Relationships off the field are just as important as they are on the field. Cornerbacks Christian Benford and Rasul Douglas embody that.
The CB duo has been great to start the season with tough matchups against two explosive offenses.
"It seems like they've they formed a nice little bond off the field as well. And I think that's important," head coach Sean McDermott said. "Rasul's been in the league a little bit longer than CB and he can share some of his wisdom with CB in how things work and the journey of an NFL corner… And I think it's helped he 'CB' as well and maybe in some ways help Rasul as well just getting CB's thoughts on some things, maybe playing specifically in this defense since he's actually been in a little bit longer than Rasul."
The personalities of Benford and Douglas are very different on and off the field to each other, but in Benford's words, "opposites attract," and they balance each other.
"On the field, so, like, how he plays, versus how I play, it's a good balance helps the defense, like putting, the puzzles that the defense needs to succeed," Benford said. "I'm saying we all have our own components so me and we play the same but at the same time we don't, we have our own ways, as keys to this defense."
Douglas, a midseason trade acquisition from the Packers in the 2023 season, said that their relationship started when they were talking during practice about how things went and how Benford viewed things on the field.
"He was kind of like just talking me through how practice go, how he views things, how he see things," Douglas said. "And he was also asking me questions and stuff about how I see things, and we just started kicking it, and then started talking. Then I met his son. He met my son. And then from there, it just was continuous, talking every day, to praying together and stuff like that. So it just became like just friends, and then just literally kept going. And now it's like close friends."
Douglas believes that Benford has had success in the league because of the way that he works since being a sixth-round pick of the Bills in 2022.
"He just got that attitude," Douglas said of Benford. "He got that nasty attitude about himself, that like whenever he gets around to play, he gonna make sure you know he's around. He's disciplined. And he just likes playing football, he likes competing. I think that's the attribute you got to have when you're out there, is just wanting to compete and getting better."
Preparing for Jacksonville
The Bills face a tough task of hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night, a team that's hungry for its first win of the year. The last time these two teams saw each other was in Week 5 of the 2023 season in London, where the Jaguars won 25-20.
"I think they're well coached, extremely well coached," McDermott said this week. "They play extremely hard, their front is a headache and they do a lot of good things up front. They're playing hard and through two games they haven't allowed a whole lot of points there. We've got to make sure we've got a good week of practice."
Despite the Jaguars' 0-2 record, the team knows that they will have a tough test ahead of them on offense and defense.
"Their front seven — they get after it," Allen said. "They got two really supreme edge rushers. I'd even go out and say three. The last couple times we've played them, they've gotten the best of us, so taking that into account… We're gonna have our hands full, but a good week of practice and put our best foot forward out there Monday night."
When they played last season RB Travis Etienne Jr. had a big day on the ground, rushing for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns.
"He run that rock, I can say he one of the hardest runners in the league, as far as downhill running," DT Ed Oliver said. "I remember I had met him in the hole one time, I felt like my shoulder was about to break. Like he really runs the ball hard."
Josh Allen's poster and Dion Dawkins' cereal
In case you have not seen it, Josh Allen is the face of a new Gatorade commercial and has a huge poster in downtown Buffalo on the Statler Hotel.
"I love it," EDGE Von Miller said. "There is no person more fitting for the spotlight than Josh Allen. He's just a naturally humble guy."
Allen hopes that it can serve as an inspiration to young children in the area.
"I was as surprised as everybody else," Allen said. "It's very cool. Sitting here as now a 28-year-old man, but the six, seven-year-old kid that is me is going crazy right now because it's such an honor and it's just really cool to have the respect from whoever did that and hopefully people like it… If it's serving any inspiration to anybody down there, any kids, just know that - small town, farm kid, no offer out of high school, one offer University of Wyoming and ending up there, maybe it can inspire someone else to do it as well."
Pro Bowl LT Dion Dawkins spoke on Allen's billboard, adding that it's the coolest thing that he's seen.
"LeBron James had one of those big old things in Cleveland," Dawkins said. "You dream about stuff like that. That's cool as heck."
Dawkins has also gotten a new cereal, Shnow Crunch based on his Shnow Man persona, available at Wegmans.
"It's the first of its kind," Dawkins said. "There's been Flutie flakes, there's been, Josh's O's, there's Bruce's, all of that stuff, but it's the first official Bills collab cereal. So I'm definitely proud of that as a lineman here in the league. It doesn't happen. You don't see that. I'm extremely thankful for the doors that have been open… And for a lineman to have something like that it inspires other linemen to be inspired as a kid coming up."
