Bills beat Lions 28-25 for 2nd victory in 5 days at Ford Field
DETROIT — The Buffalo Bills crashed Detroit’s Thanksgiving party, making themselves at home for their second victory in five days at Ford Field.
Tyler Bass made a tiebreaking 45-yard field goal with 2 seconds left after missing an extra point late in the fourth quarter, lifting Buffalo to a 2825 win over Detroit on Thursday.
“It was very deja vu-ish,” said Josh Allen, who set up the game-winning kick by starting the drive with a 36-yard pass to Stefon Diggs and running twice for 12 yards. Allen led the Bills with 78 rushing yards.
The Bills were back in the Motor City after the NFL moved their previous home game against Cleveland because a winter storm dumped several feet of snow in western New York.
Buffalo became the third NFL team to play two games in five or fewer days on the road in the same stadium, and the first to win both.
And the Bills equaled the number of wins Detroit has this season at its indoor stadium.
Buffalo (8-3) has won two straight — after losing two in a row — to move a half-game ahead of Miami in the AFC East.
After Bass made the gamewinning kick, Allen and Diggs embraced on the sideline.
“Let’s get back to having fun again,” Diggs recalled telling Allen after making eight catches for 77 yards and a score. “We got away from that a little bit.”
Allen threw a go-ahead, 5yard touchdown pass to Diggs with 2:40 left, but Bass missed the extra point to make it 25-22 after the kicker matched his and the franchise record with six field goals in an eight-point win over the Browns on Sunday.
Allen had a passing and rushing touchdown in the first half, finishing 24 of 42 for 253 yards to more than make up for throwing his 11th interception of the season. He has accounted for 162 touchdowns, trailing only Hall of Famer Dan Marino’s total of 171 for the most by an NFL player in his first five seasons.
The Lions converted fourthand-1 from midfield with Amon-Ra St. Brown’s 7-yard end-around to set up Michael Badgley’s game-tying, 51yard field goal with 23 seconds to go. Badgley missed a 29yard field goal late in the third and Jared Goff was sacked by Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver for a safety in the same quarter, and those mistakes proved to be costly.
Oliver also forced and recovered a fumble in the first half.
Detroit (4-7) missed an opportunity to win four straight games for the first time since 2016 and lost a franchiserecord sixth straight game on Thanksgiving.
“I told them this one should sting,” coach Dan Campbell said. “We had a chance to win and we didn’t make it, but I don’t think this was a step backward. I’m frustrated, but we’re getting better. “
Bills edge rusher Von Miller (right knee) and left tackle Dion Dawkins (knee) left the game with injuries, and coach Sean McDermott said he didn’t have an update on their status.
Buffalo 7 10 2 9—28 Detroit 7 7 0 11—25
First Quarter Det—Jama.Williams 2 run (Badgley kick), 6:44.
Buf—McKenzie 19 pass from Allen (Bass kick), 1:58.
Second Quarter
Buf—Allen 3 run (Bass kick), 7:55.
Det—St. Brown 1 pass from Goff (Badgley kick), 1:52.
Buf—FG Bass 47, :00.
Third Quarter
Buf—safety, 9:05.
Fourth Quarter
Det—Chark 1 pass from Goff (Swift run), 13:47.
Buf—Diggs 5 pass from Allen (kick failed), 2:40.
Det—FG Badgley 51, :23.
Buf—FG Bass 45, :02.
A—66,553.
Buf Det
First downs 28 22
Total Net Yards 401 326 Rushes-yards 29-164 28-96
Passing 237 230
Punt Returns 0-0 2-54
Kickoff Returns 1-26 4-80 Interceptions Ret. 0-0 1-4 Comp-Att-Int 24-42-1 23-37-0 Sacked-Yards Lost 3-16 2-10
Punts 4-49.25 2-51.5 Fumbles-Lost 1-0 4-2 Penalties-Yards 5-36 3-32
Time of Possession 31:26 28:34
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING—Buffalo, Allen 10-78, Singletary 14-72, McKenzie 2-7, Cook 2-4, Hines 1-3. Detroit, Jama.Williams 18-66, Swift 5-19, St. Brown 1-7, Ju.Jackson 4-4.
PASSING—Buffalo, Allen 24-42-1-253. Detroit, Goff 23-37-0-240.
RECEIVING—Buffalo, Diggs 8-77, McKenzie 6-96, Davis 4-38, Knox 2-17, Cook 2-14, Singletary 1-8, Morris 1-3. Detroit, St. Brown 9122, Raymond 4-35, Swift 4-24, Chark 2-16, Wright 2-6, Mitchell 1-22, Ju.Jackson 1-15.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—Detroit, Badgley 29.