Josh Allen gave Bills fans plenty to talk about on Thursday night, and it started with the kind of image that instantly took over social media. During Buffalo’s opener at its brand-new Highmark Stadium, cameras caught the quarterback chewing on what appeared to be smelling salts shortly after he ran in a touchdown to get the Bills on the board.
The moment came in front of a packed, energized crowd celebrating the regular-season debut of the multi-billion-dollar open-air stadium against the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football. Allen wasted no time matching the occasion, steering Buffalo into a dominant start and helping the Bills build a 21-0 lead.
The viral clip sparked plenty of reaction online, including the post: “Josh Allen smoking the Lions with smelling salts in his mouth 😭,”
Allen’s sideline habit may have looked unusual, but it fits with a pregame routine he has already made public. He told reporters that he deliberately makes himself vomit before kickoff every week, describing the process this way: “Throw up, listen to my playlist, and drink water.”
He said that routine helps him get rid of weird muscle cramps and physical mucus so he can play completely relaxed. The smelling salts, then, were just another layer to the quarterback’s already strange setup.
Buffalo entered the night at 1-0 after opening the season with a 36-31 road win over the Houston Texans on Sunday. That victory gave the Bills their first win in Houston since November 19, 2006.
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Lions Got Caught In Buffalo's Big Night For One Clear Reason
The Bills turned the first game at the new Highmark Stadium into a full-scale celebration, and the Lions ended up playing the role of the visiting team in Buffalos spotlight. It was a night built for pageantry as much as football, with fan events, live mascots, Bills Mafia breaking tables and even the Barenaked Ladies singing O Canada before kickoff. Detroit still made it a real game, but the atmosphere belonged to Buffalo long before the final score settled in at 41-31.
Josh Allen made sure the on-field side matched the occasion, piling up five total touchdowns and giving the Bills the kind of signature performance that fits a stadium-opening night. For the Lions, it was a reminder that sometimes the biggest obstacle is not just the opponent but the moment itself, especially when everything around the game is designed to lift one side and sweep the other into the background. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Could Catch A Break In Buffalo's First Outdoor Test
Buffalos new Highmark Stadium is about to give the Lions a very different sort of road test. In their first trip to the open-air building, Detroit could be greeted by a rainy setup before kickoff, which would leave the turf slick and put a premium on footing, timing and clean execution for both teams. For a Lions offense that likes to keep defenders honest on the ground, it could be a game where the field conditions matter as much as the matchup itself.
The weather also has a way of nudging play-calling in one direction or another, and a wet afternoon can make coaches lean more heavily on the pass while still worrying about every handoff and exchange. For Detroit, that creates an intriguing wrinkle in what should already be one of the more closely watched games on the schedule, because a little less certainty underfoot can change the rhythm for both sides in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Stars Got Snubbed After Putting Detroit In The Spotlight
Week 1 gave the Lions plenty to brag about, but not much in the way of individual hardware. Jahmyr Gibbs was one of the biggest reasons Detroit opened the season with such a bright spotlight, piling up 156 yards and two touchdowns, yet the NFC Offensive Player of the Week nod went elsewhere despite his big opening statement. It was the kind of early-season reminder that team success and award voting do not always move in lockstep.
Aidan Hutchinson had a similar experience on the defensive side, where his performance also put Detroit in the conversation but did not land him the weekly honor. Instead, the NFC Defensive Player of the Week recognition went to Zack Baun after Philadelphias opener, leaving the Lions with two standout efforts and no awards to show for them. For a team trying to turn strong starts into a larger season-long narrative, it was a small but noticeable snub. [Read more 🡒]