It’s the game of the week, as the Buffalo Bills (10-3) travel to take on the Lions (12-1) in Detroit. These are two of the best teams in the NFL, and this matchup actually features the second-best combined record in an AFC vs. NFC matchup in Week 15 or later since 1970! It goes without saying, but this could be a Super Bowl LIX preview.
This game is such a big deal that “The NFL Today” crew is hitting the road to broadcast live from Ford Field on Sunday morning. So make sure to join Matt Ryan, Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson, James Brown, J.J. Watt and CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones as they put on a show in the Motor City.
The Bills are coming off a deflating 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last Sunday, where Josh Allen’s six total touchdowns weren’t enough for a win. As for the Lions, they received some extra rest after defeating the rival Green Bay Packers on “Thursday Night Football,” 34-31. Dan Campbell rolled the dice and went for it on a fourth-and-1 at the Packers’ 21-yard line with time winding down in the fourth quarter, and successfully kept Jordan Love off the field while Jake Bates hit a game-winning, 35-yard field goal.
Are the Bills or Lions the better team? Who has the better quarterback? The better receivers? Better defense? That’s what we are here to examine. Below, we will take a look at which team has the edge at each position.
QB
Bills: Josh Allen
Lions: Jared Goff
Goff has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL this year, which is why he’s an MVP candidate. He ranks second in completion percentage (72.4%), eighth in passing yards (3,265), fifth in passing touchdowns (25) and second in passer rating (109.1). However, Allen is on a different level.
Allen just became the first quarterback this season to not throw an interception, fumble, be sacked or have any negative plays in consecutive starts. Two weeks ago, Allen became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw a touchdown, rush for a touchdown and catch a touchdown in a game. This past Sunday, he became the first player in NFL history to throw three touchdowns and rush for three touchdowns in a game since Otto Graham did so in the 1954 NFL Championship. He’s the MVP favorite for a reason.
Advantage: Bills
RB
Bills: James Cook
Lions: David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs
No offense to Cook, who is a dynamic dual-threat back that is currently tied for fifth with 11 rushing touchdowns, but the Lions have the best two-headed backfield in the NFL. Gibbs enters this week ranked fourth in rushing yards with 1,016, and has 10 rushing touchdowns, which ranks ninth. Montgomery has 12 rushing touchdowns in 13 games, which is tied for third in the NFL.
Both players are on pace for 1,000 rushing yards, which would make them the first RB duo since DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart in 2009 to rush for 1,000 yards each. Detroit’s backfield is a big reason why this offense is so lethal. Only three teams average more rushing yards per game than the Lions.
Advantage: Lions
WR
Bills: Amari Cooper, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman
Lions: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Tim Patrick
Shakir has been one of the most underrated weapons in the NFL this season, and his 735 receiving yards rank 27th entering Week 15. Cooper and Coleman could also play important roles down the stretch for Buffalo, but we have to give the edge to Amon-Ra and Co.
Detroit owns the No. 4 passing offense in the NFL while Buffalo ranks No. 12. St. Brown’s 863 receiving yards rank 11th in the NFL, and his nine touchdown receptions are tied for second-most in the league. He has also caught 53 passes for first downs, which ranks second in the NFL behind Ja’Marr Chase. Williams is a fun deep threat that can get behind any secondary, and then Patrick caught two touchdowns last week vs. the Packers. Is he an emerging No. 3 weapon who will make this Lions offense even better?
(Fun fact: St. Brown and Shakir rank 1-2 in catch rate this season)
Advantage: Lions
TE
Bills: Dalton Kincaid
Lions: Sam LaPorta
A couple of disappointing Fantasy players this year, but LaPorta and Kincaid are still two tight ends who can hurt any defense. LaPorta’s numbers are down after a historic rookie season in which he caught 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s caught 36 passes for 445 yards, which ranks 15th among all tight ends, to go along with five touchdowns. Kincaid on the other hand has caught 34 passes for 356 yards and two touchdowns. Both players are averaging less than 40 yards per game.
