat at times. This season, they’re getting much more help from their offense but have still put together a scheme that has given opposing quarterbacks fits.

The defense has been a driving force in the Vikings’ undefeated start, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t areas that can be improved. Bleacher Report NFL analyst Matt Holder suggests one of those improvements could be at the cornerback position.

Byron Murphy has been one of the Vikings’ starting cornerbacks all season, but he’s also been a weak spot in the Vikings’ defense. Murphy has given up completions on more than 70% of the passes he’s been targeted and has allowed the opposing quarterback to achieve a passer rating over 117 when targeting him, according to the charting from PFF. Murphy has also missed several tackles this season, putting the defense in tough spots.

Those numbers have Holder suggesting the Vikings reach out to the Buffalo Bills and work out a trade for their former first-round cornerback, Kaiir Elam. Elam hasn’t been a factor during his three seasons with the Bills, but Holder argues that’s because he’s been overtaken on the depth chart by a good corner in his own right, Christian Benford.

Given the lack of playing time Elam has seen in Buffalo, it may not take much to pry him away from the Bills. That would be necessary for the Vikings, as they don’t have much draft capital to offer up in any potential trade. Still, it may be worth reaching out and getting a price check on the former first-rounder to see if he could be had and at least compete with Murphy for a starting spot.

Bills’ Rasul Douglas on Christian Benford: ‘He’s got that nasty attitude’

Bills’ Rasul Douglas on Christian Benford: ‘He’s got that nasty attitude’

Buffalo Bills’ third-year cornerback Christian Benford has been impressive since getting his first opportunity in the league as a rookie in 2022, but this year he looks like one of the best all-around corners in the NFL.

The national outlets are starting to catch on, but the Bills’ locker room has always known what they had. Fellow Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas was the latest to praise the up-and-comer:

“He went to a basketball school… Villanova… so I don’t think they were looking for football players,” Douglas said after practice Wednesday. “Whenever he gets around a play he’s gonna make sure you know he’s around. He’s disciplined… he’s got good technique… he just likes playing football and likes competing. That’s the attribute you gotta have if you wanna get out there and get better, and he has that.”

After putting his name on the map in 2023, Benford looked elite in the first two weeks of 2024. According to PFF, he has allowed just a 40% catch rate and has posted the seventh-highest defense grade among all cornerbacks. He’s a big part of the reason why the Bills have three interceptions through two games (T-4 in the NFL), He has an interception of his own and also was closest in coverage as Ja’Marcus Ingram reeled in a deflection for his first-career INT.

Douglas has had his fair share of success in the NFL, too, so his words aren’t something to glance over. He has 19 interceptions in his 8-year career. Douglas is tied with Daron Bland and Justin Simmons for the most interceptions in the NFL since 2021.

The pair of cornerbacks is exactly what Sean McDermott looks for to play on the boundary of his defense: rangy, smart players who can read a QB’s eyes and also come up and tackle when needed.

Speaking of the coach, while complimenting Benford’s successes, he credits Douglas for them too–Both on and off the gridiron.

“It seems like they’ve formed a nice little bond off the field, as well,” McDermott said via video conference. “I think that’s important. Rasul’s been in the league a little bit longer than CB, and he can share some of his wisdom with CB and how things work, and the journey, right, of an NFL corner. That’s been interesting and fun to watch. I think it’s helped CB, as well, and maybe in some ways helped Rasul.”

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Bills’ Christian Benford listed among most under-appreciated players in NFL

Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford was listed as one of the NFL’s most under-appreciated players.

The Buffalo Bills are in the midst of an offseason in which they are hoping that they can still be a championship contender without players like wide receiver Stefon Diggs on the team. As Buffalo is progressing through Organized Team Activities (OTAs), they can move forward knowing that one of their players is being shown some love.

Per Gennaro Filice of NFL.com, Bills cornerback Christian Bedford is one of the most under-appreciated players in the AFC, joining players such as Miami Dolphins cornerback Kendall Fuller and Houston Texans defensive lineman Denico Autry. Filice picked one player from each team that he believed deserves more appreciation for what he brings to the field.

Benford, 23, came to the Bills with the 185th overall pick (sixth round) of the 2022 NFL draft out of Villanova and since then, he has been a valuable member of Buffalo’s defensive backfield. Benford has played in 24 games (19 starts) over the past two seasons and has put up 78 tackles (60 solo), three interceptions, and two forced fumbles.

