Bills Beat Lions 41-31 in Week 2
Buffalo Bills 41, Detroit Lions 31 at Highmark Stadium. Josh Allen went 20 of 31 for 248 yards with 3 touchdowns.
Quarter Scoring
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Lions | 0 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 31 |
 Bills | 14 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 41 |
Bills Leaders
Lions Leaders
Team Stats
| Lions | Stat | Bills |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | 1st Downs | 34 |
| 19 | Passing 1st downs | 14 |
| 2 | Rushing 1st downs | 15 |
| 3 | 1st downs from penalties | 5 |
| 4-11 | 3rd down efficiency | 9-12 |
| 2-2 | 4th down efficiency | 0-0 |
| 62 | Total Plays | 69 |
| 355 | Total Yards | 446 |
| 5.7 | Yards per Play | 6.5 |
| 9 | Total Drives | 9 |
| 289 | Passing | 243 |
| 26/38 | Comp/Att | 20/31 |
| 6.9 | Yards per pass | 7.4 |
| 0 | Interceptions thrown | 0 |
| 4-38 | Sacks-Yards Lost | 2-5 |
| 66 | Rushing | 203 |
| 20 | Rushing Attempts | 36 |
| 3.3 | Yards per rush | 5.6 |
| 3-4 | Red Zone (Made-Att) | 5-5 |
| 10-58 | Penalties | 5-46 |
| 0 | Turnovers | 0 |
| 0 | Fumbles lost | 0 |
| 0 | Interceptions thrown | 0 |
| 0 | Defensive / Special Teams TDs | 0 |
| 26:15 | Possession | 33:45 |
Scoring Plays
11 scores Week 2: Lions Visit Bills for the First Game at the New Highmark Stadium
Read the full recap →The Detroit Lions visit the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night, September 17, in the first regular-season game at Buffalo's new Highmark Stadium and on a short week for both teams. Buffalo won 36-31 in Houston behind Josh Allen's 334 passing yards and four total touchdowns, including a 96-yard drive to win it late, with Dalton Kincaid (130 yards) and DJ Moore (100 yards and a score) both over 100. Detroit survived 31-30 in overtime against New Orleans after blowing a 21-0 lead, with Jahmyr Gibbs carrying 29 times for 156 yards and three touchdowns while the defense allowed 410 passing yards. Detroit ruled out left guard Christian Mahogany (hip) and rookie right tackle Blake Miller (knee) on Wednesday; Ben Bartch and Larry Borom start in their places.
Two offenses coming off shootouts
Both teams' openers went over the total, and the books have this one at 52.5 or higher, the highest number of the week.
Detroit's offensive line is banged up on a short week
Miller, Christian Mahogany and Juice Scruggs all showed up on Monday's estimated report, with Gibbs carrying the offense behind whoever plays.
Detroit's secondary is the exploitable side
Without safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, the Lions gave up 410 yards to Tyler Shough; Allen and Kincaid are a different problem.
Pregame AI Prediction
How the prediction did
Predicted 27-30 (Lions vs Bills), final was 31-41. Right winner, and the call for the week's highest total held up, though the model was 15 points short on it. Josh Allen accounted for five touchdowns and James Cook III ran for 135 yards as Buffalo led 27-10 at halftime in the first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium. Jared Goff threw four touchdown passes to make the final margin 10 against a projected 3, and Jahmyr Gibbs was held to 52 yards behind a line missing two starters.
Lions Bills Allen against a Lions secondary missing both starting safeties
Detroit's pass defense was the weak point in Week 1, and Buffalo's passing game just produced two 100-yard receivers on the road.
Home opener in a new building, short week for the visitor
Detroit travels on three days' rest with two starting linemen ruled out; Buffalo is home with a healthier roster.
Gibbs keeps Detroit in it
A 156-yard, three-touchdown back behind even a patched-up line is enough to keep this a one-score game.
The pick leans on Buffalo's passing matchup and the short-week travel for Detroit. Expect points; the projected total is the model's highest of the week.
Venue
Closing Line
Officials
Futures odds for these teams
Super Bowl futures, win totals & where to bet
FanDuel Sportsbook: Get $200 in Bonus Bets When You Wager $5 for 4 Days. New customers only. Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook, verify your account, and make a deposit of at least $5. Place a single online real-money wager of $5+ between 3 AM ET and 11:59 PM ET each day for 4 consecutive days starting from your first eligible wager. Maximum bonus of $50 per day ($200 total). Bonus issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets that expire 7 days after receipt. The 4-day period begins once you're opted in to the promotion. Eligibility and state restrictions apply. See the current offer and full terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com.
21+ and present in select states. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). FanDuel is offering online sports wagering in Kansas under an agreement with Kansas Star Casino, LLC. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, KY, MI, NJ, OH, PA, IL, TN, VA, VT), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-522-4700 (WY), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV).
Fanatics Sportsbook: Up to $1,000 in FanCash Matched Bets. New customers in AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV or WY. Apply the promotion in your bet slip and place a $1+ cash wager (min odds -200) daily for 10 consecutive days starting the day of account creation. FanCash rewards equal the qualifying wager amount (max $100 FanCash per day). FanCash issued under this promotion expires at 11:59 p.m. ET 7 days from issuance. Terms, including FanCash terms, apply - see the Fanatics Sportsbook app.
21+ and present in a state where Fanatics Sportsbook operates. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Touchdown Week may earn a commission when you sign up through our links, at no cost to you. Please bet responsibly.
Bills Injuries