There's an idea that this adjustment will help Buffalo Bills' defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard when making in-game adjustments.

Leonhard, a former NFL safety in his first season at the helm of Buffalo's defense, decided to change his physical location on game days.

Prior to the Week 7 bye, Leonhard spent the first six games calling the defensive alignments from the Bills' sideline. When Buffalo hosted the Baltimore Ravens, however, Leonhard relocated from field level up to the coaches' booth.

"It was something I've kicked around for a few weeks. Again, going into the bye, and having a little bit more time to sit back, I just felt like it was going to give me the best opportunity to call a clean game," said Leonhard in the aftermath of a 36-10 victory.

During the preseason, Leonhard tested both locations before settling on the field level perspective for Week 1.

"I see the benefits of both. There's definitely some benefits of being up in the box, but feel more comfortable being on the sideline. Being able to have direct communication with the players, with the coaches, and kind of feel the energy and the excitement on the sideline, I think that helps me call plays," said Leonhard this past summer.

Whether a correlation between Leonhard's location and the unit's success exists, or not, the Bills' defense enjoyed its most productive performance yet this season in Week 8 against the Ravens. Buffalo, which gave up at least 348 yards in each of its first six games, limited the Ravens to a minuscule 144 yards of total offense.

What do other defensive coordinators do?

For perspective, Leonhard's predecessor, Bobby Babich, operated from the coaches' booth during games. In 2023, after Leslie Frazier's departure and before Babich's promotion, ex-head coach Sean McDermott called the defense from the sideline.

In an example of a defensive coordinator going in the opposite direction of Leonhard, Patrick Graham, who is in his first year with the Pittsburgh Steelers, opened the season in the coaches' box. In Week 5, Graham moved down to the field, apparently in an attempt to improve communication.

Although it was not at the NFL level, Leonhard, who has mentioned the effect of on-field energy, was on the sidelines during his tenure as Wisconsin's interim head coach and defensive coordinator.

'Elite communication' and 'trust' make decision easier for Jim Leonhard

Although he must sacrifice the face-to-face interaction, Leonhard recognizes the advantages of an elevated view.

"I can sit up there and just kind of get in the lab and get my thoughts rolling, get ahead of things. I know what I'm looking for from a substitution standpoint and different areas of the field," said Leonhard.

As for the communication, the former 10-year NFL veteran is willing to rely on the players and his fellow coaches to get it done.

"Trust our coaches. We have emotionally a pretty stable group of coaches, and emotionally a pretty mature group of players. So the more I got to see that over the first six weeks of the season, seven weeks of the season, it trusts me to go get away from it and not have to feel like I got to lead and be face to face with guys," said Leonhard.

According to first-year head coach Joe Brady, who called the offensive plays from the booth in his 2.5 seasons as a Bills' coordinator, the operation was impressive against the Ravens.

"I felt like the communication from upstairs and downstairs was elite yesterday. I thought he [Leonhard] had a great understanding of what they were trying to do. I think sometimes when you're up there, I think it makes life a little easier," said Brady.

Jim Leonhard's location moving forward

The expectation is for Leonhard to remain upstairs throughout the rest of the season.

"It'd be hard to change, I think, at this point," said Leonhard. "It obviously worked. It was helpful for me. I feel the benefits outweigh being on the field right now, so I think that will continue."

Between the "elite" communication, Leonhard's play calls and the players flying around on the field, the adjustment seems to be just what the doctor ordered for a defense that had been struggling.