Bills @ Lions
Final Score: Bills 48 – Lions 42
Writer: Brendan Boe (@BeeBoeFF on Twitter)
With 12 total touchdowns and well over 1,000 total yards, this was the highest-scoring game of the 2024 season, usurping the Bills 44-42 game from last week! It was an epic battle between two favorites to make the Superbowl as two juggernaut offenses went toe-to-toe, with the Bills ending the Lion’s 11-game win streak. Josh Allen has been playing incredible football and showcased another reason why he is a clear frontrunner for MVP as he boasted 2 touchdowns through the air and 2 more on the ground – but also respect to Jared Goff’s brilliant performance as he had nearly 500 yards and 5 touchdowns on the day. The game came down to an intense scrum on an onside kick where it was unclear who got possession, but closer review revealed the Bills put a pin in this one, despite a good minute of uncertainty and tension that capped off this stellar matchup with a dramatic conclusion.
Heads-up Seven Up
- Josh Allen – Potential MVP doing MVP things, but this time they won! 4 touchdowns and over 300 yards through the air, plus utilizing his dual threat capabilities as he rushed 11 times for 68 yards. This guy is such a beast.
- Jared Goff – With the ground game being stifled, Goff threw over and over again, racking up massive numbers through the air and putting the team on his shoulders as he connected all over the field with his top guys.
- Amon-Ra St. Brown – Until the 4th quarter, he was the entire receiving offense with well over 100 yards, and by the end of the game, he had amassed nearly 200. His presence was vital to keep the Lions in this contest.
- James Cook – Highly efficient on the ground and 2 scores, including a glorious 41-yard touchdown with half the defense on his tail. He had an incredible bounce back after last week’s dud, proving he’s still a top option at the position.
- Jahmyr Gibbs – The ground game was shut down, but that didn’t stop Gibbs from getting a touchdown on the ground. His real damage was through the air as he turned 7 targets into 80+ yards and another score.
- Ty Johnson – 5 targets, 5 catches, over 100 yards through the air, he was the leading receiver by a wide margin as he was relied on time and time again for deep plays, taking advantage of soft zone coverage.
- Sam LaPorta – Second in the pecking order, LaPorta passed 100 yards with 10 targets – his presence was felt the most later in the game as he made back-to-back 10+ yard plays multiple times, accruing a great stat line quickly.
Two Down
- Amari Cooper – Yes, he was in the game. Allegedly. Nah, I saw him, but I guess Josh Allen didn’t because not a single ball was thrown his way. Utterly disappointing that he didn’t even get a chance to make anything happen.
- David Montgomery – I’m surprised to see him here too! He’s been on a tear all year with double-digit fantasy points in almost every game this season. Their ground game struggled all day – highly uncharacteristic of the Lions.
Buffalo Bills
Quarterback
Josh Allen: 23/34, 362 Yards, 2 TD, 0 INT | 11 Carries, 68 Yards, 2 TD
The front-runner for the 2024 MVP made another compelling case for why he deserves the consideration. Josh Allen is having the best season of his career, which says a lot because this dude has been a top-2 quarterback since 2020. The last 3 games have been off the charts, and this one was no exception as he tacked on 2 more rushing touchdowns, threw for another 2, and this time they won the game! Allen was given significant time to make reads, moved around in the pocket, and strategically avoided intense pressure to make amazing plays downfield on what would’ve otherwise been dead plays for any other quarterback. If he couldn’t find anybody after being given several seconds to throw, he would just use his legs to get 10+ yard chunk plays whenever he needed to. What’s more, he made it look so effortless. He continuously tricked the defense with fake handoffs that resulted in either designed runs or wide-open receivers making big plays – particularly Ty Johnson, who only caught deep passes all game. Alas, one of his most jaw-dropping plays was called back due to offensive holding: he escaped pressure (somehow), pump-faked, then shoveled a pass 10 yards for a brilliant touchdown. It’s really a shame; it was totally worthy of a highlight. If it isn’t already clear enough, I’ll just say it point-blank… Josh Allen is REALLY good at football, and I would be shocked if he wasn’t the MVP.
Running Back
James Cook: 14 Carries, 105 Yards, 2 TD | 1 Catch, 28 Yards
Facing an elite Lions rush defense, James Cook put up a remarkable 7.5 average yards per carry! Even with his big play removed, he would still be at nearly 5 yards per carry; but screw hypotheticals, this guy balled out on a much-needed bounce back from last week’s stinker of a stat line. His first impactful play was early on when he found space between defenders, and Josh Allen found him downfield for a 28-yard gain near the edge. The team had great blocking and opened up lanes for him, and his involvement with misdirections added extra yardage as they took advantage of open spaces, with his first touchdown being a 4-yard walk-in at the goal line. His highlight play was at the beginning of the second half: he made a run to the left, then cut back to the right, where he rushed forward under heavy pursuit and nearly had his hair pulled in the process, making it downfield for a huge 41-yard touchdown run. This is his 4th game with 2 rushing touchdowns, and he now has 13 scores on the ground this season!
