The Buffalo Bills’ defensive issues followed them out of a 29-26 home loss to the New England Patriots, with coordinator Jim Leonhard rejecting the notion that the noise inside the club’s new stadium should be blamed for communication problems.
Cornerback Dee Alford said after Sunday’s defeat that the crowd volume can make it harder for defenders to hear calls and play at full speed. Leonhard, however, said the Bills must treat their loud home environment as an edge rather than an explanation for breakdowns.
“Communication at home is always more difficult than on the road,” Leonhard said. “If we complain about it, we are [expletive].”
Leonhard said the challenge should be even greater for opposing offenses. The first-year coordinator, who spent 10 NFL seasons as a defensive back with Buffalo, Baltimore, the New York Jets, Denver and Cleveland, said his unit cannot lean on crowd noise as a “crutch.”
“We need to use it to our advantage,” Leonhard said. “Most good teams create that problem for opponents in their own building. I’m excited about this fan base.”
Defensive concerns and week ahead
- Christian Benford: Unavailable for Sunday’s game against New England, an absence that hurt Buffalo’s secondary.
- Maxwell Hairston: Struggled against the Patriots, allowing two touchdown catches on four receptions surrendered.
- Gregory Rousseau: Has opened the season strongly, as has much of Buffalo’s defensive front.
Buffalo has surrendered at least 29 points in three of its first four games, including two of three contests at home. The defense ranks 28th in expected points added allowed per play, 27th in EPA allowed per dropback and 21st against called runs.
The problems have been most pronounced in the secondary, which was exposed again as Patriots quarterback Drake Maye moved New England down the field late to set up the winning margin.
The Bills now face consecutive road games against the Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders. With no home crowd noise involved over that stretch, Buffalo’s defense will have two more opportunities to correct the communication and coverage issues that have defined its uneven start.
