Christian Benford Shines: Buffalo Bills Rookie Cornerback Seals Win With Game-Saving Interception

Christian Benford is quickly becoming the breakout story of the Buffalo Bills’ late-season surge. The second-year cornerback delivered a momentum-swinging 63-yard pick-six against Joe Burrow that flipped a 28-25 deficit into a 32-28 lead over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, marking his second defensive touchdown in as many weeks. Benford’s knack for turning takeaways into points earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after last week’s fumble-return TD versus Tampa Bay, a performance that head coach Sean McDermott publicly praised as “game-changing”. According to team analytics, the former sixth-round pick has allowed just a 54.1 passer rating when targeted since Week 8, the best mark among Bills defensive backs with 150-plus coverage snaps. Beyond the headline plays, Benford’s physical press technique has unlocked more schematic versatility for coordinator Leslie Frazier. With the 6-foot-1 corner shadowing top receivers like Ja’Marr Chase, Buffalo has dialed up a season-high blitz rate (34 %) over the past three games, producing eight sacks and five turnovers. Teammate Jordan Poyer noted that “Ben’s confidence lets the rest of us get aggressive,” while veteran Tre’Davious White called him “a sponge” in film study sessions. The timing could not be better. The Bills entered December clinging to the AFC’s final wild-card slot and now face a gauntlet that includes the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys in consecutive weeks. If Benford continues his ball-hawking streak—he already leads all NFL sophomores with three interceptions and two touchdowns—Buffalo’s defense may reclaim the elite form that powered last season’s playoff run. Fantasy managers should also take notice: the Bills DST has climbed into the top five in points per game since Benford re-entered the lineup after a groin injury. With snowy Orchard Park games on the horizon, opportunistic secondary play could be the X-factor in both real and fantasy post-seasons. For Benford, the sudden national spotlight is a validation of the chip he has carried since leaving tiny Villanova as an under-recruited prospect. “I prepared all offseason to be that guy when the moment came,” he said post-game. Judging by the roaring Highmark Stadium crowd and skyrocketing search interest, that moment has officially arrived.