Bills defeat Lions 41-31 in debut of new Highmark Stadium
September 18, 2026 at 05:01 AM · Updated 28d ago
Coverage
9 reports · over 7 hours
NFL: Josh Allen leads Buffalo Bills to victory in first game at Highmark Stadium
(opens the publisher’s site)
Emotional All-Pro LB Campbell shoulders blame after Lions fail to contain Bills
(opens the publisher’s site)
'That place was electric': Bills marvel at new stadium after 41-point night
(opens the publisher’s site)
Josh Allen shines again as Bills celebrate new home with slugfest victory over Lions
(opens the publisher’s site)
Bills open new stadium with impressive performance over Lions
(opens the publisher’s site)
Lions rule out DB Avonte Maddox vs. Bills with foot injury
(opens the publisher’s site)
Bills rule out D.J. Moore after WR suffers shoulder injury
(opens the publisher’s site)
Follow live: Josh Allen leads Bills vs. Lions at Highmark Stadium
(opens the publisher’s site)
Bills' top DT Oliver inactive after suffering hip injury in warmups
(opens the publisher’s site)Josh Allen accounted for five touchdowns and the Buffalo Bills beat the Detroit Lions 41-31 on Thursday in the first regular-season game at the newly opened Highmark Stadium.
- The Bills raced to a 21-0 lead and won 41-31 in the first regular-season game at the $2.1bn Highmark Stadium, which opened last month.
- Allen threw three touchdown passes and ran for two scores, recording the stadium's first regular-season touchdown on a one-yard run.
- Running back James Cook rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown for Buffalo.
- Lions quarterback Jared Goff completed 26 of 38 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns as Detroit fell to 1-1.
- Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver was a surprise inactive after injuring his hip during pre-game warm-ups.
- Wide receiver DJ Moore was ruled out with a shoulder injury after a hard landing in the end zone late in the second quarter.
- Lions defensive back Avonte Maddox was ruled out for the rest of the game after injuring his foot in a second-quarter collision with teammate Chuck Clark.
- Maddox was carted to the locker room, further depleting a Detroit secondary already missing safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph.
- The Bills' 41 points were the most scored in a team's home stadium debut since 1987, before a crowd of over 60,000.
- Buffalo improved to 2-0 under head coach Joe Brady, the first coach in franchise history to win his first two games.
- Lions All-Pro linebacker Jack Campbell fought back tears and took full blame for the defense's performance in the 41-31 loss to Buffalo.
- Barenaked Ladies performed the Canadian anthem before kickoff as the Bills honored their Canadian fans amid rising tensions between the two countries.