Bills' spotty secondary faces 'tall order' in potentially-crucial Week 9 matchup

The Buffalo Bills' defensive secondary isn't exactly peaking at this point in the season, and the challenge won't get any easier with the Kansas City Chiefs to worry about in Week 9.

The Bills already have two safeties — starter Taylor Rapp and veteran Damar Hamlin — on Injured Reserve.

While starting cornerback Christian Benford has been mostly average in his performance, the grizzled Tre'Davious White has seemed a step slow while manning the CB2 spot. First-round rookie Maxwell Hairston finally debuted in Week 8, and growing pains have to be accounted for at some point along the way.

In another blow the the secondary, starting nickel cornerback Taron Johnson unexpectedly landed on the injury report due to a groin issue on Friday.

For as much pressure there is on the Bills' offense to set the tone and control the tempo when hosting the Chiefs on November 2, the end result is likely to hinge on the beleaguered secondary's ability to slow down Patrick Mahomes and the NFL's fifth-ranked offense on a three-week heater.

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"All week, this game has been billed as Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen. In reality, the telling matchup will be Mahomes against Buffalo’s secondary," said Sports Illustrated national writer Matthew Verderame.

Jordan Poyer FF — Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer (21) causes a fumble on Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. (12) through the end zone for a touchback during the second half for the 2024 AFC divisional round | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Identifying potential defining matchups in five Week 9 games, Verderame tabbed "Bills’ secondary vs. Patrick Mahomes & Co." for the CBS Game of the Week.

"Mahomes has been brilliant, ranking second in passing yardage (2,099), first in total touchdowns (21), fifth in EPA (0.287) and first in success rate (55.4%). He’s surrounded by a hoard of weapons, including Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy, Rashee Rice, Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown, Tyquan Thornton and JuJu Smith-Schuster, all of whom are averaging more than 36 receiving yards per game.

Kansas City’s attack now faces the Bills, who rank 29th in pass coverage by Pro Football Focus. Most of Buffalo’s stock passing numbers are good, including ranking second in sack percentage (10.4%) and passing yards allowed per game (161.9). However, the Bills have faced Andy Dalton, Spencer Rattler, Justin Fields, Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. in five of their seven games. " — Matthew Verderame

The good news for the Bills is that starting linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard have been cleared for game action after battling through recent injuries. Additionally, veteran Jordan Poyer has slid into a starting safety role, bringing some stability as a result of his knowledge and experience.

While the secondary will have to adequately cover the Chiefs' bevy of weapons, the Bills can do themselves a huge favor if they are able to disrupt Mahomes with a four-man pass rush. Quite frankly, these are the games that inspired Buffalo to sign Joey Bosa.

"It’s a tall order for the Bills, facing a Chiefs team averaging 30.8 points and 415.8 yards per game since Week 4," said Verderame, who predicted a 30-24 victory for Kansas City.

Oct 5, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White (27) reacts against the New England Patriots | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

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