Lions vs. Bills Score Prediction for NFL Week 2 (Expect a Ton of Points on Thursday Night)

Two potential Super Bowl contenders are set to square off on Thursday Night Football in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season, as Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills host the Detroit Lions and Jared Goff.

Both of these teams picked up wins in Week 2, though they came in differing fashions.

The Bills and Allen pulled out a comeback win over the Houston Texans, dropping 36 points on a defense that ranked No. 1 in the league in EPA/Play in 2025. Allen was terrific, throwing two touchdown passes and running for two more in the win. He’s the clear favorite to win the MVP, and he could have another big game in Week 2.

Why?

Well, the Detroit Lions allowed over 400 passing yards to Tyler Shough and the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, squeaking out a win in overtime. Detroit blew a double-digit lead in that matchup, allowing the Saints to force OT.

Jahmyr Gibbs (156 rushing yards, two scores) had a huge game for the Lions offense, but the secondary is shaky with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph on the PUP list.

Oddsmakers have set the Bills as favorites in this Week 2 clash, and the SI Betting team is here to use the latest odds and some statistical analysis to predict the final score of this primetime matchup.

Lions vs. Bills Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Lions +4.5 (-108)
Bills -4.5 (-112)

Moneyline

Lions: +180
Bills: -218

Total

53.5 (Over -120/Under +100)

There’s been a lot of movement to the line in this game, as the Bills opened as 3-point favorites and are now 4.5-point favorites at home. It also features the highest total of the Week, as these teams combined for 61 (Detroit) and 67 (Buffalo) points in their Week 1 matchups.

Lions vs. Bills Score Prediction

Earlier this week, SI Betting’s senior editor Iain MacMillan shared his best bet for this game in his Road to 272 column – where he bets on every game, every week – and he’s taking the points with the Detroit:

As tempting as it is to back the Bills after how both teams looked in the opening week, I have to do my best not to overreact to a one-game sample size and stick to my belief that the Lions are one of the best teams in the NFL. Their metrics were elite last season, but injuries and poor variance led to them missing the playoffs.

There's no denying that Josh Allen is once again going to be an MVP candidate, but let's not overlook the fact that their defense allowed the Texans to rack up yards and points against them last week. Their defensive roster is completely different from a year ago, so I didn't know what to expect from them this season, but ranking 19th in opponent EPA per play and 22nd in opponent success rate isn't a good start.

I actually think the Bills are in a good spot to win this game, as Detroit allowed Tyler Shough to throw for over 400 yards in Week 1 and nearly blew a double-digit lead. However, with the line movement we’ve seen since odds came out on Sunday night, I think there’s a case to be made for Detroit with this spread well outside of field goal.

This should be a high-scoring affair, as both of these teams ranked in the bottom half of the league in EPA/Play on defense in Week 1. I trust the Detroit offense with Gibbs leading the way, especially after David Montgomery scored multiple times against Buffalo in Week 1.

Final Score Prediction: Bills 34, Lions, 30

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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