Washington @ Buffalo preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 26, 2016 ) Buffalo 16, Washington 21

The Buffalo Bills are still in line for a wild-card spot in the AFC and have a chance at their best eight-game start since 1993, but cracks are beginning to show. The Bills will try to tighten things up on the defensive side and finish out the their three-game homestand strong when they host the Washington Redskins on Sunday.

Buffalo did not allow more than 21 points and held five of the first six opponents to 17 points or fewer before the defense was gashed for 218 yards on the ground by the Philadelphia Eagles in a 31-13 setback last week, and fixing things up front is the focus. "In run defense, it's usually gap integrity along with tackling," Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier told reporters. "Those are the two things that come to mind usually when you are not playing good run defense and it showed up a little bit (last week) and it's something that we got to make corrections and get it done. That'll follow you if you don't get it fixed." The Redskins have a future Hall of Famer at running back in Adrian Peterson but will once again not have left tackle Trent Williams, who reported to the team this week after a protracted holdout but failed a physical due to helmet discomfort. Washington, which was granted a two-week roster exemption for Williams, could use all the help it can get on an offense that ranks 30th in the NFL at an average of 261.1 yards.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Bills -9.5. O/U: 36.5

ABOUT THE REDSKINS (1-7): Washington's questions on offense start at the quarterback position, where starter Case Keenum remains in the concussion protocol after getting knocked out of last week's 19-9 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Keenum is a limited participant in practice and is taking reps behind Colt McCoy and rookie Dwayne Haskins, who is expected to receive his first career start if Keenum is unable to go. The Redskins were held to single digits in four of their last five games, with the lone exception a 17-16 win at Miami, and Haskins is 12-of-24 for 140 yards with zero touchdowns and four interceptions in parts of two games.

ABOUT THE BILLS (5-2): The defense had been covering up some issues on the other end of the field, where the Buffalo offense is averaging 19.1 points and owns a minus-1 turnover differential, which includes eight interceptions and three lost fumbles from quarterback Josh Allen. "You keep coaching it," offensive coordinator Brian Daboll told reporters. "You keep talking about the different points of pressure. Josh is going to have to keep working on that and make sure that we take care of the football." Allen did not throw an interception in last week's loss but was just 16-of-34 passing for 169 yards and lost a fumble which led to Philadelphia's go-ahead score.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Bills RB Frank Gore (15,170) needs 100 yards to pass Barry Sanders and move into third place on the NFL's all-time rushing list.

2. Redskins RB Derrius Guice (knee) returned to practice this week and is eligible to come off IR and return to the field in Week 11 against the New York Jets.

3. Washington CB Quinton Dunbar (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday.

PREDICTION: Bills 26, Redskins 13