What's gone wrong for Bills? 2 studs, 6 duds entering Buffalo's bye week

The Buffalo Bills’ list of concerns is getting longer as the team heads into their Week 7 bye week, sitting at 4-2 and in second place in the AFC East.

The Bills’ defense has resembled a sieve through the first six weeks, while the offense has stumbled into Week 7 with two straight questionable efforts.

With that said, it hasn’t been all bad for Buffalo throughout Weeks 1-7. There have been a few positives to report, including the progression of a few up-and-coming contributors.

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As the Bills look to get back on track during their week off, let’s take a look at 2 studs and 6 duds through the team’s first half of the regular season.

STUD — TE Dalton Kincaid

Kincaid is the Bills’ leader in both yards receiving (287) and touchdowns receiving (3) entering the team’s bye week, and that is with him missing this past week’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Kincaid has elevated his game to another level both as a pass catcher and blocker in the running game, which has allowed him to take a considerable leap that the team was hoping he would in his third professional season.

The problem is that Kincaid is not seeing nearly enough playing time. Through the first five weeks, before he missed his team’s Week 6 defeat, Kincaid (49%) was playing 4% fewer of the snaps than fellow TE Dawson Knox (53%) despite proving to be far more effective than his counterpart.

Once he returns from the oblique injury that forced him out of action this past Monday night, the Bills must get Kincaid even more involved in the offense.

Oct 5, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) reacts to making a catch against the New England Patriots | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

STUD — K Matt Prater

After starting kicker Tyler Bass went down during the preseason, Buffalo turned to the 41-year-old Prater, who immediately paid dividends in his first game with his new team.

MORE: Bills' Matt Prater applying real kicking pressure on Tyler Bass

It was the grizzled veteran who delivered the game-winning points for the Bills during their Week 1 win over the Baltimore Ravens, which springboarded Buffalo to four straight wins to start the year.

While the team has taken a step back since that game, Prater has remained consistent as ever, converting on 10 of 11 field goal tries and all 17 of his point-after attempts. He has been a stud, with his reliability creating uncertainty as to whether or not the Bills should bring Bass back after he recovers from hip and groin injuries.

Bass is currently on Injured Reserve, and he may stay there even if he is healthy enough to play due to the success his replacement has experienced.

Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills placekicker Matt Prater (15) kicks a field goal to win the game during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

DUD — QB Josh Allen

No Bills fan will want to hear... err read it. But Allen has been a significant contributing factor to the struggles exhibited by the Bills’ offense, particularly over the past two weeks.

Buffalo’s franchise quarterback started with a sensational performance during a comeback win over the Ravens. But since then, he has been relatively average, especially when comparing his 2025 effort to what he put on display during his 2024 MVP campaign.

Negative plays have plagued Allen and the Bills’ offense, with the QB throwing an interception in three straight games, totaling five turnovers during that stretch.

This past week against the Falcons was his worst game of the year, completing just 57.7% of his passes for 180 yards, a couple of touchdowns and two interceptions. He was also sacked four times during the loss, a season high, with him being at fault for at least two of them.

While the Bills’ talent at the wide receiver position is a significant question mark, and is primarily to blame for the lack of production from the passing game in recent matchups, Allen’s inability to connect with his targets both at the intermediate level and deep downfield, along with his tendency to make negative plays, has severely inhibited the Buffalo passing attack.

He must make corrections moving forward if this group hopes to transform back into its dominant self for the stretch run.

Oct 13, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) carries the ball against the Atlanta Falcons | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

DUD — WR Keon Coleman

Coleman exploded out of the gate with a strong Week 1 performance, recording the second-highest single-game yardage total of his career, finishing with eight receptions for 112 yards receiving. But since his big game, Coleman has totaled just 16 receptions for 125 yards over his next five games.

One of the most concerning aspects of Coleman’s early-season effort has been his inability to create yards after catch.

