Thursday night brings two undefeated teams, two offenses capable of scoring in a hurry and the first regular-season game at Buffalo's new Highmark Stadium.
The Bills are now 5.5-point favorites, with a total of 54.5 after it opened around 52.5. That's a hefty number for Week 2, but the opening results explain the interest: Buffalo beat Houston 36-31, and Detroit survived New Orleans 31-30 in overtime
.Josh Allen accounted for 357 yards and four touchdowns against a Texans defense that entered the season with an outstanding reputation. His first game with DJ Moore produced an immediate connection: five catches, 100 yards and a touchdown. Now they face a Lions secondary without safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph.
Detroit allowed Tyler Shough
to throw for 410 yards last week, though much of that damage came during the Saints' second-half comeback. The matchup looks different when Detroit has the ball. Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 156 yards and added 30 receiving yards against New Orleans, taking on a larger role with David Montgomery gone and Isiah Pacheco injured. Buffalo allowed 136.2 rushing yards per game last season, but its work against Houston's running backs in Week 1 was better than that figure suggests.
Gibbs' receiving role also gives Jared Goff an option if the Lions need to throw. Detroit's offensive line is the most significant new development. Starting left guard Christian Mahogany and right tackle Blake Miller have been ruled out, leaving Goff and Gibbs to work behind two replacements on a short week. Center Juice Scruggs has no game designation, while corner D.J. Reed is questionable. Those statuses matter when weighing Detroit's offensive ceiling against Buffalo's opportunity to pressure Goff.
There's a case to examine both teams closely before taking a side. Allen gets the more inviting secondary matchup and the home crowd for a stadium debut. Detroit brings Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown and an offense that can keep pace if its reshuffled line holds up. The spread asks whether Buffalo can create separation. The total asks whether either defense can prevent these quarterbacks from answering a score with one of their own.
Lions at Bills live odds
Opening Lines
- Spread: Bills -3
- Moneyline: Bills -165; Lions +140
- Over/Under: 52.5
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Lions at Bills picks against the spread
Adam Kaufman: Lions +4.5
Great offenses. Underwhelming defenses. I'm expecting points. As for which team wins? I'm not confident. Even though the game isn't a pick'em, it's a coin flip in my brain. When that's the case, gimme the dog! The Bills and their fans will be amped up for the first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium, but there's no reason the Lions can't steal it. Josh Allen faces a depleted secondary. Jahmyr Gibbs gets a Buffalo run defense that was among the league's worst last season. Both teams topped 30 points in Week 1. The only thing I'm struggling to picture is either offense falling so far behind that the other can coast. There's too much talent on both sides. Give me Detroit and the points in what should finally be the primetime game we've been waiting for.
Tom Viera: Bills -4.5
The Bills should win and cover the 4.5-point spread in their home opener against the Lions on Thursday night. Detroit is coming off an overtime victory over New Orleans, where it nearly blew a 21-point lead and allowed the Saints to storm back. Now, the Lions face a brutal turnaround on a short week against Josh Allen and an explosive Buffalo offense. Allen has plenty of weapons including Dalton Kincaid, DJ Moore and James Cook to attack a Detroit defense that showed vulnerabilities. Kincaid erupted for 130 yards, while Moore topped 100 yards in his Bills debut. With Buffalo at home, expect Allen and company to pull away late.
Nick Brinkerhoff: Bills -4.5
The Lions are one injury at safety away from starting a Bills fan that just jumped through a flaming folding table in the parking lot. That is a recipe for disaster against a Josh Allen-led offense that loves to air it out and especially one that just shredded the Texans in Week 1. So don't worry about obstructed seats, the scoreboard will be in full view. The Bills roll on Thursday night, opening new Highmark Stadium in style.
Blake Schuster: Lions +4.5
Both teams are coming off wild Week 1 wins, but the Lions seemed to get way more of a wake-up call in their OT victory against New Orleans. I have no doubt Detroit's offense can keep up with Buffalo's. If the defense improves even a tiny bit this week, then the points are an easy play for me in what should be an over-hyped inaugural game at the Bills new Highmark Stadium. Plus, you know, Thursday night games seem to always have a little less juice than the rest of the week. Even in big matchups.
Where to watch Lions at Bills
- Matchup: Bills vs. Lions
- Date: Sept. 17
- Time: 8:15 p.m.
- Venue: Highmark Stadium
- Location: Orchard Park, New York
- TV: Amazon Prime Video
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bills vs Lions spread predictions, odds for NFL Week 2 Thursday Night Football
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