Keon Coleman’s name has been a tough one for Bills fans to trust since last season went sideways, but Week 2 gave Buffalo something it had been waiting for: a clean, productive night from the wideout when the offense needed it.
Coleman caught all 6 of his targets for 63 yards in the Bills’ 41-31 win over the Detroit Lions, helping Buffalo stay on schedule after DJ Moore exited with a shoulder injury and missed the entire second half. In a game where the Bills had to keep moving the chains without their No. 1 receiver, Coleman answered with one of the steadier outings of his time in Buffalo.
That mattered because his path to this point has been rocky. After his Week 1 performance in last year’s home opener against the Baltimore Ravens - 8 catches, 112 yards, 1 touchdown - things unraveled for Coleman in 2025. He eventually became a healthy scratch amid maturity issues, and the Bills wound up adding Mecole Hardman Jr. and Brandin Cooks to help stabilize the receiver room.
The uncertainty around Coleman only grew after Sean McDermott was fired, with plenty of questions about whether he’d even have a future with the team. Instead, Buffalo hired Joe Brady, and that turned into a boost for Coleman, especially with Brady being publicly supportive of him this summer.
There was still plenty of pressure on Coleman heading into his third year with the Bills, and even after training camp, many wondered whether he’d make the roster at all. He did, and against Detroit he gave the Bills a glimpse of why they’ve kept betting on him.
Josh Allen spread the ball around in the primetime win, with Dalton Kincaid leading Buffalo with 95 receiving yards. Coleman fit right into that mix, and he and Dawson Knox were the only Bills to catch every pass thrown their way.
If Moore’s injury keeps him out in Week 3 or beyond, Coleman’s performance becomes even more important. For one night, though, he looked like a receiver giving Buffalo real reason to believe there could still be more here.
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 🡒]