Thursday injury report
Bills QB Josh Allen (left hand), RB Ty Johnson (knee), TE Quintin Morris (shoulder) and QB Mitchell Trubisky were all full participants in practice on Thursday, DE Dawuane Smoot (toe), Javon Solomon (oblique) and Casey Toohill (knee) were limited in practice and LB Terrel Bernard and CB Taron Johnson both did not practice.
Scroll to see the best shots from Thursday's Buffalo Bills Week 3 practice as the team prepares to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Spencer Brown (79). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
DeWayne Carter (90). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Zach Davidson (84). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Dawson Knox (88). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Joe Brady. Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Dalton Kincaid (86). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Christian Benford (47). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Javon Solomon (56). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Christian Benford (47). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Kingsley Jonathan (59). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling (15), Mack Hollins (13). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Christian Benford (47). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Rasul Douglas (31). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17), Keon Coleman (0). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Christian Benford (47). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Rasul Douglas (31). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Dorian Williams (42). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Cam Lewis (39). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Baylon Spector (54). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Curtis Samuel (1). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Curtis Samuel (1). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Khalil Shakir (10). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Curtis Samuel (1). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Mike White (14). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Keon Coleman (0). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Javon Solomon (56). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling (15). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Khalil Shakir (10). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Keon Coleman (0). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
James Cook (4). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Dawson Knox (88). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Dawson Knox (88). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17), Mitchell Trubisky (11), Mike White (14), Shane Buechele (6), Marc Lubick, Ronald Curry. Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Zach Davidson (84). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Frank Gore Jr (20). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
DeWayne Carter (90), Matt Edwards. Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Branson Deen (53). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Nick Morrow (32). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Rasul Douglas (31). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Rasul Douglas (31), Christian Benford (47). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Rasul Douglas (31), Christian Benford (47). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Dorian Williams (42). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Baylon Spector (54), Reggie Gilliam (41). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Rasul Douglas (31). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Rasul Douglas (31), KJ Hamler (19). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Baylon Spector (54). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Austin Johnson (98), Matt Edwards. Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Baylon Spector (54). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Cole Bishop (24). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Baylon Spector (54), Cole Bishop (24). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Cole Bishop (24). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Cole Bishop (24). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Cole Bishop (24), Bobby Babich. Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Joe Danna. Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Casey Toohill (99), Baylon Spector (54). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Von Miller (40). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Ray Davis (22). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Ray Davis (22). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Curtis Samuel (1). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Curtis Samuel (1). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
James Cook (4). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Christian Benford (47), Rasul Douglas (31). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Will Clapp (77), Ryan Van Demark (74). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Sean McDermott. Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Richard Gouraige (75). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Christian Benford (47). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Jalen Virgil (89). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Dalton Kincaid (86). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Ray Davis (22), Brandon Codrington (29). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Rasul Douglas (31), Taron Johnson (7), Christian Benford (47), Kaiir Elam (5). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Khalil Shakir (10), Javon Solomon (56). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Khalil Shakir (10), Javon Solomon (56). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Mack Hollins (13). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Ryan Van Demark (74). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17), A.J. Epenesa (57). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17), A.J. Epenesa (57). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17), A.J. Epenesa (57). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17), A.J. Epenesa (57). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Bobby Babich. Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
A.J. Epenesa (57). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Alec Anderson (70). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Damar Hamlin (3), Christian Benford (47), Jalen Virgil (89), Ja'Marcus Ingram (46). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Zach Davidson (84). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Zach Davidson (84), Reggie Gilliam (41). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Frank Gore Jr (20), KJ Hamler (19). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Josh Allen (17), Spencer Brown (79). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Keon Coleman (0), Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Mack Hollins (13). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Mack Hollins (13). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Mitchell Trubisky (11). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Keon Coleman (0). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Frank Gore Jr (20), Mack Hollins (13). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
James Cook (4), Khalil Shakir (10). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
David Edwards (76). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
James Cook (4), Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Reggie Gilliam (41). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Mack Hollins (13). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Frank Gore Jr (20). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Keon Coleman (0). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Curtis Samuel (1). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling (15). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Mike Edwards (21), Sean McDermott. Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
Quintin Morris (85), Dalton Kincaid (86). Buffalo Bills practice, September 19, 2024 at One Bills Drive.
