5 Players to Watch in Detroit Lions Week 2 Matchup Against Bills

The Detroit Lions have a big opportunity to make a statement Thursday against the Buffalo Bills.

After squeaking out a win over the New Orleans Saints in the season opener, they now are tasked with traveling to Buffalo and taking on another team with high aspirations in the Bills.

This game has the makings of one of the best on the early season slate, and the winner of this game will have a big statement win added to their resume.

Here are five players to watch in Thursday’s game between the Lions and Bills.

DE Aidan Hutchinson

Hutchinson has matched up with Josh Allen only once in his career, which came in his rookie season. In that game, he did not record a sack. However, this time around he’s going to be key for the Lions in slowing down the mobile passer.

The Bills will run Allen on designed keepers as well as roll him out of the pocket, and as a result Hutchinson setting the edge and making big plays will be huge for Detroit’s momentum. If he comes up empty, it will likely result in the secondary being tested throughout the evening with a potential for disaster.

WR Jameson Williams

Williams had a decent day in terms of production in the team’s Week 1 win, but left plays on the field that suggest he could have a big season. Drops were the main culprit, and as a result if he irons that out then he could have a big day in store.

The Lions got plenty of production out of Amon-Ra St. Brown with two touchdowns, but Williams gives them an added element as a vertical threat. If he has another off night, it will hamper the Lions’ offense. However, if he plays well the team could be in a much better flow than it was in Week 1.

CB D.J. Reed

After the Saints picked apart the Lions’ secondary in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game, which directly led to a near-collapse, the group has had to face questions. As a result, this is an opportunity for a statement game for players like Ya-Sin.

The same can be said for D.J. Reed on the other side, who is questionable with a foot injury, as he also had a tough second-half. If the veterans at the top of the depth chart don’t produce, it could lead to more chances for Ennis Rakestraw and Keith Abney II in their place.

LB Derrick Barnes

Barnes was one of the top performers on Sunday, and as a result it’s worth monitoring if he can consistently produce at that level. Barnes has shown plenty of spurts of high-level production throughout his career, but Sunday’s performance with a sack and an interception indicates that he could be trending toward a breakout.

It will be another good test for him and the Lions’ defense. His abilities in coverage working against running back James Cook could be a huge asset in this game, as is his speed to rush and get after Allen

RB Sione Vaki

The Lions used Jahmyr Gibbs early and often Sunday, as he finished the game with 29 carries and five receptions. While the team understandably wants to use him as much as possible, durability will become a concern if he’s asked to handle a workload like this for the entire season.

As a result, the Lions will need production from a secondary option, which is where Vaki comes into play. He got three touches in the opener, and could get more opportunities as the season progresses. While Gibbs will likely once again get a heavy share of the carries, Vaki will likely get some opportunities with a chance to prove he belongs as the second running back option.

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