The Buffalo Payments earned an enormous win tonight, placing up 21 factors early within the sport earlier than outlasting the Detroit Lions in a 41-31 victory. What higher technique to open the group’s new stadium than with an enormous victory over a stable NFC foe?
Buffalo was in management proper from the beginning, opening the scoring with a landing on their first drive. After forcing Detroit to punt on its first possession, the Payments scored once more they usually had been off to the races. The Lions wouldn’t go down quietly, however when the clock hit triple-zero, Buffalo had the ball and the win, and the 2-0 begin to the season.
A lot of tonight got here up aces, however there have been some negatives regardless of the massive win. Right here is our inventory report for the night—be happy to depart your strategies within the feedback beneath!
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Horns Up: Josh Allen
One other sport, one other improbable effort for Buffalo’s MVP. Allen began the sport utilizing his legs, working for 40 yards on a drive that ended together with his one-yard landing rush. Allen added not one, not two, however three first half landing passes, as nicely, hitting Joshua Palmer for a 43-yard strike, Dawson Knox for a one-yard rating, and Dalton Kincaid for a 16-yard rating. As soon as once more, Allen was environment friendly, however he didn’t worry pushing the ball downfield in opposition to a depleted Detroit secondary. Within the second half, he stored the stress on the Lions, main scoring drives of 75 and 61 yards to seal the win. General, Allen completed the night time with 5 touchdowns general—three passing and two dashing. He accomplished 20-of-31 passes for 248 yards, including 72 dashing yards on 11 carries.
Horns Up: James Cook dinner III
It was an enormous first half for the NFL’s 2025 main rusher. Cook dinner totaled 101 dashing yards within the first half of motion, and his finest drive got here at an important time of the primary half for Buffalo. After ceding a rating to Detroit, which made the rating 21-7, Cook dinner gashed the Lions protection on the primary three performs of the following drive. He ran for 20 yards, 35 yards, and 6 yards on the primary three performs of the drive, bringing the Payments all the best way to the Detroit 13-yard line. One penalty and one play later, Allen discovered Kincaid to offer the Payments a 27-7 benefit and the right reply to an opponent’s scoring drive. Cook dinner had alternatives within the second half, as nicely, and he added a dashing landing of his personal to punctuate the victory within the fourth quarter. He completed with 20 carries for 134 yards and a rating. He additionally caught one cross for 4 yards.
Horns Up: Dalton Kincaid
As soon as once more, the massive tight finish had an enormous day. He was open in area by design, however he additionally has proven a knack for locating the fitting area in opposition to zone protection, and with DJ Moore taking place with an harm within the first half, it cleared the best way for Kincaid to step up and lead the group in receiving. Effectively, perhaps that’s not truthful—he led the group in receiving final week, too—however with out Moore to open issues up for him, he nonetheless discovered area. If Kincaid can keep wholesome all season, look out. That breakout we’ve hoped for may be upon us. He even appeared nice as a blocker, constructing on a robust sport in opposition to the Texans to indicate that he has mastered what was one of many larger holes in his sport. Certain, it’s early, however Kincaid seems each bit the elite tight finish Buffalo assumed they drafted within the first spherical of the 2023 NFL Draft. He had seven catches for 95 yards, narrowly lacking a second-straight 100-yard receiving day.
Horns Down: Go Protection
I feel that there are layers to this, so forgive me for nit-picking right here. However, the protection and the cross rush aren’t constantly marrying proper now. That’s cheap on condition that we’ve solely seen two video games in 5 days beneath new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. Nonetheless, there have been considerations coming into the 12 months that the Payments’ personnel didn’t essentially match the extra man-heavy, pressure-oriented seems Leonhard needs to make the most of, and thru two video games, a few of these fears are coming to fruition. When Buffalo blitzes, there are too many openings and rushers aren’t getting residence. After they don’t blitz, the entrance 4 is struggling to create constant stress. There are flashes of fine, sufficient the place I feel it’s going to be nice. However, for now, there may be positively room for enchancment.
Horns Down: CJ Gardner-Johnson
I observed Cole Bishop. I observed Jordan Hancock. I observed Damar Hamlin, too. I didn’t actually see Gardner-Johnson a lot in protection, nor did I see him a lot in run help. The defensive secondary basically hasn’t been nice, however the security play has been very hit-or-miss via two video games. Gardner-Johnson had only one deal with within the sport, and whereas he is an effective veteran presence, he must make some performs on the ball to really be an enchancment over what the Payments had there final season.
Horns Up: Disappointing Former Draft Picks
Keon Coleman noticed six targets, and he caught all of them for 63 yards. DeWayne Carter made some performs within the run sport, and he even appeared spry on just a few cross rush reps. Each gamers noticed extra time tonight due to accidents, as Coleman seemingly performed extra due to DJ Moore’s harm, and Carter stepped up when Ed Oliver went down with a hip harm suffered throughout warmups. Frankly, this may need been the very best exhibiting of Carter’s younger profession, and after lacking all of final season as a result of a torn Achilles, it was good to see the Duke product step up. Neither Coleman nor Carter must be a star for this to be a profitable 12 months for the Payments, but when they’ll put collectively stable outings like they did tonight, they may turn into a part of a reliable depth squad for a group with immense potential. Tonight was a very good signal for each gamers, and in flip, it was a very good signal for the Payments general.
Horns Down: The Damage Bug
Ed Oliver hurting his hip in warmups? Not nice. DJ Moore hurting his shoulder through the sport? Actually not nice. This stuff are inevitable, however they’re nonetheless not what anybody needs to see. Buffalo has ten days to relaxation earlier than taking part in its subsequent sport in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers. Hopefully, these ten days let the Payments see some higher well being earlier than an enormous AFC matchup.
Horns Down: Landon Jackson
After some encouraging reps on Sunday, Jackson was bullied for a lot of the night. He did handle two tackles, however he was additionally referred to as for a tripping penalty late within the first half that gave the Lions a simple subject purpose earlier than the half got here to an in depth. Whereas DeWayne Carter appeared to spice up his inventory tonight, Jackson appeared mediocre at finest.
Horns Unclear: You Make the Name
What do we expect, pals? On a brief week, we couldn’t provide you with some higher branding, however I’m nonetheless open to strategies concerning the identify of the column and nominees for our fill up and inventory down tonight. With apologies to the one that prompt simply calling it “fill up/inventory down” (I can’t keep in mind offhand who it was), I simply needed to say that I initially leaned that method too. We will yell at clouds collectively.
Go Payments!