Advantage: Lions
OL
Bills: Dion Dawkins, David Edwards, Connor McGovern, O’Cyrus Torrence, Spencer Brown
Lions: Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow, Frank Ragnow, Kevin Zeitler, Penei Sewell
Both teams feature some good tackles with Dawkins and Brown holding down the edges for Allen, and Decker plus Sewell keeping Goff upright. However, the Lions are more elite than the Bills on the inside with Glasgow, Ragnow and Zeitler. PFF ranks the Lions offensive line the No. 2 unit entering this week. Buffalo comes in at No. 5.
Advantage: Lions
DL
Bills: Greg Rousseau, DaQuan Jones, Ed Oliver, A.J. Epenesa
Lions: Za’Darius Smith, DJ Reader, Alim McNeill, Josh Paschal
The Lions defensive line should be back healthy this week after missing Reader, Paschal and Levi Onwuzurike last week. The Lions and Bills are two teams that don’t record many sacks. Aidan Hutchinson is still the Lions’ sack leader with 7.5 QB takedowns, while Rousseau leads Buffalo with 6.5 sacks. However, Smith has three sacks for Detroit in his four games played after being dealt from the Cleveland Browns.
When it comes to the interior, the Lions have the edge. McNeill is still one of the more underrated players in this league, while Bills fans are worried about Jones and Oliver.
Advantage: Lions
LB
Bills: Terrel Bernard, Matt Milano
Lions: Jack Campbell, David Long Jr./Kwon Alexander
Two decent linebacking units here, but one is getting healthier while the other has a couple of starters on injured reserve. Former All-Pro Milano is back in the lineup for Buffalo, while Derrick Barnes (knee), Alex Anzalone (arm) and Malcolm Rodriguez (knee) are on injured reserve for Detroit. Campbell has without a doubt been great for the Lions, but this unit would be better with everyone healthy.
Most football fans know Milano, but Bernard is a good player as well. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 11 after recording eight tackles, one sack and the game-winning interception vs. Patrick Mahomes‘ Kansas City Chiefs.
Advantage: Bills
CB
Bills: Rasul Douglas, Christian Benford, Taron Johnson
Lions: Carlton Davis, Terrion Arnold
Davis was a necessary addition for Detroit, but give me the Bills cornerback room over the Lions’ unit. Douglas was a great pickup for Buffalo at the trade deadline last year, but he’s unfortunately dealing with a knee injury. Then there’s Benford, who is actually PFF’s No. 4-ranked cornerback this season. Just Patrick Surtain II and Marlon Humphrey have better cover grades than him. Johnson on the other hand is a well-known feisty nickel corner who is a leader for this group. Even though Puka Nacua and Cooper Rush ran wild last Sunday, I’ll still take the Bills cornerbacks.
Advantage: Bills
S
Bills: Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin
Lions: Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph
PFF grades both Joseph (91.0) and Branch (81.2) as top five safeties this year. No other team can say they have two safeties graded in the top five. Joseph has seven interceptions this season, which is tied with Xavier McKinney for most in the NFL. Those seven picks are also the most by a Lion since Darius Slay in 2017. The versatile Branch has picked off four passes this season, which is tied for sixth in the NFL.
The Bills’ safeties on the other hand are banged up. Both Hamlin AND Rapp missed practice Thursday.
Advantage: Lions
K
Bills: Tyler Bass
Lions: Jake Bates
UFL legend Bates has made three game-winning kicks in the final 30 seconds this season for the Lions, and his 95.5% field goal percentage is tied for first in the NFL among kickers who have attempted at least 12 field goals. Bass on the other hand has hit on 82.6% of his field goals (tied for 22nd), and has missed four extra points. No kicker has missed more extra points than Bass this season.
Advantage: Lions
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Author: Jordan Dajani
December 13, 2024 | 11:05 am
