The Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions had a barnburner at Ford Field in Detroit. Buffalo prevailed 48-42 in a game that might have sealed the MVP for quarterback Josh Allen. Our Bills vs Lions recap examines how the game might impact the entire league and why this would be an ideal Super Bowl rematch.
Josh Allen Carries the Bills
Allen did not need any more MVP bona fides before the game. This game might have clinched the award. One week after scoring three rushing touchdowns and throwing for another three in a loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Allen ran for two and threw for two against Detroit. He had a 122.4 passer rating and did not throw an interception.
Allen had a superlative performance. But Lions quarterback Jared Goff presented his MVP case by throwing for five touchdowns and accruing nearly 500 yards through the air.
Buffalo should be happy about the win, but this is the second consecutive week they’ve surrendered 42+ points. While it is certainly exciting for the fans to have such high-scoring affairs, it is neither good for the team’s postseason prospects nor for the coaches’ overall health to have these games every week.
Dan Campbell’s Onside Kick Decision
Lions head coach Dan Campbell is a gambler. He’s shown it at every point in his coaching career and refuses to play it safe or be conventional even when it is wise. Campbell aggressively tried an onside kick trailing by 10 with 12 minutes remaining in the game. It might have made sense under the NFL‘s old rules.
However, under the current rules, teams must declare their intention to do it and it must be in the fourth quarter. It wasn’t a mistake because it failed. It was a mistake because it was a terrible idea.
To his credit, Campbell admitted his mistake and said he wished he hadn’t done it.
But that doesn’t mean he won’t do something similarly crazy in the future. He’s a “think it, do it” guy, meaning if an idea pops into his head, he acts first and thinks later.
In the past, teams could use the onside kick as a surprise tactic and catch the opponent napping. Hall of Fame Steelers head coach Bill Cowher did it in Super Bowl XXX against the Cowboys and it worked, though they lost the game. The rule is likely one-and-done, but that doesn’t help the Lions now.
This Game Upends the League
Detroit is 12-2 after the loss. They are now tied with Philadelphia for the best record in the NFC. If Minnesota wins its Monday Night Football game against Chicago, they will raise their record to 12-2.
The NFL’s tiebreaking procedures are labyrinthian, so Detroit needs to fight for the top seed, the first-round bye, and home-field advantage through the NFC Championship Game.
Buffalo is 11-3. They are unlikely to catch the 13-1 Chiefs, but they are now a game ahead of Pittsburgh, so they should be able to grab the second seed. If Kansas City loses in the Divisional Round, Buffalo would play the AFC Championship Game at home, if they get that far…
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