After watching Buffalo’s Week 1 win over Houston, there’s a lot to like about what the Bills showed on defense - and a few things that should make the Lions pay attention on Thursday night.
The biggest takeaway might be the run defense. Detroit came out of Week 1 feeling pretty good about its ground game after moving the ball well against a Saints run defense that was excellent last season. And with Buffalo having ranked 31st in both DVOA and EPA/rush a year ago, that looked like a prime spot for the Lions to attack.
But the Bills flashed real improvement under new coordinator Jim Leonhard. Houston still finished with 124 rushing yards and two touchdowns, yet it took 32 carries to get there, a modest 3.9 yards per attempt.
Even more encouraging for Buffalo was how often it created dead plays in the backfield. The Texans had the seventh-highest “stuffed” rate per FTN Fantasy, with 24% of their runs stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage.
That said, Houston’s rushing offense was already one of the league’s weakest last season, so this wasn’t exactly a heavyweight test. Still, it was a solid opening sign.
The other side of the front was a little less intimidating. Buffalo didn’t generate much pressure against a Texans offensive line that has plenty of questions.
Per NFL Pro, C.J. Stroud faced the lowest pressure rate in Week 1 at 21.4%, even though he was sacked three times and lost two fumbles on hits.
For most of the afternoon, the Bills’ pass rush didn’t show up. When the game tightened late and Houston reached the red zone with a chance to win, Buffalo finally turned up the heat and got two of those sacks plus the game-sealing fumble recovery.
That matters for Jared Goff, who could have a cleaner pocket than expected.
Buffalo’s offense, though, is still built to live on the edge. Josh Allen looked like Josh Allen - which means chaos, aggression and no shortage of daring decisions. Joe Brady’s move from offensive coordinator to head coach seems to be only amplifying that mindset.
One sequence said plenty. With Buffalo up 24-21 late in the first half, the Bills had the ball at their own 17 with 18 seconds left and Houston holding just two timeouts.
Most coaches would shut it down and head into the locker room. Buffalo didn’t.
They took a shot to D.J. Moore that fell incomplete, but the message was clear: they’re going to push it whenever they can.
That same edge showed up on fourth down, where the Bills lined up to go for it twice in field-goal range on fourth-and-short. They came away empty on one and were flagged on the other.
There was also a hook-and-ladder in the first half. And while that aggressiveness can create big plays, it can also backfire.
Allen threw one absolutely reckless pass on the game-winning drive that easily could have ended the night the wrong way.
The Bills also leaned heavily on tight ends, lining up in 13 personnel 50 percent of the time. That creates stress for a defense, but the bigger issue may be Dalton Kincaid on his own. He caught five passes for 130 yards against Houston, showing off the kind of quickness and movement that makes him such a tough cover.
Dan Campbell put it plainly Tuesday: “He’s a mismatch in the pass game, man,” Dan Campbell said Tueday. “He’s one of these big skill, get through the defense, one-on-one matchups.”
Detroit handled the Saints’ tight ends reasonably well in Week 1. Noah Fant had four catches for 33 yards and a touchdown, and Juwan Johnson posted three catches for 54 yards and a score.
But Kincaid, paired with Allen’s threat as a runner and the Bills’ play-action game, is a much different problem. If Christian Izien makes his debut in the nickel, that could help, but this is still a matchup that looks dangerous for the Lions.
There’s also the penalty issue. Buffalo was flagged 10 times for 85 yards against Houston, and five of those penalties gave the Texans a first down.
The secondary was especially grabby, with four defensive holding calls and a defensive pass interference. Five different defensive backs were penalized.
It may be the cost of doing business, though, because the Bills were also sticky in coverage and allowed the seventh-lowest separation rate among Week 1 teams.
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