Buffalo Bills beat Detroit Lions 41-31 in first match at Highmark Stadium as Josh Allen stars again
The Bills christened their $2.1bn Highmark Stadium with an impressive win over the Lions; Star quarterback Josh Allen starred once more with his fourth career five-touchdown performance; watch Week Two of the NFL season on Sky Sports, with five matches live on Sunday
Friday 18 September 2026 06:39, UK
Josh Allen quickly put his stamp on the Buffalo Bills' new Highmark Stadium as he threw three touchdown passes and ran for two scores as the Bills beat the Detroit Lions 41-31 on Thursday night.
It was Allen's fourth career five-TD outing, and followed a four-touchdown outing (two passing, two rushing) in Buffalo's 36-31 season-opening win at Houston.
The $2.1bn stadium that officially opened last month was built across the street from the Bills' former home.
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Allen followed the pre-game fireworks celebration with more fireworks of his own by overseeing touchdown drives on each of Buffalo's first four possessions.
He scored the first regular-season TD in the stadium on a 1-yard run 5:51 into the opening quarter. He followed that with a 43-yard scoring pass to a wide-open Josh Palmer. Tight ends Dalton Kincaid, with a 16-yard catch, and Dawson Knox, with a 1-yarder, also scored for Buffalo in the first half.
Allen finished 20 of 31 for 248 yards, and added 72 yards rushing. James Cook had 134 yards rushing and put the game away with a 1-yard TD run with 2:50 left.
Allen's two rushing TDs upped his career total to 83, moving him into a tie for 18th on the NFL list with Jim Taylor. He also picked up his 90th regular-season victory, in becoming one of just four quarterbacks to reach that milestone through their first nine seasons.
The Lions were undone by an injury depleted defense, and a banged-up offensive line that had difficulty opening holes for Jahmyr Gibbs and protecting Jared Goff.
After rallying from a 21-0 deficit to cut Buffalo's lead to 34-24, the Lions offense stalled midway through the fourth quarter. Backed up at their own 10, the Lions went three-and-out and forced to punt after Goff had two passes tipped by Deone Walker, and Gibbs was stopped for no gain.
Goff finished 26 of 38 for 327 yards and four touchdowns, with Amon-Ra St. Brown having nine catches for 142 yards and two scores. Gibbs also scored on an 11-yard catch but was limited to 52 yards rushing. Sam LaPorta also scored on a 1-yard catch.
St. Brown and Gibbs have now scored in the same game 22 times to move into a tie for fourth place in matching the Cleveland receiver/running back combo of Paul Warfield and Leroy Kelly.
The Lions' defense got off to a dreadful start in allowing Bills to score 27 points and gain 299 yards in the first half alone.
The struggles carried over from a season-opening 31-30 overtime win over New Orleans, in which the Saints rallied from a 21-0 first-half deficit and lost only after their 2-point conversion failed in overtime.
The Lions troubles began on Buffalo's second drive when two defenders converged on DJ Moore in the flats and allowing Allen to find Palmer wide open deep for a 43-yard touchdowns. On Buffalo's next drive, a holding penalty against Rock Ya-Sin, negated Skyler Gill-Howard's interception of a tipped pass.
The Lions' offense had its own sputters, with Goff sacked twice and also having a snap go over his head on Detroit's first two series.
Remaining Week 2 fixtures
Sunday September 20
- Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons - 6pm
- New Orleans Saints @ Baltimore Ravens - 6pm
- Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears - 6pm - LIVE on Sky Sports NFL
- Cincinnati Bengals @ Houston Texans - 6pm
- Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots - 6pm - LIVE on Sky Sports Football
- Green Bay Packers @ New York Jets - 6pm
- Cleveland Browns @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 6pm
- Philadelphia Eagles @ Tennessee Titans - 6pm
- Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos - 9.05pm - LIVE on Sky Sports NFL & Sky Sports Main Event
- Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers - 9.05pm
- Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals - 9.25pm - LIVE on Sky Sports + (stream)
- Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys - 9.25pm - LIVE on Sky Sports Football
- Miami Dolphins @ San Francisco 49ers - 9.25pm
Monday September 21
- Indianapolis Colts @ Kansas City Chiefs - 1.20am - LIVE on Sky Sports NFL & Sky Sports Main Event
Tuesday September 22
- New York Giants @ Los Angeles Rams - 1.15am - LIVE on Sky Sports NFL & Sky Sports Main Event
Watch the 2026 NFL season live on Sky Sports, including every minute of the playoffs and Super Bowl LXI on Sunday February 14, 2027. Get Sky Sports or stream contract-free with NOW.
