Tomorrow night, the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions will kickoff Week 2 of the NFL season live from the new Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. Both powerhouses come into this matchup at 1-0 and just two years ago, the Bills beat the Lions in a close 48-42 game.
With the way both offenses played this past Sunday, there's no reason why the final score shouldn't be high-scoring again in a potential thriller. The bad news is that if it does happen, both defenses are in for a long night. The Bills' defense struggled against C.J. Stroud and the Texans offense, while the Lions' secondary just gave up 410 passing yards to Tyler Shough.
Going into this matchup, we had the chance to speak with Candace Pedraza, Site Editor for SideLion Report covering the Detroit Lions, and Pedraza was able to give some great insights about the Lions that Bills fans don't want to miss.
Bills vs. Lions Week 2 primetime insights
1.) Both Buffalo and Detroit come into this game having each scored 30+ points in Week 1. What are Lions' fans thoughts on Week 1 when it comes to both sides of the ball? Are there any major concerns, or is there a lot more excitement?
"I think there’s a bit of cautious pessimism on both sides of the ball for Lions fans despite that 30 point showing. The game itself was unbelievably tight, and it felt like they couldn’t get a stop against New Orleans until it absolutely mattered (in OT, on a game-winning attempt on a 2-point conversion)."
"Their offense definitely needs more time to gel with new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, but one factor that remained reliable in this game was Jahmyr Gibbs. I think he could pose a threat to Buffalo’s defensive line this week."
"The biggest concern for fans is likely in the Lions’ secondary after they gave up 400 passing yards to Tyler Shough. They’re in desperate need of another starter there, or maybe just more time to gel with one another."
2.) Who is an under-the-radar Lions player that Bills fans need to play close attention to and why?
"Derrick Barnes shouldn’t be underrated, but because of injuries, he has taken a bit to break onto the scene for the Lions’ defense in earnest. But, he had arguably the best day for a defender against the Saints in Week 1: one sack, one interception, and two pass breakups. He was an absolute game wrecker for Detroit, and his speed and athleticism could make him a key matchup against Josh Allen in the pocket."
3.) Who would you consider the ultimate X-factor for this matchup, based on how the Lions performed against the Saints?
"A huge x-factor for the Lions headed into this one will be D.J. Reed. He’ll likely get the D.J. Moore assignment (twins!), and containing him will be key to limiting Buffalo’s opportunities to turn this game into a pure shootout. Reed finished up the Lions’ Week 1 contest with one pass defended and seven tackles, and with a 63.6 PFF grade after Week 1. He needs a great game here to turn the public tide in favor of their secondary again."
4.) The last time these two teams met, there were 90 total points scored. Do you think we will see more or less this time around and why?
"I think we’ll see less, although this game is already primed to be a shootout. Detroit will have game tape and another few days to practice with one another prior to their Buffalo game, and we know how potent of an offense they can be when firing on all cylinders. I’d actually argue that their winning scoring series against New Orleans in Week 1 - 10 plays that ate up 70 yards and almost five minutes of time which featured a good mix of short passes from Jared Goff and chunk plays from Gibbs - is more like what their offense can be at their peak than what we saw the rest of the game."
"I’m sure Buffalo fans feel the same about the Bills’ ability to really heat up against a lesser defense, which they’ll be getting on Thursday night."
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