Maxwell Hairston didn’t trot out as a starter for the Buffalo Bills on Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams, directly contradicting what head coach Joe Brady stated just two days prior. Instead, rookie Davison Igbinosun opened the game opposite Christian Benford at outside cornerback. Hairston wasn’t even on the field for Buffalo’s opening defensive possession, a complete flip from the “Maxwell’s our starter” declaration Brady made just Saturday.
The Cornerback Shuffle Just Got Real
Talk about a bait and switch! Damar Hamlin got the nod at nickel cornerback, with Anthony Kendall, who was just signed from the practice squad earlier Monday, also rotating into the slot. It was a clear message sent with the opening lineup. Brady had said Saturday, “Maxwell’s our starter. He’s going to have an opportunity Monday night to go out there and make plays, and I fully expect him to make them.” He did leave a tiny crack for Igbinosun, mentioning they’d “see what that looks like come Monday” regarding playing time splits. But “see what that looks like” is a galaxy away from not even getting a snap on the first defensive drive.
Why the Flip? That Patriots Game Haunts Hairston
The opening lineup change wasn’t out of nowhere. It screams a direct response to Hairston’s absolutely brutal performance in Buffalo’s 29-26 loss to the New England Patriots. You remember that game, right? Hairston allowed four receptions for 44 yards on seven targets. Every single one of those four catches resulted in a first down, and two of them were touchdown receptions by Romeo Doubs. Ouch. He also gave up a fourth-down conversion, committed a defensive holding penalty in the end zone that straight up erased a third-down sack, and took a horrible angle on Hunter Henry’s game-clinching first down late in the fourth quarter. Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard even called him out, saying his effort wasn’t good enough on that final play. Hairston himself apologized for ghosting reporters after the game, admitting, “I wasn’t at my best yesterday. The biggest thing is just finding the mistake of why I wasn’t, and not allowing that to continue to be a mistake.” Despite all that, Brady publicly backed him throughout the week, even saying Monday, “He’s going to be out there this Monday. And he’s going to make a play,” while insisting there was a reason they kept him on the field against New England. Clearly, that prediction didn’t pan out.
This shake-up means more than just a changed lineup; it raises questions about coach Brady’s public declarations and the team’s trust in their young cornerbacks going forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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