Lions Visit Bills in High-Powered Thursday Night Football Matchup

Week 2 of the NFL season begins Thursday night with a matchup between two 1-0 teams as the Detroit Lions travel to Orchard Park to face the Buffalo Bills. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video, with the game serving as Buffalo’s first regular-season contest at the new Highmark Stadium.

Two Unbeaten Teams Meet in Week 2

Both offenses showed plenty of scoring potential in Week 1. Buffalo went on the road and defeated Houston 36-31, while Detroit escaped with a 31-30 overtime victory over New Orleans. The teams combined for 128 points in their openers, setting up what could be one of Week 2’s highest-scoring games.

Josh Allen Leads Buffalo’s Offense

Detroit Faces a Difficult Matchup

Josh Allen remains the biggest challenge for Detroit. The Bills quarterback accounted for four touchdowns against Houston, throwing for two and running for two more as Buffalo rallied for the victory. Allen also has another dangerous target after Buffalo added DJ Moore during the offseason. Moore caught eight passes for 100 yards and a touchdown in his Bills debut. Detroit’s secondary, meanwhile, surrendered 410 passing yards and three touchdowns against New Orleans quarterback Tyler Shough in Week 1.

Bills Enter Thursday Relatively Healthy

Buffalo enters relatively healthy. Safety Cole Bishop, running back Ty Johnson and defensive lineman T.J. Sanders were listed as questionable on the Bills’ final injury report.

Detroit Looks to Jahmyr Gibbs

Lions Could Lean on the Running Game

Detroit’s offense will counter with Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs. The Lions may have an opportunity to establish Gibbs early, particularly if they can prevent Buffalo from building a lead and forcing Goff into a pass-heavy game. The short week could be a concern for Detroit’s offensive line. The Lions acknowledged this week that recovery along the line is one of the challenges of playing four days after their overtime opener.

New Highmark Stadium Adds Another Factor

Another factor will be the environment. Detroit will be the first visiting team to play a regular-season game inside Buffalo’s new stadium, where a loud opening-night crowd is expected.

Lions-Bills Betting Odds

Buffalo Favored at Home

Buffalo is favored, although the exact spread varies by sportsbook. As of Thursday morning, FanDuel lists Buffalo -5.5, with Detroit +5.5 and the over/under at 54.5. The Bills are -240 on the moneyline, while Detroit is +198. BetMGM’s market has Buffalo around a 5-point favorite, with the total also at 54.5.

High Total Reflects Offensive Potential

The total is among the more interesting numbers considering how the teams opened the season. Buffalo scored 36 against a strong Houston defense, while Detroit put up 31 against New Orleans. The matchup between Allen and Detroit’s secondary, along with Gibbs’ ability to control the game on the ground, should be two of the biggest factors in determining whether Thursday night’s game turns into another offensive showcase.