Benford has been a nice success story for the Bills given that he came into the NFL as a late-round pick and being behind players like Kaiir Elam, Tre’Davious White, and Rasul Douglas, among others. That doesn’t mean that Benford shouldn’t be regarded as a good cornerback regardless of his draft pedigree.

The breakdown on Benford can be found below:

Shockingly, Benford promptly proceeded to beat out Elam for a starting CB spot in Year 1, though injuries abbreviated his rookie campaign. In Year 2, Benford fully broke out, starting 14 games and posting a top-10 PFF grade among qualified cornerbacks. With offseason attrition across Buffalo’s secondary, the Bills will rely on this former Day 3 steal to play a critical role in Sean McDermott’s defense.

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NFL.com: Christian Benford is Bills’ most underrated player

NFL.com: Christian Benford is #Bills’ most underrated player:

The Buffalo Bills lost plenty of defensive backs during the 2024 offseason.

Safety Jordan Poyer is now on the Miami Dolphins. Cornerback Tre’Davious White jumped cross-country to the Los Angeles Rams. Micah Hyde could very well not return to the safety position, either.

But they’ve got Christian Benford and NFL.com likes that.

The league’s website named every team’s most-underrated player. For the Bills, Benford was the pick.

With Rasul Douglas as the presumed top cornerback on the Buffalo defense, Benford often appears to be overlooked. Realistically, Benford’s skill likely made the Bills feel like releasing White wouldn’t be the end of the world. Benford can play.

Here’s NFL.com’s breakdown on Benford:

In the 2022 NFL Draft, Buffalo spent its first-round pick on pedigreed Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam. Two days, five rounds and 162 picks later, the Bills went back to the corner well, this time selecting a far less heralded prospect out of FCS program Villanova. Shockingly, Benford promptly proceeded to beat out Elam for a starting CB spot in Year 1, though injuries abbreviated his rookie campaign. In Year 2, Benford fully broke out, starting 14 games and posting a top-10 PFF grade among qualified cornerbacks. With offseason attrition across Buffalo’s secondary, the Bills will rely on this former Day 3 steal to play a critical role in Sean McDermott’s defense.

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3 causes for concern as the Bills face the Chiefs divisional round

3 causes for concern as the #Bills face the #Chiefs divisional round:

The Buffalo Bills are looking to stay in the win column as they host the Kansas City Chiefs for their second postseason game this year.

Buffalo (11-6) has entered the latter half of their 2023 season and each and every game will be important. However, Kansas City (11-6) will be no pushover despite seeding in the AFC.

Every NFL team has a strong roster. As they say, the players on the other sideline are getting paid too.

But in terms of facing the Chiefs this week, there are a few particular things that could be a problem for Buffalo.

Here are three causes for concern as the Bills face the Chiefs:

Bills vs. Chiefs: 7 things to watch for during divisional round

#Bills vs. #Chiefs: 7 things to watch for during divisional round:

The Buffalo Bills continue their playoff journey with a matchup at home against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium.

All week, topics and storylines have been discussed ahead of these two familiar AFC opponents facing off.

In the end, regardless of what is said by players, coaches, media outlets and fans, it always comes down to what unfolds on the field in the NFL.

And once the battle arrives, there will be a few particular things to keep in mind to look out for.

With that, are seven things to watch for during Sunday’s Bills (11-6) and Chiefs (11-6) AFC divisional round matchup:

PFF: 5 highest-graded Bills players on defense in Wild Card

#Bills defenders leading the way:

The Buffalo Bills won their Wild Card matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 31-17 final.

The Bills (11-6) had a few players that stood out above the rest. On defense, the Bills were led by an attacking defensive front the Steelers could not handle.

In terms of the players who helped them pull out the win, Buffalo will hope such efforts continue from some players throughout the rest of the 2023 playoffs as they aim for the Super Bowl.

According to Pro Football Focus, they’ll need these players to keep it up.

Here are the five highest-graded Bills players on defense Steelers in the Wild Card round:

3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the Steelers in the Wild-Card round

3 keys to a #Bills victory vs. the #Steelers in the Wild-Card round:

The Buffalo Bills kickoff their playoff journey against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium in the NFL’s Wild-Card round.

Buffalo (11-6) and Pittsburgh (10-7) did not faceoff against each other during the regular season. However, the two foes are no strangers and some things in particular must be done in order for the home team to take the win.

Here are are three keys to the Bills beating the Steelers in the upcoming Wild Card: