The Detroit Lions are heading into Week 2 as road underdogs, and the setting could hardly be bigger. They’ll be in Buffalo on “Thursday Night Football” to face the Bills in a nationally televised matchup that also doubles as the debut of the Bills’ new $2.2 billion Highmark Stadium.
Both teams arrive at 1-0 after tight openers. Detroit opened with a 31-30 overtime win over the Saints, while Buffalo survived a 36-31 shootout against the Texans in Houston. FanDuel Sportsbook opened the Lions as 3.5-point underdogs.
Buffalo enters this one with plenty of change around the organization. Sean McDermott was fired after the Bills fell in the AFC Divisional round in 2025, even though he had a winning record and led the team to the playoffs in eight of his nine seasons. Rather than look outside, the Bills promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to head coach.
The offense largely remained in place and may even be stronger after the trade for wide receiver D.J. Moore, who had worked with Brady in Carolina.
On the other side of the ball, Buffalo made a major shift by bringing in new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, who installed a 3-4 system. The Bills also added help for that transition, signing edge rusher Bradley Chubb in free agency and drafting TJ Parker, while veteran additions Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Dee Alford stepped into starting roles in the secondary.
In Week 1, Josh Allen carried Buffalo to the win with his arm and his legs. The defense gave up more than it wanted, but the Bills’ offense has enough punch to keep them in just about any game. That’s the challenge facing Detroit now: Buffalo will need to keep scoring, because even on an off night, the Lions have already shown they can pile up points.
In Other News...
Lions Escape Saints But A Bigger Concern Just Took Center Stage
The Lions left New Orleans with a win, but it came with enough rough edges to keep the postgame conversation grounded. Detroit leaned on Jahmyr Gibbs, who handled a heavy workload and responded with 156 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while the defenses pass rush did its part with five sacks and special teams chipped in with several key tackles.
The bigger worry was hard to ignore, though, because the secondary spent much of the afternoon under stress and surrendered 400 passing yards. Jameson Williams also had multiple drops, adding to the sense that this was a game Detroit survived more than it controlled, even if the overtime result still counts the same in the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Opener Sparked An Officiating Debate Fans Wont Let Go
The Lions Week 1 opener against the Saints did not take long to produce one of those calls people keep replaying long after the final whistle. A play involving Jared Goff was initially ruled a fumble and a touchdown for New Orleans, only for officials to go to review and change it to an incomplete pass after determining Goff had started his throwing motion.
Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira said the key was the forward intent in Goffs motion, which made the ball a pass rather than a loose fumble. Even with the explanation in hand, the ruling quickly turned into a talking point for fans and commentators, who were left debating how the play should have been judged in real time. [Read more 🡒]
Jared Goff Saints Ruling Had Lions Fans Wondering What Actually Happened
The strange little sequence involving Jared Goff during the Lions-Saints game was the sort of call that sent fans scrambling for an explanation in real time. A loose ball was reviewed to determine whether it counted as a forward pass or a lateral, and the officials ultimately sided with Detroit on the key point, ruling it an incomplete forward pass after deciding Goff had already begun his throwing motion before contact came from the defender.
NFL vice president of instant replay Mark Butterworth later walked through the reasoning and pointed to the league rulebook, which is often what turns a confusing live moment into a postgame debate. For Lions fans, the ruling mattered less as a one-play curiosity than as another reminder of how thin the line can be between a broken-up pass and a turnover, especially when the quarterback is hit right as the play is unfolding. [Read more 🡒]