Bills Get Bad News on Starting CB as Rivalry Game Nears

The Buffalo Bills are looking to claw their way back to the top of the AFC East, starting with a divisional matchup against the struggling Miami Dolphins on Saturday.

The Bills may need to face their rival without a key player, however, after cornerback Christian Benford hitting a setback in his return from a groin injury. The Bills have been hit hard by injuries on their defense and will already be without two key players, with Benford now in danger of missing the game as well.

Bills Dealt ‘Disappointing’ Setback on Christian Benford

Benford appeared to be trending in a good direction earlier in the week as he was able to practice on a limited basis, but SI.com’s Ralph Ventre noted that he got some bad news on Thursday.

“In a disappointing development, starting cornerback Christian Benford took a step back,” Ventre wrote. “After limited participation on Wednesday, Benford was downgraded to a non-participant on Thursday due to a groin injury.”

Ventre noted that Benford has been dealing with the groin injury for most of the season, playing through the discomfort to start the year.

“It’s worth noting that the starting CB was on the injury report with a groin injury heading into the season opener in September, but he’s played in all eight games thus far,” Ventre wrote. “Should Benford be unavailable on Sunday, the Bills will presumably turn to first-round rookie Maxwell Hairston for the start.”

The Bills could have faith in Hairston, who looked strong in the last two games after returning from a knee injury that had kept him off the field since training camp. Hairston intercepted Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the team’s win on Sunday as part of a strong defensive effort.

After the game, Hairston said it felt good to play in front of the home fans for the first time in his career.

“Yeah, first time playing here, man,” Hairston said, via AtoZ Sports. “I won’t lie, beginning of the game I was a little nervous. But I’m like, I’m here for a reason, Bills Mafia is the best, and I was happy to be able to play in front of them.”

The Bills also have veteran Tre’Davious White, who could pick up more of the slack if Benford is unable to play.

The Bills have been hit hard by injuries in the secondary, placing safeties Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin on injured reserve. The team also lost two key players on their defensive line, watching defensive tackle Ed Oliver go down with a torn bicep and then losing edge rusher Michael Hoecht to a torn Achilles.

Bills Could Seize Opportunity in Division

The Bills have already beaten the Miami Dolphins this season and will aim for a sweep in Sunday’s game in Miami. They will see a different Dolphins team, with Miami trading away edge rusher Jaelan Phillips ahead of this week’s trade deadline.

The Bills remain a half-game behind the New England Patriots for the division lead but could have an opportunity to make a move as the Patriots face the 7-2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Adrian Peterson’s latest arrest raising questions too uncomfortable to ignore

For the second time since April, former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has been arrested for DWI.

This time, Peterson was arrested in Sugar Land, Texas, on Sunday morning, according to KHOU 11 News in Houston, Texas, and not only is he facing his second DWI charge of the year, but he was also charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon.

Back in April, after attending the Vikings' party at U.S. Bank Stadium for the 2025 NFL Draft, Peterson was arrested in Minnesota and charged with DWI. At the time of that arrest, his BAC level was measured at 0.14 (above the legal limit of 0.08), and he was caught driving 83 mph in a 55 mph zone.

Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson arrested for DWI for second time since April

Peterson hasn't played a snap in the NFL since Week 13 of the 2021 season when he was a member of the Seattle Seahawks, and since then, he's made headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Back in June, a video was posted online of the former Vikings running back getting into a fist-fight with another person in the middle of a poker game.

Shortly after the footage of that fight was released to the public, Peterson signed a contract to fight the person he scuffled with in an actual boxing ring at some point in the future.

Before that, Peterson was arrested in 2022 for a domestic violence incident after he got into a physical and verbal altercation with his wife on a plane at the Los Angeles International Airport.

Charges against the former Minnesota running back from that incident were eventually dropped after he agreed to complete 20 sessions of domestic violence and alcohol counseling within a six-month time period.

Peterson's latest arrest raises new concerns, not only about the former NFL MVP, but also about the general public that he put in danger by getting behind the wheel with a BAC level above the legal limit.

Two arrests for DWI within the same year are a major issue, and regardless of whether he wants to or not, Peterson needs to get some serious help before something tragic happens to him or someone else as a result of him choosing to drive while impaired.