The Buffalo Bills walk into tonight’s historic home opener at the new Highmark Stadium with plenty of excitement around them - and a couple of real issues that could make the evening a lot trickier than Bills Mafia wants.
After a 36-31 win over the Houston Texans, Buffalo still has some cleanup to do before facing the Detroit Lions on a national Thursday night stage. The offense looked strong enough in Week 1, but the Bills left behind two concerns that could matter a whole lot more against a team like Detroit.
The first one is defense. Buffalo’s new-look unit is still a work in progress, and Week 1 showed there’s plenty to tighten up before this group can really be trusted.
The Bills need to come after the quarterback with more consistent pressure tonight, not just in the biggest spots. Greg Rousseau’s game-winning strip sack on Texans quarterback CJ.
Stroud was huge, but Buffalo can’t wait around for one late moment to create disruption.
That urgency matters even more against Jared Goff and a Lions passing game that can force defenses to stay sharp snap after snap. Buffalo will need to make Goff uncomfortable all night and try to generate turnovers.
That also means sticking with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams in coverage, with the kind of lockdown man coverage that doesn’t give them easy separation on their routes.
The other issue is discipline. The Bills were hit with 10 accepted penalties for 85 yards against Houston, and that kind of self-inflicted damage can turn into a problem fast. The list included defensive holds, ineligible players downfield, and a costly blindside block on a strong punt return.
Some of that comes with the territory of a defense that is playing more man coverage and asking corners to be physical at the line. But Buffalo also gave away yards with mistakes it can control, including false starts and holds before the snap. Those are the kinds of penalties that drive coaches crazy because they don’t have to happen.
One of the most frustrating flags came on Damar Hamlin’s defensive holding penalty on third and nine. The Bills also need to be sharper in special teams blocking, because extra yards and extended drives are exactly the kind of help Detroit’s offense can turn into points. The Lions already did that in their 31-30 overtime win against the New Orleans Saints.
Buffalo’s Week 1 win showed what this team can do on offense. Tonight, the Bills will need the rest of it to show up too - cleaner, tougher, and a lot more disciplined - if they want to leave with a 2-0 start.
In Other News...
Josh Allen Had Bills Fans Doing A Double Take On The Sideline
The Bills first regular-season game at their new Highmark Stadium already had the usual opening-day buzz, but Josh Allen added a moment that had fans doing a double take on the sideline. During the game against the Detroit Lions, the Buffalo quarterback was seen using smelling salts, a brief oddity in an afternoon that also carried the weight of a new era for the franchise.
Allen later gave reporters a peek at a pregame routine that is as unusual as it is specific, with vomiting, music and water all part of the mix. Coming in at 1-0 after the recent win over the Houston Texans, Buffalo had every reason to feel good about the start, even if its quarterback kept reminding everyone that his game-day preparation is still a little different from most. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Allen Played Through A Scare Before Buffalo's Biggest Win Yet
Josh Allen wasnt at full strength Sunday, but the Bills hardly looked like a team dealing with uncertainty at quarterback. Playing through an illness, Allen still powered Buffalo to a 41-31 win over the Lions and accounted for five touchdowns, while the offense came out humming with scores on its first four possessions. For a team trying to keep building momentum, it was the kind of complete early statement that can change the tone of a season.
Joe Brady praised Allens effort and the way Buffalo kept attacking, even as the game brought its own complications. Wide receiver D.J. Moore went down with a shoulder injury, yet the offense kept rolling and found answers in a high-scoring matchup that tested depth as much as execution. The bigger question now is whether the Bills can carry that level of pace and efficiency forward if Allen is managing anything more serious than a one-game scare. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Passing Game Takes A Hit With DJ Moore Suddenly Out
Buffalos passing game got a jolt it did not need late in the first half against Detroit, when DJ Moore went down with a shoulder injury while laying out for a diving catch. He was taken to the locker room for X-rays, and the Bills initially listed him as questionable before ruling him out after halftime.
For a team trying to keep its offense moving, losing a receiver in that spot changes the feel of the game immediately. It leaves Buffalo waiting on word about the shoulder, while also forcing the staff to adjust on the fly against a Lions defense that had already seen enough of Moore to know how much of a factor he can be when he is on the field. [Read more 🡒]