Jahmyr Gibbs rushes for 114 yards as Detroit Lions defeat Buffalo Bills 26-7 in Week 2

Orchard Park, NY - Jahmyr Gibbs supplied 114 rushing yards and a touchdown, Jared Goff threw two scoring passes and the Detroit Lions defeated the Buffalo Bills 26-7 in Week 2.

Detroit paired an efficient passing performance with a defense that recorded six sacks and two interceptions. That combination stood out in a game where Buffalo finished with narrow advantages in first downs and offensive yards but managed only one touchdown.

Goff completed 20 of 24 passes for 196 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, finishing with a 111.1 passer rating. His 83.3% completion rate offered a sharp contrast to Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen, who went 20 of 38 for 243 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Allen finished with a 59.4 rating.

"I liked how consistently we were able to complete the ball," Goff said. "There are still things to clean up, especially with the turnover, but finishing every red-zone trip with points is something we can build on."

All five of Detroit's red-zone appearances ended in scores, with the Lions producing three touchdowns and two field goals. Buffalo reached the red zone three times, scoring one touchdown and no field goals. The Bills also went 2-for-6 on fourth down, while Detroit converted its only fourth-down attempt.

Gibbs handled 24 carries, averaged 4.8 yards per attempt and broke a 20-yard run. He also caught four passes for 11 yards and a touchdown, giving him scores as both a runner and receiver. Jameson Williams added a touchdown reception, while Amon-Ra St. Brown led Detroit's receivers with five catches for 76 yards. St. Brown's longest reception covered 34 yards, the longest completion of Goff's day.

"The number of touches tells you they trusted me to keep working," Gibbs said. "I wanted to be productive in both parts of the offense. Getting into the end zone as a runner and a receiver feels good, but the result is what matters."

The Lions finished with 292 offensive yards, including 178 passing yards and 114 rushing yards. They moved the chains on half of their third-down attempts, converting 6 of 12, and recorded 17 first downs.

Buffalo's aggregate numbers were slightly higher in several categories. The Bills had 301 offensive yards, 18 first downs and 194 passing yards, and they rushed for 107 yards. Their 6-for-15 showing on third down was a lower conversion rate than Detroit's, while their four failed fourth-down attempts formed another notable statistical contrast.

Detroit's defense complemented those efficiency gaps with its six sacks and two takeaways. Jack Campbell recorded an interception, returned it 50 yards and added three pass deflections. Marshon Lattimore had the other interception and two pass deflections.

"When the ball is there, you have to finish the play," Campbell said. "We got two interceptions as a defense, and the pass rush finished with six sacks. That's the kind of production we expect from the whole group."

Allen still accounted for 271 yards between his passing and rushing production. He ran three times for 28 yards, with a long gain of 15, but his two interceptions accompanied a completion rate of 52.6%. Joshua Palmer caught three passes for 54 yards and Buffalo's touchdown, including a 26-yard reception. Dalton Kincaid led the Bills with five catches and finished with 41 receiving yards.

"We had some yardage, but we finished with seven points, and that's not enough," Allen said. "I have to be more accurate and take better care of the football. The two interceptions are on me, and we have to be better on fourth down and in the red zone."

The final margin was considerably wider than the nine-yard difference in offensive production. Buffalo collected one more first down and nine more offensive yards, but Detroit finished with the better quarterback rating, the stronger red-zone line and a two-to-one advantage in defensive interceptions. The Lions also recorded two more sacks than the Bills, who finished with four.

For Detroit, the 26-7 result featured balance from its leading offensive contributors: Goff completed all but four of his throws, Gibbs reached 100 rushing yards and scored twice, and St. Brown averaged 15.2 yards per catch. Buffalo leaves Week 2 with the task of turning its yardage and first-down production into more points.

Up Next

The Detroit Lions return home in Week 3 to face the New York Jets as they look to follow up the victory. The Buffalo Bills remain home and will try to rebound against the Los Angeles Chargers.