The Buffalo Bills are headed into Week 5 with a problem they can’t ignore. After a 29-26 loss to the New England Patriots, a game they had a chance to use to widen their AFC East cushion, the Bills now find themselves chasing again with the Patriots sitting right behind them and holding the tiebreaker.
That setback comes at a bad time, too. Buffalo is about to spend the next two weeks on the road, both trips coming out west, before the bye week near the end of October. First up is a primetime test against the Los Angeles Rams, who just beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-20.
If the Bills want to answer the Patriots loss the right way, there are five things they need to clean up fast.
Josh Allen has to play like Josh Allen
Against New England, Allen never quite looked like himself. There were several moments when the play broke down and he had room to take off, but he passed up those chances. That wasn’t the version of Allen Buffalo has leaned on before.
He finished with 253 passing yards and two total touchdowns, but the interception he threw was a costly one, the kind he should have simply launched out of bounds. He also ran only five times for four yards and ended with an 89.4 rating. That’s a far cry from the Allen who was lighting it up in Weeks 1 and 2.
Buffalo needs the full package from him again - the arm, the legs, all of it.
Dalton Kincaid has to be featured
Kincaid was starting to look like a real problem for defenses when healthy, just as Allen was early in the season. Then came Sunday’s letdown: only two targets, one catch, seven yards.
That kind of usage is hard to justify, and Joe Brady admitted as much in his postgame press conference, per Ajay Cybulski. A healthy Kincaid is too dangerous to disappear from the plan. The Bills need to build more of the offense around him against the Rams.
Kani Walker may need to get on the field
Christian Benford’s toe injury opened the door for Davison Igbinosun and Maxwell Hairston, but Hairston had a rough day. Romeo Doubs won that matchup from the start and never really gave it back.
Before Week 4, Buffalo had elevated Kani Walker, a preseason standout, but he never got into the game. That choice looks harder to defend now. If Benford can’t play again in Week 5, the Bills need to give Walker a real shot, especially with Hairston staring at a brutal assignment against either Davante Adams or Puka Nacua.
The turnovers have to stop
Buffalo’s ball security has been shaky for two straight weeks, and that’s a dangerous trend. Against the Chargers in Week 3, the Bills turned it over five times, a number that should have buried them even though they still won.
Against the Patriots, James Cook and Khalil Shakir both put the ball on the ground, and Shakir’s fumble was the one that actually got lost. Dee Alford’s interception of Drake Maye on the next play kept that sequence from becoming an even bigger issue.
But the bigger point is simple: when turnovers pile up, games usually go the wrong way. Against a Sean McVay offense, Buffalo can’t keep handing over extra possessions.
The line has to hold up better
The pocket was too unstable against New England. Allen saw it collapse too often, and the Bills’ front never seemed to settle in, whether the Patriots rushed three or five.
That kind of disruption makes everything harder. Allen can make plays, but he still needs time for routes to develop and targets to come open downfield. Without better protection, the passing game is going to keep running into the same wall.
In Other News...
Bills Fans Will Feel Mitch Morses Heartbreaking Family News
Mitch Morse shared heartbreaking family news this week, announcing the death of his younger brother Robbie, who passed away last week at 30. Robbie had lived with lifelong disabilities after suffering severe brain trauma as an infant, and the Morse family had long been open about his story, turning their private struggle into something many football fans came to know over the years.
The loss is one that will resonate in Buffalo, where Morse spent part of his career and built a strong connection with the fan base. Condolences poured in from across the NFL, including from former teammates and multiple teams, a reminder of how widely Robbies story was felt beyond one locker room. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Suddenly Have A Problem They May Need To Trade For
The Bills 29-26 loss to the Patriots did more than dent the standings. It also pushed a familiar concern back into the spotlight: a secondary that is being asked to hold up while the defense adjusts to Jim Leonhards system, all while injuries keep stripping away experienced options. Buffalo has had to lean on less seasoned defensive backs, and the results have made the back end look like a spot that could use help sooner rather than later.
With the trade deadline still on the horizon in 2026, the question is whether Buffalo waits for its current group to stabilize or starts looking outside the building for reinforcements. The need is obvious enough after a night like this, but the challenge is finding a move that actually fits both the Bills defense and the urgency created by a thin, banged-up secondary. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Face A Risky Tyreek Hill Decision With AFC Stakes
Tyreek Hill is expected to land with an NFL team soon after working his way back from a season-ending injury and being released by the Dolphins, and the Bills are one of the clubs that could wind up in the mix. NFL insider Albert Breer pointed to Buffalo and Kansas City as the two most obvious fits, which makes sense given how both early AFC contenders could use help at wide receiver and have enough ambition to think beyond simple depth.
For Buffalo, the appeal is obvious and the risk is just as clear. Hill would give the offense another dangerous weapon, but the Bills would also be weighing his recovery and age against the possibility that the Chiefs could get there first. In a conference where every edge matters, the decision is less about whether Hill can help and more about how much a contender wants to bet on what he still has left. [Read more 🡒]