Spot the Ball: 10 Thoughts Ahead of Lions Week 2 Matchup With Bills

The Detroit Lions are looking to raise their record to 2-0 in an early primetime test against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday.

In primetime, these two teams who are both viewed as potential Super Bowl contenders will square off looking to make an early season statement.

Here are 10 thoughts surrounding the Lions and their matchup with the Bills in week 2.

Primetime shot

The Lions will play the first of two primetime road games in the first four weeks on Thursday. Under head coach Dan Campbell, the Lions have gone 14-4 in primetime regular season games since 2021.

Last year, the Lions were 3-2 in primetime games but were 1-2 in these showdowns on the road. Thursday will be a huge test for the team as they play a Bills team with Super Bowl hopes. They couldn’t convert in matchups against Kansas City and Philadelphia on the road last year, and this will be another tough test for them.

Player to watch

Jameson Williams had a tough showing despite recording four catches for 45 yards. To me, the issues are very correctable as he dropped multiple passes and fumbled an exchange on a reverse, which are plays he’s made in the past. I’m not worried about Williams’ production long-term, but the offense struggled without him making big plays.

If the Lions are going to go into Buffalo and spoil their home opener, they need Williams to be a big part of the offense. The offense missed some opportunities for big plays early in the game against New Orleans, with Williams’ drop on a deep ball being a big example. Against Buffalo, they’ll need him to convert on those opportunities to give them some early momentum.

Early Super Bowl preview?

These are two of the most talented teams in the NFL, and as a result this game has the billing of being a possible Super Bowl preview early in the season. Based on Week 1, the Lions have a lot of flaws that need to be corrected especially in a division that appears to be one of the toughest yet again this year.

However, I am of the belief that the Lions have what it takes to make a run if they can get everything clicking. As a result, this is a measuring stick game for many reasons. Not only will the offense be tested, but Detroit’s defense is the group to watch as they will face off with one of the NFL’s most dynamic quarterbacks in Josh Allen.

Meanwhile, the Bills are operating with a first-year head coach in Joe Brady after failing to get to the top under Sean McDermott. Allen and the offense have the ability to score with anyone, but their defense struggled at times to contain Houston’s offense last week. A shootout could be in store.

Secondary statement game

After a solid first-half last week, Detroit’s defense was decimated late by Tyler Shough and the New Orleans passing attack. The secondary really struggled, as Shough finished with 410 passing yards and three touchdown passes. Cornerbacks D.J. Reed and Rock Ya-Sin have had to endure some criticism, but now have the ultimate bounce back opportunity.

Allen is one of the most proven passers in the league, and no doubt has the ability to test Detroit’s defensive backs. While last week’s performance left plenty of concerns, the Lions have a chance to get some notoriety back if the defensive backs can hold their own and limit Allen through the air.

This will be a different type of test, however, as Allen’s mobility could force the Lions’ corners to cover for even longer. It will be a big test, and could be a deciding factor in whether or not the Lions need to go out and seek secondary help if they want to compete at the highest level.

Injury questions

Playing on a short week, the Lions will have some tough injury decisions to make. Particularly, they have concerns up front with a pair of starters dealing with ailments. Christian Mahogany left and did not return to Sunday’s game with an injury in the first quarter, while Blake Miller got rolled up on late and is dealing with a knee injury.

Because the Lions don’t get a full week to recover, there’s some uncertainty that those players may not be ready to play despite neither injury being believed to be serious. Should they not, the Lions would turn presumably to Ben Bartch at left guard and Larry Borom at right tackle.

Bartch wound up playing 66 snaps in place of Mahogany against the Saints and played well, aside from a critical holding penalty that negated a touchdown opportunity. Borom, meanwhile, handled swing tackle duties in jumbo packages and has starting experience from a combined five seasons with the Bears and Dolphins.

Depth needed at running back

The Lions have one of the league’s best running backs in Jahmyr Gibbs, and he proved that once again with 186 all-purpose yards on 36 touches. While the Lions no doubt want the ball in his hands as often as possible, for durability reasons it would be best for the team to find a second option who can take the load off Gibbs at points throughout the game.

Sione Vaki got three touches Sunday and appears to be the second option now that Isiah Pacheco is sidelined for the foreseeable future after a back procedure. While Vaki is intriguing based on his instincts and speed, he struggled in pass-protection which is a vital part of playing the position.

While getting Gibbs the ball as often as possible is certainly beneficial for the offense, it could cause some durability concerns long-term as the team looks to protect its recently extended backfield star.

Pass-rush power

The Lions’ pass-rush success in the preseason carried into the opener. After their depth players got after opposing quarterbacks in the exhibition slate, Aidan Hutchinson and company had a solid first showing. Hutchinson had 10 pressures and two sacks, while Alim McNeill and Derrick Barnes also got home.

As mentioned earlier, Allen presents a different challenge. In addition to his big arm, Allen can escape the pocket and extend plays, which will put the pressure on the pass-rush to be efficient and not miss opportunities to bring him to the ground.

Hutchinson was out for the season the last time these two teams met, so he hasn’t matched wits with Allen since his rookie year when he was held without a tackle on 61 snaps when Detroit lost on Thanksgiving that year. Now, a much more developed version of himself, Hutchinson will have a chance to be a game-wrecker and negate Buffalo’s most potent offensive option.

Best-case scenario

Detroit gets out to a quick start on the heels of big plays from Jahmyr Gibbs and Jameson Williams, who is able to come down with a deep ball after last week’s drop. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing’s flow is much cleaner in his second game, and the Lions score multiple first-half touchdowns to build another comfortable halftime lead.

Allen won’t go down without a fight, and he can get the Bills back into it with some big time throws. However, the secondary responds well to the criticism they’ve faced and are able to get a pair of takeaways. Meanwhile, the offense controls the clock in the second-half and ultimately the Lions come away with a 10-point statement win.

Worst-case scenario

The energy surrounding the opening of the Bills’ stadium is too much for Detroit to handle. There are communication errors pre-snap with the offensive line, and Jared Goff and company can’t get going through the air. The Bills stifle the run, which makes the offense one dimensional early in the game.

Feeding off this momentum, Allen dices the Lions’ secondary to further add to the concerns about the group. Detroit never regains its footing and drops a key early game by multiple scores.

Bold prediction

For the Lions to win, they’re going to need to generate turnovers. They forced three in their season-opener, and for as good as Allen is, he can also be turnover-prone at times in big moments. As a result, I’m predicting that the Lions add to their tally with three more takeaways.

I’m predicting a Jack Campbell forced fumble and interceptions for D.J. Reed and rookie Keith Abney in Thursday’s game. Abney played 25 defensive snaps and fared well in his debut, so he could see more action and get his hands on the ball for the first time in his career on Thursday.

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