Bills dominate Lions 27-7 in Thursday Night Football opener
Buffalo built a 20-point lead before halftime and held on for a 27-7 victory over Detroit, while both teams dealt with several injuries.
Buffalo took a 20-point advantage into the halftime break and finished with a 27-7 win over Detroit in the Week 2 Thursday Night Football matchup at Highmark Stadium. Josh Allen threw three touchdown passes, connecting with Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox and a 43-yard strike to Josh Palmer, while running back James Cook contributed 62 rushing yards on three carries.
The Lions managed a single touchdown on a short pass from Jared Goff to Jahmyr Gibbs, but missed the extra point, leaving the score at 21-7 before the half. Detroit’s offense struggled against a Bills defense that forced three-and-outs and recorded multiple sacks, highlighting the impact of missing starters on the Lions’ offensive line.
Both teams reported injuries during the game. Bills wide receiver DJ Moore left the field after a hard landing on his left shoulder and was listed as questionable with a shoulder injury and a stinger. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver was ruled out before kickoff due to a hip injury sustained in warm-ups. The Lions also saw safety Avonte Maddox carted off with a foot injury and listed as questionable.
"We’re focused on playing our game and taking advantage of the opportunities we have," said Bills quarterback Josh Allen after the win.
The game, which started at 8:15 p.m. ET, was broadcast locally on ABC in Buffalo and Fox in Detroit, with national streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Betting lines had Buffalo favored by 4.5 points, and the Bills covered the spread with their decisive victory.