Detroit
Lions
1-0
23
FINAL
13
Buffalo
Bills
0-1
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a tightly contested matchup, the Detroit Lions outlasted the Buffalo Bills with a final score of 23-13, improving their record as they look to make a statement early in the 2026 season. The victory was crucial for Detroit, as they aimed to build momentum against a formidable opponent.
Jared Goff led the charge for the Lions, throwing for 242 yards and showcasing his ability to command the offense effectively. Despite being held to just one touchdown pass, Buffalo's Josh Allen kept things competitive with his play, but it was Detroit's balanced attack that ultimately prevailed. James Cook III carried the load for the Bills on the ground with 84 rushing yards, while Khalil Shakir contributed significantly in the passing game with 72 receiving yards.
Defensively, the Lions made key plays at critical moments, with Kerby Joseph's interception serving as a turning point in the game. The Bills' defense, spearheaded by C.J. Gardner-Johnson's nine tackles and Greg Rousseau's sack, was solid but unable to contain Detroit's offense when it mattered most. As the Lions continue their campaign, this victory highlights their potential and ability to capitalize on defensive opportunities.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jared Goff | QB | 38 | 26 | 242 | 1 | 0 | 94.4 |
| Josh Allen | QB | 26 | 18 | 130 | 1 | 1 | 77.4 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Cook III | HB | 12 | 84 | 7.0 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Josh Allen | QB | 11 | 73 | 6.6 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | HB | 13 | 41 | 3.2 | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| Isiah Pacheco | HB | 7 | 38 | 5.4 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| Jared Goff | QB | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Jameson Williams | WR | 3 | 7 | 2.3 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Ray Davis | HB | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Zach Ertz | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khalil Shakir | WR | 7 | 72 | 10.3 | 1 | 25 | 0 |
| Sam LaPorta | TE | 5 | 67 | 13.4 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR | 5 | 54 | 10.8 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Jameson Williams | WR | 4 | 35 | 8.8 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Deebo Samuel Sr | WR | 3 | 28 | 9.3 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | HB | 4 | 25 | 6.3 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| DJ Moore | WR | 2 | 18 | 9.0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Dalton Kincaid | TE | 3 | 17 | 5.7 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Zach Ertz | TE | 2 | 16 | 8.0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| James Cook III | HB | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Greg Dortch | WR | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Isiah Pacheco | HB | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Joshua Palmer | WR | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Ray Davis | HB | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Ben VanSumeren | FB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Sione Vaki | HB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.J. Gardner-Johnson | SS | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Maxwell Hairston | CB | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Roger McCreary | CB | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kerby Joseph | FS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dorian Williams | WILL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Campbell | MIKE | 5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Greg Rousseau | LEDG | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alim McNeill | DT | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Benford | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cole Bishop | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Terrel Bernard | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brian Branch | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Shelby Harris | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Geno Stone | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Landon Jackson | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Izien | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chuck Clark | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bradley Chubb | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ed Oliver | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick Moore | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.J. Reed | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aidan Hutchinson | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyleik Williams | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deone Walker | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ennis Rakestraw Jr | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Fox | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyler Bass | K | 2 | 2 | 1 | 36 |
| Matt Prater | K | 3 | 3 | 2 | 46 |

