For the first time this season, the Detroit Lions hit the road, heading to Orchard Park, New York, to face the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have a brand-new home in Highmark Stadium, and what a game to open it, primetime on “Thursday Night Football.“
Detroit is coming off an overtime thriller at home against the New Orleans Saints, needing a stop on a two-point conversion to win. Buffalo defeated a tough team in the Houston Texans in a shootout on the road. Both teams are top Super Bowl contender in their
conferences, and this game is a rare good game for a Thursday night.
This could be a statement win for whoever comes out on top. If Detroit wins, they are moved up the chain as a threat in the NFC. If Buffalo wins, they’ll reinforce the belief around the league that they’re the team to beat in the AFC. Let’s dive in on the Bills and see why they’re the toughest team on the Lions’ schedule this season.
Buffalo Bills
2025 Season
- 12-5 record (2nd in AFC East)
- 4th in points for, 12th in point allowed
- Overall DVOA: 8th (4th on offense, 20th on defense)
2025 was a slight step back for the Bills compared to 2024, as they lost to the Denver Broncos in overtime in the AFC Divisional Round. In 2024, they reached the AFC Championship Game, where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. The team, once again, failed to live up to the offseason hype, and their inability to reach the Super Bowl despite the talent on the roster cost their head coach, Sean McDermott, his job afterward.
Quarterback Josh Allen was coming off his MVP season in 2024, and while his stats were similar to the year before, he was sacked the most times ever in his career: 40. Allen threw for 3,668 yards (11th in the league) with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His success on the ground continued, as he rushed for 579 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 5.2 yards per carry.
Speaking of running the ball, Allen got a big help in running back James Cook, who led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,621, a career high. He also found the end zone 12 times and averaged 5.2 yards per carry. His ability to move the rock between the tackles helped take some of the weight off Allen’s shoulders, who had previously had to do all the heavy lifting. It also strengthened their read-option play calling, as teams accounted for Cook more than Allen.
For the passing game, Allen struggled to have a dominant top receiver on the team, as Khalil Shakir led the team in catches (72) and yards (719), but only scored four touchdowns. The touchdown leader was tight end Dalton Kincaid, who got 39 catches for 571 yards and five touchdowns.
Defensively, the Bills didn’t really stand out in anything particular. EDGE Joey Bosa was one of their top contributors, getting five sacks and leading the league in forced fumbles with five. EDGE Gregory Rousseau led the team in sacks with seven, and safety Cole Bishop led the team in interceptions with three and tackles (85). Buffalo had the 17th-ranked passing defense and 12th-ranked run defense per DVOA, so that side of the ball wasn’t their best, and they relied on their offense to win games.
2026 offseason
Key additions: EDGE Bradley Chubb, CB Dee Alford, S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, WR DJ Moore (trade)
Key losses: G David Edwards, EDGE Joey Bosa, EDGE A.J. Epenesa, CB Cam Lewis, HC Sean McDermott
2026 NFL Draft picks
Round 2: EDGE TJ Parker
Round 2: CB Davison Igbinosun
Round 4: OT Jude Bowry
Round 4: WR Skyler Bell
Round 4: LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr
Round 5: S Jalon Kilgore
Round 5: DT Zane Durant
Round 7: CB Toriano Pride Jr.
Round 7: P Tommy Doman Jr.
Round 7: G Ar’Maj Reed-Adams
Buffalo did more addition than subtraction, starting with the firing of McDermott. With McDermott gone, the Bills promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach. On the defensive line, the Bills needed veteran help and upgrades, and they believe they got some. While losing Epenesa to free agency and Bosa to possible retirement, the Bills signed Chubb to a three-year deal worth $43.5 million. The secondary got some help as well, getting cornerback Dee Alford and former Lions safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson.
The Bills’ biggest loss was guard David Edwards, and losing two veterans on the defensive line forces them to shake things up there. Cornerback Cam Lewis was the biggest loss in the secondary for Buffalo. The Bills addressed most of their losses in the 2026 NFL Draft, taking EDGE TJ Parker and cornerback Davison Igbinosun in the second round. The Bills gave up one of their second-round picks for Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore, giving Allen a boost in the passing game and a clear WR1 for the team.
The rest of the draft was for depth purposes, snagging multiple offensive linemen and secondary players, while getting a new punter as well. Overall, the Bills roster doesn’t have as much turnover as other teams, with the biggest change at head coach. They believe they are close to winning a Super Bowl, so I get the few moves they made.
2026 season thus far (1-0)
Week 1: Defeated Houston Texans, 36-31
Stats:
- 5th in points scored, 22nd in points allowed
- Overall DVOA: 4th (2nd on offense, 23rd on defense, 3rd on special teams)
What a game to start the year for the Bills; going on the road and defeating the Texans isn’t easy. The Texans’ defense is tough, and the Bills needed to score on their final drive to win and put up 36 points. Allen had a solid game, throwing for 334 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for 23 yards on six carries and scoring two more times. Cook was limited most of the game, rushing for 57 yards, averaging 4.4 yards per carry, and had three catches for 12 yards.
Allen didn’t take long to find success with his new weapon in Moore, as he finished with five catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Kincaid finished as the leading receiver with five catches for 130 yards, and wide receiver Joshua Palmer found the end zone on his only catch for 34 yards.
Defensively, the Bills had a rough day in slowing down the Texans offense, allowing quarterback C.J. Stroud to throw for 274 yards and two touchdowns. While Stroud played well, former Lions running back David Montgomery led the charge, rushing for 60 yards and two touchdowns while also catching three passes for 19 yards and a touchdown. If the Texans needed to score, they gave the ball to Montgomery.
The Bills forced two fumbles and recovered both; one turned into a field goal early in the game, and the last came on the final drive, leading to the Bills kneeling it out. Rousseau finished with two sacks, and both fumbles were caused by him, making him the most impactful player on the defense on Sunday. If not for his big day, the Bills might have lost the game.
Injury notes
Key players ruled out: None
Key players to monitor: DT T.J. Sanders (knee), RB Ty Johnson (hamstring)
Injuries haven’t really affected the Bills much at the start of the year. Defensive tackle T.J. Sanders and running back Ty Johnson missed Week 1, but both could potentially play in Week 2 (both listed as limited on Monday). Johnson is dealing with a hamstring injury, but it appears the team held him out to get him ready for Week 2. Sanders is dealing with a knee injury after popping up on the injury report late last week, and Brady downplayed the severity of the injury, saying he missed last week as a precaution.
Biggest strength: Quarterback
Facing off against a former MVP in Allen, it’s hard not to see him as the team’s biggest strength. The offense runs through Allen overall, and without him, this team wouldn’t be the same. Allen isn’t your typical dual-threat quarterback; the man acts like a bulldozer while running with the football. Allen isn’t afraid of contact like most quarterbacks, and his agility is impressive for someone his size.
He’s got a massive arm, and he hopes to use it more this season with Moore available to throw to. If he were a pocket passer, then there would be room for debate on him being the biggest strength, but with a solid running back in Cook, Allen forces defenses to choose who they want to go after. Allen makes you pay no matter which direction you go and is a game-changer for the Bills.
Biggest weakness: Secondary
The team’s biggest weakness so far is its defense. With the defensive line getting three sacks, along with the run game holding the Texans to an average of 3.9 yards per carry, the finger can’t be pointed at them. The secondary struggled with Stroud and his receivers, as starting wide receiver Nico Collins had seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown.
While the Lions only threw for 206 yards and two touchdowns against the Saints, it could’ve been more if wide receiver Jameson Williams didn’t have a rough game. He dropped multiple passes, and quarterback Jared Goff threw a few risky throws. The passing offense for Detroit is much tougher than Houston’s, with two solid receivers, a tight end, and a running back that can all be an option at any given moment. If the Bills’ secondary can’t make a play or slow them down, it could be another shootout.
Key matchup: Lions defensive line vs. Bills offensive line
Last season, Allen was on his back more often than he’d like. With the Bills losing a starting guard in Edwards, it’s not looking likely that things will improve that much with little changes made to the line. Enter the improved Lions defensive line. With the Lions’ defensive line being their strong suit on defense, they are going to be after Allen all game long. The question is, can they contain him if they can get to him?
Allen will make some plays; he’s one of those players that you just have to accept will get theirs. If the Lions can generate enough pressure on him quickly, though, he won’t have time to make many of those plays. The Lions’ defensive line is at their strongest with no injuries, and defensive tackle Alim McNeill is back to his old ways after recovering from his ACL tear in 2024.
Against the Saints, the Lions generated 29 pressures and got five sacks, according to PFF. Against the Texans, the Bills allowed 13 pressures and two sacks. The Texans’ defensive line is one of the best, so it’s a good sign so far for Buffalo that they can hold their own. If the Bills can keep that up, the Lions’ secondary might repeat last week, but if Detroit can generate pressure and cause problems, Buffalo’s offensive line might regress to its 2025 form.
Vegas line for Sunday: Bills favored by 4.5
