The Detroit Lions welcome the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon. Billed as the ‘Game of the Year,’ it is the biggest game of Detroit’s season so far. Here is everything you need to know before this one.
When and Where Is This Game?
The Detroit Lions play their third consecutive home game at Ford Field. CBS will broadcast the game, with their A team of Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson on the call. Kick-off is at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Lions will wear their black ‘Motor City Muscle’ uniforms for this matchup.
Form Guide
The Detroit Lions roll into this game following their 34-31 Week 14 win over the Green Bay Packers. The Bills lost a 44-42 shootout to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 14. Quarterback Josh Allen recorded six touchdowns in a stunning performance.
Injury Report
The banged-up Lions have used the mini-bye to get key players back to fitness. Dan Campbell confirmed that Levi Onwuzurike, DJ Reader, Taylor Decker and Josh Paschal will all return to the line-up. Trevor Nowaske is the only player the Lions have ruled out due to a concussion.
At Buffalo’s Friday practice, defensive backs Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin, and defensive end Casey Toohill were limited participants and are officially questionable. Veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas is out. Standout rookie wideout Keon Coleman is due to return to the team following his injury-related absence.
Betting Odds
Per FanDuel Sportsbook, the Lions start as 2.5-point favorites.
What They Have Said
Snow disrupted Buffalo’s practice schedule, but Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is not reading too much into it:
“I don’t put anything into that. I think one day in Covid, I don’t even know if we practised at New Orleans one week, and we went out and put up 30. I don’t know what that was, but no, I put nothing into that. That team’ll be ready. So all good.”
Bills head coach Sean McDermott was in a competitive mood at his pre-game press conference:
“It’s certainly what I subscribe to. But within that is you better bring your heart, you better bring your guts, you better put it on the line, you better give max effort, you better put it on the line… It’s the approach, the preparation, and the mindset that has always been the mindset of ‘this is football.’ You’ve got to bring it every day, every week.”