With six games in the books, the numbers are ugly. The Buffalo Bills' defense has shown occasional flashes of competency under first-year coordinator Jim Leonhard, but those flashes have been too few and far between.
The Buffalo Bills are 5-1 as they enter the bye this week, but that does not mean their season hasn't been without issues. The biggest issue, by far, is the performance of the defense, which has been woefully disappointing over the first six games, leading to no shortage of scrutiny for new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.
Josh Allen keeps bailing out the Buffalo Bills, and Jim Leonhard knows that can’t last. The first-year defensive coordinator’s unit has given up at least 29 points in five of six games, and the bye is the cleanest chance to fix a defense that keeps leaking before the stretch run.
How many of the active NFL players to rack up at least 140 receiving yards and catch two touchdowns in one game can you name in six minutes?
The numbers aren't pretty. The Buffalo Bills ranks 30th overall amongst their NFL peers in total defense (388.6). They are permitting 28.3 points per game, and their pass defense (280.4) is next to last on the circuit.
A few trades have rearranged the NFL's backup quarterback ranks, but the dust has mostly settled. From a mix of recent first-round disappointments, aging vets, and young project types, here is how the league's QB2 ranks look for the 2026 season.
Entering Week 6, the teams with the 10 worst defenses statistically in the National Football League in terms of yards allowed per game have surrendered an average of 376.84 yards per contest. And, at the current moment, those same teams have a combined record of 21-27-1.
Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said Tuesday that he is evaluating every decision he makes after another high-scoring game exposed the unit’s inconsistency.
It's been a mixed bag of results thus far for the Buffalo Bills' new-look defense. While the pass rush and run defense have been solid, opposing passers have beaten Buffalo through the air on too many occasions.
Alford suggested after the Bills' 29-26 home loss to the rival Patriots this past Sunday that the crowd noise at Buffalo's new Highmark Stadium presented "communication" issues for the Bills' defense across the team's first three home games of the season.
Sorry, Dee Alford. Jim Leonhard isn't buying it. Following the Buffalo Bills' three-point home loss to the New England Patriots, Alford mentioned the crowd noise factor while addressing reporters in a locker room media scrum.
There's been a lot of buzz around Jim Leonhard as the new defensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills. But Sunday felt like the first time Bills fans could say his defense was responsible for Buffalo coming out on top in a game this season.
NFL stars can't play forever, and retirement is coming sooner than later for some of the league's top players. These 25 players could call it quits following the 2026 season.
Damar Hamlin is back in a familiar position with Buffalo. He is competing for a job, and the Bills do not have enough room to keep everybody.
One of the Buffalo Bills’ biggest training camp position battle storylines was confirmed this week. Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard confirmed on Tuesday that there’s an open competition at linebacker.
New Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator didn’t shy away from talking about one of the team’s biggest issues from last season. Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard wasn’t in Buffalo last season — he was the assistant head coach for the Denver Broncos — but he didn’t shy away on Tuesday from addressing the team’s biggest defensive issue in 2025.
The Buffalo Bills are once again considered one of the NFL’s leading Super Bowl contenders. Stephen A. Smith has already seen enough.
The Buffalo Bills are headed into the 2026 season as one of the Super Bowl favorites. Josh Allen is certainly a reason why, coming off another excellent season at quarterback.
10 coordinator hires from this offseason under the most pressure in 2026.
The Buffalo Bills are making a change to the roster to accommodate defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s new scheme. As was expected, Greg Rousseau is switching from defensive end to outside linebacker as general manager Brandon Beane shared with The Athletic.
Leonhard has been an assistant with the Denver Broncos for the last two seasons, and he has now landed his most prominent NFL job to date.
Brady is now the youngest active head coach in the NFL. Most coaches in his position would consider hiring an experienced defensive coordinator.
He has a past with both the Broncos and head coach Sean Payton. While his career featured better moments, he signed with the Broncos in 2012 and was part of a 13-3 team
Jim Leonard is joining the Denver Broncos to coach up their defensive backs.
Former University of Wisconsin football interim head coach Jim Leonhard has followed a unique journey since departing from the Badgers after the 2022 season—and has largely flown under the radar ever since.
Death, taxes, Wisconsin Badgers legend Jim Leonhard being mentioned for an open defensive coordinator job, and that school thinking they’re the best option
According to one analyst, Jim Leonhard, the respected former Wisconsin Badgers player and coach, is a name he could see as a viable option for the vacant
Michigan State football is still looking for its next defensive coordinator and Jonathan Smith should look at Jim Leonhard. Scottie Hazelton’s tenure has come to an end, and Michigan State football will need to replace him.
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