The Detroit Lions passed their first test of the season. Their second arrives four days later against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.
Detroit visits Buffalo for Thursday Night Football in a matchup between two 1-0 teams. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET at the new Highmark Stadium.
The game carries additional significance for Buffalo. The Lions will serve as the opponent for the first regular-season game at the new stadium, placing Detroit in front of an energized crowd during a nationally televised home opener.
Both teams survived high-scoring openers
Detroit enters Week 2 following a 31-30 overtime victory over New Orleans.
The Lions built a 21-0 lead before the Saints scored 24 unanswered points. Jared Goff and the offense responded in overtime with a 70-yard drive, ending with a four-yard touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown.
New Orleans answered with a touchdown but failed on its two-point conversion attempt, allowing Detroit to escape with the win.
Jahmyr Gibbs carried the offense with 156 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Goff threw for 206 yards and two scores, both to St. Brown. Detroit’s top receiver finished with 10 catches for 67 yards.
The result gave the Lions a win, but their defense left plenty to address. Saints quarterback Tyler Shough threw for 410 yards and three touchdowns, while Chris Olave finished with 182 receiving yards.
Buffalo also needed a late response during its 36-31 victory over Houston.
Josh Allen threw for 334 yards and two touchdowns while adding two more scores on the ground. His 34-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Palmer with 1:36 remaining supplied the winning points.
Dalton Kincaid caught five passes for 130 yards. DJ Moore added five receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown in his Buffalo debut.
Both teams showed the ability to score under pressure. Neither defense made the opening week comfortable.
Detroit enters with two starting offensive linemen out
The short turnaround created an immediate problem for Detroit’s offensive line.
The Lions have ruled out starting left guard Christian Mahogany with a hip injury and starting right tackle Blake Miller with a knee injury. Both players missed all three estimated practices during the shortened week.
The Lions’ final injury report also lists cornerback D.J. Reed as questionable with a foot injury. Defensive back Christian Izien and center Juice Scruggs finished the week as full participants without game designations.
Ben Bartch is expected to replace Mahogany at left guard after stepping into the lineup against New Orleans. Veteran Larry Borom is expected to start for Miller at right tackle.
Those changes place additional pressure on an offensive line facing an aggressive Buffalo front led by Ed Oliver, Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb.
Buffalo changed its defensive structure under coordinator Jim Leonhard, moving toward an attacking 3-4 front with zone coverage behind the pressure. Detroit needs communication from the offensive line and quick decisions from Goff to prevent Buffalo from controlling the game through its pass rush.
Jahmyr Gibbs needs another productive night
The Lions leaned heavily on Jahmyr Gibbs during the opener, and his workload should remain high with Isiah Pacheco unavailable following back surgery.
Gibbs gave Detroit 186 yards from scrimmage against New Orleans. His ability to produce between the tackles, reach the edge and contribute as a receiver gives the Lions several options against Buffalo’s defense.
A productive running game would slow Buffalo’s pressure and keep Josh Allen away from the field. Detroit also needs to avoid placing Goff in obvious passing situations behind a rearranged offensive line.
The Bills surrendered 31 points to Houston in Week 1 but closed the game with a defensive takeaway. Rousseau’s second strip-sack ended Houston’s final possession and protected Buffalo’s five-point lead.
Detroit cannot rely on another late escape. Protecting the football and finishing drives with touchdowns will matter against a Buffalo offense built to score quickly.
Detroit’s secondary faces a difficult assignment
Detroit will face Allen without starting safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, who remain on the physically unable to perform list. Both players must miss at least the first four games of the season.
The Lions struggled to prevent explosive passes against New Orleans. Buffalo produced 10 offensive plays of more than 15 yards during its opener and punted only twice.
Allen has several options in the passing game. Kincaid attacked the middle of Houston’s defense, while Moore supplied yards after the catch and Palmer delivered the winning touchdown.
Detroit needs pressure from Aidan Hutchinson and the defensive front before those routes develop. Allen’s mobility creates another concern. Losing contain allows him to extend plays, create rushing lanes or find receivers after coverage breaks down.
The Lions recorded five sacks against New Orleans and forced three turnovers. Repeating those disruptive plays would give the secondary needed support.
A short week adds another challenge
Both teams played demanding openers Sunday before returning for Thursday night.
Detroit went through overtime. Buffalo ran 65 offensive plays and needed a defensive stand during the final minute in Houston.
The reduced recovery time limits full-speed practice work and forces both teams to rely on walkthroughs. Detroit also loses a normal week of preparation before facing one of the NFL’s most difficult quarterbacks.
Buffalo’s stadium opener adds another layer. The crowd will arrive prepared to celebrate a new home, and the Bills will want to give the building a winning first chapter.
Detroit needs to handle the opening minutes without wasting possessions or allowing Buffalo to build momentum.
How to watch Lions vs. Bills
Matchup: Detroit Lions at Buffalo Bills
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET
Venue: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
National broadcast: Prime Video
Detroit television: FOX 2 Detroit
Mobile streaming: NFL+
Radio: 97.1 The Ticket and the Detroit Lions Radio Network
Detroit radio team: Dan Miller and Lomas Brown
The Thursday Night Football broadcast features Al Michaels on play-by-play, Kirk Herbstreit as the analyst and Kaylee Hartung reporting from the sideline.
What Detroit needs to win
The Lions need to protect Goff with two starting offensive linemen unavailable, establish Gibbs early and prevent Allen from finding easy explosive plays.
Detroit also needs a steadier defensive performance after surrendering a 21-point lead against New Orleans. The turnovers and five sacks were encouraging. Allowing 410 passing yards was not.
A win would send Detroit home at 2-0 after beating two teams capable of testing its defense in different ways. A loss would leave the Lions with clear areas to address before Week 3.
Thursday night offers an early measurement of where Detroit stands. The Lions escaped Week 1. Beating Buffalo will require a more complete performance.
