Detroit
Lions
0-1
28
FINAL
21
Buffalo
Bills
0-1
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Week 2 matchup of the 2026 season, the Detroit Lions topped the Buffalo Bills with a final score of 28-21. With both teams looking to establish momentum early in the season, the Lions secured a crucial victory on the road, showcasing their offensive prowess and resilience under pressure.
Jared Goff led the charge for Detroit, throwing for 199 yards and three touchdowns, making key plays that kept the Lions in control of the game. Sam LaPorta was a reliable target, finishing with 67 receiving yards, while the ground game complemented the passing attack effectively. Despite a stellar performance from Buffalo's James Cook III, who rushed for an impressive 192 yards, the Lions' balanced offense proved to be the difference-maker.
Defensively, the Lions were able to make critical stops, highlighted by Kerby Joseph's interception that shifted the momentum back in their favor. Although C.J. Gardner-Johnson recorded five tackles for Buffalo, it was the Lions' ability to capitalize on turnovers and pressure the Bills' offense that ultimately sealed the game. The turning point came late in the third quarter when Goff connected with a touchdown pass following the interception, giving Detroit a lead they would not relinquish.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jared Goff | QB | 21 | 14 | 67% | 199 | 3 | 2 | 97.1 |
| Josh Allen | QB | 19 | 12 | 63% | 106 | 0 | 2 | 38.3 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Cook III | HB | 15 | 192 | 12.8 | 19 | 3 | 75 | 0 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | HB | 20 | 112 | 5.6 | 27 | 1 | 28 | 0 |
| Tyler Conklin | TE | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Sam LaPorta | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam LaPorta | TE | 5 | 67 | 13.4 | 45 | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| Jameson Williams | WR | 3 | 57 | 19.0 | 17 | 1 | 46 | 0 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR | 2 | 32 | 16.0 | 21 | 1 | 28 | 0 |
| Joshua Palmer | WR | 3 | 29 | 9.7 | 10 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | HB | 3 | 28 | 9.3 | 27 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Dawson Knox | TE | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 11 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Dalton Kincaid | TE | 3 | 21 | 7.0 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Isaac TeSlaa | WR | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| James Cook III | HB | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 15 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Khalil Shakir | WR | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| DJ Moore | WR | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Branch | SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Benford | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kerby Joseph | FS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Terrel Bernard | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| C.J. Gardner-Johnson | SS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dee Alford | CB | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cole Bishop | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dorian Williams | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ed Oliver | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.J. Reed | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jack Campbell | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Maxwell Hairston | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bradley Chubb | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devin White | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Thomas Harper | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Izien | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Davison Igbinosun | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Damar Hamlin | FS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Damone Clark | MIKE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Bates | K | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Jack Fox | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyler Bass | K | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |

