The Lions just got exposed. Detroit’s defense allowed 41 points, couldn’t stop Josh Allen or James Cook, and looked completely overmatched against a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
This was one of the worst Detroit Lions games I’ve ever watched. Detroit lost 41–31 to the Buffalo Bills in a game where the defense looked worse than it has in years.
The game started with Josh Allen and the Bills going up 21–0, scoring touchdowns on their first four possessions to take a 27-10 lead at half. Buffalo had 14 first downs in the first 16 minutes, and the Lions simply had no answers.
Detroit has now allowed 917 total yards through two games as the defense continues to struggle. Last week, the Lions allowed the Saints to score 24 points in the second half. This week, Buffalo scored 27 points in the first half. Through two games, the Lions have allowed 51 points in the second half alone.
Josh Allen threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns with a 130.0 passer rating. He also added 14 carries for 69 yards and two touchdowns. Allen accounted for five total touchdowns and consistently made the Lions defense look completely helpless.
After the game, Jack Campbell was visibly disappointed with his performance and held back tears while talking to reporters. Campbell finished with a 41.3 PFF defensive grade, a 64.6 run-defense grade, a 56.9 pass-rush grade and a 32.5 coverage grade. He recorded four solo tackles while allowing four receptions on six targets for 32 yards and a touchdown.
It felt like Aidan Hutchinson was the entire defense at times. Hutchinson finished with five total pressures, one sack, one forced fumble and a 90.6 defensive grade, including a 90.6 pass-rush grade. Unfortunately, one player simply cannot carry an entire defense.
The offense didn’t exactly get off to a great start either. Detroit opened the game with back-to-back drives of fewer than four plays, combining for just -1 yard. The offense was hot and cold throughout the game and gave me flashbacks to Week 3 of the 2024 season, when the Lions traveled to Baltimore and won 38–30.
Drew Petzing had some solid play calls, but overall, there were also some very questionable decisions. The offense showed flashes of being able to keep up with Buffalo, but it needed to be much more consistent.
The defense also couldn’t stop the run, allowing James Cook to carry the ball 21 times for 135 yards and a touchdown. Once again, Detroit struggled to cover opposing tight ends. Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox combined for nine receptions, 100 yards and two touchdowns on 10 targets.
Jack Campbell and Devin White were both major problems throughout the game, particularly in coverage. The Lions simply couldn’t find a way to slow down Buffalo’s passing attack.
I’m not quite sure where the Lions defense goes from here, but one thing is clear: This secondary cannot continue playing like this against playoff-caliber teams.
Luckily, Detroit still has plenty of time to figure things out. There are 15 games remaining, and the offense has shown enough potential to keep this team in the playoff race.
But if the Lions actually want to be a serious playoff team, and ultimately compete for a Super Bowl, the defense has to improve, and it has to improve quickly.
