The Buffalo Bills are sitting at an unblemished 2-0, a perfect start to the 2026 NFL season that has been straight-up carried by their offense. Josh Allen and company have been putting on a show, but if you’re looking closely, the defense has been out there playing some crucial snaps. Don’t get it twisted, without a few key defensive plays, that W-L column could look way different right now.
New System, New Stars, But Big Problems Up Front
Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard is in the middle of totally transforming this defense, moving from what was largely instinctual football under former head coach Sean McDermott to a base 3-4 system. This means a bunch of players are learning new roles, and yeah, there’s a learning curve. But what’s wild is how fast the defensive front seven has adapted. Guys are picking it up! And leading the charge? Outside linebacker Greg Rousseau, who’s been a monster. He’s taken to a role he’d literally never played before in the NFL and is now LEADING the entire league with four sacks. Seriously, four sacks in two games. He’s doing things he couldn’t consistently produce against similar opponents in past years, and it’s a huge bright spot.
The Backfield Is A Mess, And The Numbers Don’t Lie
But man, it’s a completely different story when you look at the defensive backfield. The level of play back there has noticeably regressed, and it’s causing some major headaches. Cornerbacks Christian Benford and Maxwell Hairston, who used to thrive as predominantly zone-based outside corners, are now showing a stark difference in their play and results. Even new additions like C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Dee Alford just haven’t brought that improved level of play to the field yet. It’s still early, no doubt, but some of these numbers are straight-up alarming, according to Bills reporter Sal Capaccio. Out of 32 NFL teams, this defense is currently ranked 28th in yards allowed per game after Week 2, dropping from 23rd in Week 1. Their pass defense is even worse, dead last at 30th in pass yards allowed per game in Week 2, down from 25th in Week 1. While the rush defense has improved a bit, going from 20th to 12th in rush yards per game, the overall picture is rough. They were T-21st in red zone defense in Week 1, falling to 25th in Week 2. On third-down defense, they’re sitting at 19th in Week 2, after being 21st in Week 1. Yikes.
This team needs to figure out that backfield ASAP. Greg Rousseau is out there making plays, but the whole defense, especially the secondary, has to step up if they want to keep that perfect record pristine. The talent is there, but the execution needs to catch up to Leonhard’s new vision before those Ws start turning into Ls.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Buffalo Rumblings.
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