MORE: Critical second-half stretch killed Bills' comeback quest in loss to Falcons

The second-year wide receiver is not necessarily known for his speed and game-breaking ability, and often runs routes that place him in contested-catch situations, which don’t necessarily present him with a load of opportunities to run away from defensive backs. Still, his average of 1.3 yards after catch per reception this season is about as slim as it gets. In Week 6, Coleman finished the loss to Atlanta with three receptions for seven yards, with an average of minus 0.7 yards after catch per reception.

After a hot start, it’s been a rough go for the Bills’ 2024 second-round pick.

Sep 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) after the game against the New York Jets | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

DUD — EDGE Greg Rousseau

The next three members of the list of Bills’ duds this season each had their contracts extended this offseason and have responded by failing to contribute adequately to begin the regular year. And that starts with Rousseau.

Buffalo is now paying Rousseau an average annual value of $20 million per season, and his statistics to begin the 2025 campaign have not backed up his substantial pay day. The former first-round pick has totaled just 15 tackles, four quarterback hits, and 1.5 sacks through six games, leaving plenty to be desired both in pass-rush situations and while defending against the run.

The Bills’ defensive line has been one of the weak points of the team’s defense this season, and if it hopes to turn things around, Rousseau must kick things into high gear coming out of the bye week.

Oct 13, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau (50) goes up to block the field goal attempt by Atlanta Falcons kicker Parker Romo (39) | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

DUD - LB Terrel Bernard

Another player who received a hefty new contract this offseason, Bernard has been exposed by opposing offenses throughout the season, and now he is on the mend following a lower-leg injury sustained in Week 6 vs. the Falcons.

Bernard is undersized for his position, standing 6-foot-1, weighing 224 pounds, and he’s been pushed around at times this year. His nose for the football cannot be denied, as he has already recorded an interception and two fumble recoveries this season. He’s an opportunistic defender, but it seems opposing offenses have learned how to put him in disadvantageous positions, leading to his physical exploitation at times both in coverage and run support.

MORE: SI grades Bills' critical Terrel Bernard contract extension

At this point of the year, fellow LB Shaq Thompson has been the team’s most impactful player at the position. And Dorian Williams, even with flashes of poor play this year, presents a much stronger physical advantage for the Buffalo defense than Bernard offers. Perhaps moving forward, the best two options for the Bills at linebacker are Thompson and Williams.

It’s unlikely Buffalo will bench its captain when healthy. But Bernard has not provided much of a reason for the Bills to keep him in the lineup this year.

Sep 18, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard (8) leaves the field after the game against the Miami Dolphins | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

DUD - CB Christian Benford

After a transcendent 2024 season, Benford has put forth a disappointing effort through six games in 2025.

When being targeted in coverage last season, Benford allowed an opposing passer rating of 82.6, per NFL Pro. This season, opposing quarterbacks have recorded a passer rating of 121.1 when targeting Benford in the secondary.

The fourth-year pro is now making $19 million per season after signing his extension, but has not lived up to the hype he earned coming off a career campaign. Particularly with his counterpart, Tre’Davious White, struggling opposite him, Benford’s challenges have been pronounced and have left the Buffalo coverage unit scrambling for answers.

Oct 13, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford (47) on the field against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

DUD — S Taylor Rapp

Rapp was expected to be a rock for the Bills’ safety group this season as the team filtered former second-round pick Cole Bishop into a starting role. Instead, Rapp’s performance has been even more concerning than that of the youngster.

It’s hard to believe the Bills will make a trade for a player in the secondary, given Head Coach Sean McDermott’s historically slow pace in onboarding new players in the back-end. But they must do something to address the lack of production coming from their safety group, even if it means asking more of Jordan Poyer, who was elevated from the practice squad this past week against the Falcons.

It may be time to give Poyer a start or two to see if he can provide more than what Rapp can at this point.

Oct 5, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) rushes the ball past Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp (9) | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

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