Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR) – The Buffalo Bills are off to a 2-0 start to the 2026 season after a 41-31 win over the Detroit Lions on Thursday night.
Here are my Arrows Up and Down following this one, starting Up once again after another win:
Orchard Park, N.Y. – Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer celebrates with fans after scoring a 43-yard touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the first quarter of a game at Highmark Stadium on Sept. 17, 2026. Bryan M. Bennett – Getty Images
ARROW UP:
Highmark Stadium
The Bills’ new stadium looked beautiful in person and on television. The game presentation was great, the crowd was incredibly loud, and the grass held up.
High marks all around for Highmark.
Now the team has two more home games in-a-row.
Fast start
The Lions called heads and lost the coin toss, and the Bills elected to take the ball to start the game.
A holding penalty on the kickoff pushed them back to their own 15-yard line, but it didn’t matter. Josh Allen and the offense marched 85 yards in 10 plays.
Then a three-and-out from Detroit, and a 75-yard touchdown drive by the Bills.
Another stop and another touchdown, and the score was 21-0 before Canadian national anthem singers Barenaked Ladies got back to their dressing room.
Josh Allen
Allen was hot from the start, and although things slowed down in the passing game after D.J. Moore got hurt, he still completed 20-of-31 passes (64.5%) for 248 yards and three touchdowns.
He also ran 14 times for 69 yards and a pair of scores, accounting for a total of 317 yards of offense and five touchdowns.
Greg Rousseau
After two sacks and two forced fumbles last week, Rousseau, once again, filled up the stat sheet, collecting two more sacks, giving him four in two games, plus four quarterback hits and another forced fumble.
Deone Walker
Walker’s presence opened a lot up for other players around him, and he was directly responsible for three pass breakups and three quarterback hits.
Keon Coleman
Coleman has had better statistical games, but this may have been his most solid game as a pro. He was targeted six times and caught every one of those passes for 63 yards, including some really important grabs to move the chains.
James Cook
Cook tallied 135 yards rushing on 21 carries, averaging 6.4 yards per-run, including a touchdown.
Dalton Kincaid
Once again, Kincaid was a major factor, catching seven passes for 95 yards and a touchdown.
Bradley Chubb
Chubb finished the game with four total tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two quarterback hits.
Third downs – offense and defense
The Bills converted 9-of-12 third downs on offense (75.0%), and only allowed the Lions to make good on 4 -of-11 attempts (36.4%).
Run defense/job on Jahmyr Gibbs
The Bills allowed the Lions to run for a total of just 66 yards, and an average of only 3.3 yards per-run. They held excellent running back Jahmyr Gibbs to just 52 yards and 3.3 yards per-carry.
Red zone offense
The Bills were inside the Lions’ 20-yard line five different times, and they scored five touchdowns.
Orchard Park, N.Y. – Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs runs the ball against Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford during the first quarter of a game at Highmark Stadium on Sept. 17, 2026. Bryan M. Bennett – Getty Images
ARROW DOWN:
Secondary
Once again, the Bills secondary was victimized too often, especially on critical downs. Lions quarterback Jared Goff threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns.
Christian Benford
This is the second week in-a-row Benford is in the Down column. He was on the wrong end of too many passes completed his way.
Last two minutes of the first half
The Bills had a chance to maybe put the game away before halftime.
Already up 27-7, they had a 1st-and-5 at their own 35 with 58 seconds remaining, but three-straight incompletions forced a punt. That punt went just 43 yards, and the Lions marched from their own 22-yard line to the Bills’ 13 before kicking a field goal to end the half down 27-10.
Amon-Ra St. Brown
This goes with the secondary and Benford points above, but the Lions’ best receiver showed it against the Bills defense, collecting nine catches for 142 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Tyler Bass’ missed extra point
Bass had six extra point attempts and made five, but missed one. That missed attempt was starting to look like it may have been a big factor. Luckily, it wasn’t, but he still needs to hit those on a calm night.
Red zone defense
The Lions were inside the Bills’ 20-yard line four times and scored three touchdowns (75%).
D.J. Moore injury
The Bills lost Moore to a shoulder injury in the second quarte and he did not return. The passing game definitely slowed down after he went out.
Head coach Joe Brady had no update on Moore after the game.
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