NFL Recap | September 17, 2026
The $2.1 billion building got the party it was sold as. Buffalo's new Highmark Stadium opened with a 72-point shootout, Josh Allen accounting for five touchdowns, and Jared Goff shredding a Lions offensive line that was never the problem — Detroit's patchwork front held up fine, its defense just couldn't get Allen off the field. Below: how the new stadium's first game got out of hand, the star and dud of the night, and how our preview calls graded out.
Highmark Stadium Opens With a Shootout
Detroit Lions 31 @ Buffalo Bills 41 | Final
Buffalo scored on its first three possessions and never trailed, going up 21-0 in the second quarter before Detroit found its footing. Josh Allen was the story from the opening snap: a 1-yard rushing touchdown, a 43-yard strike to Josh Palmer, a short toss to Dalton Kincaid from 16 yards out, and a scrambling score in the third quarter gave him five total touchdowns — three through the air, two on the ground — on a night his line protecting him allowed just two sacks.
Detroit never stopped scoring either, just never caught up. Jared Goff carved up Buffalo's defense for 327 yards and four touchdowns on 26-of-38 passing with no interceptions, a 130.0 rating that would have won most nights — Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown (twice), and Sam LaPorta all found the end zone. But the Lions' offensive line, down three projected starters coming in, held up better through the air than it did on the ground: Detroit managed just 66 rushing yards on 20 carries, a 3.3 average that kept Gibbs from repeating his Week 1 breakout and left Goff playing from behind all night.
Buffalo finished with 446 total yards and zero turnovers, James Cook added a short touchdown run of his own late in the fourth, and the building's first regular-season game delivered the highest-scoring night of the young season — 72 combined points, with neither defense able to get a stop when it mattered.
STAR OF THE NIGHT
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo — 20-of-31 for 248 yards and three passing touchdowns, plus two more on the ground, for five total touchdowns and zero turnovers in the new stadium's debut.
DUD OF THE NIGHT
Detroit's run game — 66 yards on 20 carries behind a line missing three projected starters, which kept Jahmyr Gibbs from ever threatening his Week 1 breakout and left Goff playing catch-up from the opening drive.
Tracking Our Calls
Our preview of this game took Buffalo -4.5 and the Over 54.5. Here's how each call graded out against the final.
Buffalo -4.5 — Hit. The Bills won by 10, comfortably inside the number.
Over 54.5 — Hit. The teams combined for 72 points, clearing the total with room to spare.
Season to date: Spread 9-8, O/U 9-8.
Week 2's full slate arrives Sunday. Our preview coverage returns with the matchups, the lines, and both calls before kickoff.