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'We're here for a business trip' | The Bills practice on the West Coast ahead of Week 6

Oct 15, 2026 at 10:45 PM

Seasonal Writing Associate

Practicing from the campus of the University of California, Irvine this week, the Buffalo Bills are preparing for their Week 6 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Here's are key takeaways from the first practice

The West Coast business trip

The decision to stay out on the West Coast had multiple potential benefits in mind, with head coach Joe Brady happy with how the trip has played out to this point.

"I'm fortunate; Mr. Pegula was all about it," Brady said. "And now it's about our guys taking advantage of that recovery and making sure that they're doing things. They're taking advantage of as much opportunity they have of living in the training room, doing what we have to do. They played a lot of plays the other day, but there's no excuse. No one cares come Sunday."

Being away from home for the week has given the Bills the chance to replicate the benefits of being at training camp prior to the preseason. Despite the scenery change from St. John Fisher University in Rochester to the sunshine of Southern California, being together as a team remains the main similarity.

Players and coaches have been and will continue to be together both on and off the field throughout the week, improving the bond they have with each other. There are limited distractions from working on their craft, hopefully paying dividends come Sunday afternoon.

"There's also a great component of being away and then we're all in the hotel together, or the guys are watching tape together," Brady said. "They're growing together. They're eating together. They're doing that stuff from a training camp perspective. So I hope there is growth from our team."

Working out west. 😎#BillsMafia | #GoBills pic.twitter.com/D3HwxCUCYr
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) October 16, 2026

"We're looking to improve," QB Josh Allen said. "Watching the tape, there's a lot of things we can be better at, both sides of the ball, all three phases of the game… Got a chance to put our feet down and really just try to hone in on getting better, continue to build our team camaraderie and hang out with each other, breaking bread. But yeah, we're here for a business trip."

Not having to travel from coast to coast multiple times in a short period has also been to the delight of the players. Coming off an overtime slugfest in Week 5, the chance to recover and rest has been welcomed with open arms.

"The fact that we don't have to fly all the way back across the country just to come all the way back four days later, it's dope," T Dion Dawkins said. "And it just gives us kind of like a little mini camp. We're forced to be here, and we're forced to be around each other. That's fire. And we're in Cali!"

"The change of scenery is great," T Spencer Brown said. "The sunshine's great. Seeing the water, that's awesome as well. We have a little balcony off of our online meeting room, so when we get a break, we go out there and stare at the ocean and watch people golf and take about $5 bets at each other. But it's fun. It's good to get out of Buffalo for a little bit, get these two games and go back into a bye week and then come back to Buffalo for the long haul."

Maxx Crosby presents a big challenge for the Bills' OL

Las Vegas presents another big challenge for Buffalo before the bye week in Week 7, with one factor standing out above the rest. DE Maxx Crosby is widely considered one of the NFL's premier pass rushers.

Brady is aware of what Crosby is capable of on any given Sunday, making sure to keep his skill set in mind while game-planning for the Raiders' defense.

"No disrespect to anybody, but you can have the Hall of Famer of all Hall of Famers, and you're still gonna have to have a plan on where he is on any given play," Brady said. "So I think that's how you always, when you go into the game, you go in every game saying, 'Hey, who can wreck the game?' And Crosby is one of the few guys in the NFL that 100%, just by putting on a jersey, can."

The five-time pro bowler has begun the 2026 campaign hot once again, entering the week third among all defensive linemen in pressures with 25. He has two sacks on the year to this point, searching for his fifth season with double-digit sacks in his eight-year career.

"I think what makes him so good is his motor," Allen said. "He's extremely relentless. He's never out of the play. He's on the field dang near every snap too. He's an ultimate competitor and a guy that you have to understand where he's at at all times."

"Obviously he's a playmaker, one of the best rushers in the NFL, and he kind of plays the game however he wants," Brown said. "He's that good. He doesn't have to rely on scheme or technique or anything like that. He can just go out there and play the game at a really, really high level. So he's awesome to go against, and a handful."

Wednesday Injury Report

Brown has been the main talking point in terms of his availability for Sunday's game. He came out of Monday's contest with a back injury and did not return, working to hopefully get back on the field against Las Vegas.

The tackle shared insight into the injury with the media on Wednesday.

"Just tweaked it. Nothing major," Brown said. "Disc looks fine. Had an MRI, and it looks better than it did last year. So, long-term-wise, that's good to hear. And it's just straight-up just muscular freaking out."

After dealing with a back injury last season, Brown feels better equipped to take this year's injury on. His status for Week 6 is unknown at this point, but Brown seems to be confident his rehabilitation won't take long.

"I mean, it helps navigating it because I've done it before and I know what's wrong with it and we know what works for it," Brown said. "So just putting a good week of work together with the trainers, get some good vitamin D to help heal the body, go bathe in some salt water, and I'll be good by Sunday."