Ty Johnson: 2 Carries, 9 Yards | 5 Catches, 114 Yards
Facing the Lions team that initially drafted him, Ty Johnson was a major threat in the passing attack as he got 100+ yards through the air for the first time in his career. His shortest reception was 19 yards! Josh Allen trusted him downfield, and time and time again, he would find ways to make Johnson into a deep threat, regardless of the intensity of coverage on him. The catches he made were excellent, too, with his first one being an over-the-shoulder catch in man coverage, making the completion in a tight window and powering forward for 35 yards. He later made a diving catch in the middle of the field that not only saved Allen from being sacked but also tacked 24 yards onto the drive. The Bills have identified a valuable role for Johnson in the receiving game, and he’s shining more than ever before.
Ray Davis: 7 Carries, 15 Yards | 2 Catches, 14 Yards, TD
So Ray Davis caught a 5-yard touchdown on broken coverage – it was well-designed and added to the lead that the Bills already insisted on in this contest. That’s all the credit I can give here because 2.1 average yards per carry is pretty gross. You could make the excuse that the Lions’ run defense is that good, but it didn’t seem to be a problem for James Cook, who was more efficient than usual.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Khalil Shakir: 6 Catches, 39 Yards, TD
Tied with Dalton Kincaid for the most targets (7), Khalil Shakir was one of the more involved receivers in the Bills’ offense despite only having 39 yards on the day. He did have a deep end-zone target, but the ball bounced off his chest on a perfectly timed defensive play that was somehow not called pass interference. His touchdown came on a sneaky play-action where Josh Allen gave a shovel pass at the 3-yard line for the score, highlighting another example of how the Bill’s trickery outmatched the Lion’s defense. Shakir has had at least 7 targets over the last 8 games, and this is his second week in a row with a touchdown reception.
Dalton Kincaid: 4 Catches, 53 Yards
Coming back from an injury that kept him sidelined for 3 games, Dalton Kincaid started quietly – but some later involvement padded his stats quite well. His highlight catch was a perfect intermediate pass from Josh Allen that was pulled in for a gain of 29 yards, putting the team in field goal range for what would be how they capped off that drive. His involvement was similar to what we’ve seen all season, but it’s good to see that he’s looking healthy again.
Keon Coleman: 1 Catch, 64 Yards
It’s kinda wild that the winning team of the highest-scoring game in 2024 has a yardage leader at the wide receiver position with only 64 yards – all on one catch, no less. Keon Coleman didn’t get much love in this one, but he certainly made it count when he did as he set up a 1st and goal after making a deep catch and fighting for extra yardage, with the help of a teammate to push him for some extra yards after what would’ve been a stop.
Amari Cooper: 0 Catches, 0 Yards
He didn’t even get the opportunity to let me down, an absolute goose egg of epic proportions laid by Amari Cooper. I saw him on the field, I swear it! Unless there’s another #18 named Cooper on the Bills… I’m not sure what his snap count was, but he’s only barely gone above 50% since being traded to the Bills, so my guess is it wasn’t high. He is still involved in special teams, but that likely won’t help you in your fantasy playoffs.
Dawson Knox: 2 Catches, 42 Yards
Only two catches on the day, but they were vital to keep the offense rolling. His first was a 19-yard grab on 1st and 20, taking pressure off the offense after a penalty. His other one was overthrown, but he extended his hand to complete a fantastic one-handed catch.
Mack Hollins: 1 Catch, 7 Yards
Curtis Samuel: 1 Catch, 1 Yard
Detroit Lions
Quarterback
Jared Goff: 38/59, 494 Yards, 5 TD, 0 INT | 2 Carries, 13 Yards
With all the emphasis on how great his opponent, Josh Allen, has been, don’t lose sight of Jared Goff, who put up a ridiculous stat line in this battle. Sure, he’s not quite MVP-level, but one could argue that this type of performance warrants a conversation. Or so the announcers kept insisting. Very few mistakes were made, and he keyed in on Amon-Ra St. Brown early and often in short, intermediate, and deep passing situations, one of which was a precisely placed pass in tight coverage that led to a 66-yard bomb touchdown. St. Brown got most of the love, but Goff made sure to spread the ball around with all 5 of his touchdowns going to different receivers – including Dan Skipper, an O-line man who hauled in his first career touchdown. With great pressure from the Bills’ defense, Goff ended up taking some sacks (all three happened to be 8 yards each), and he nearly turned the ball over on a fumble, but the Lions were able to make a recovery. Later in the game, Goff utilized Sam LaPorta more frequently and found great success with moving the ball and getting first downs; it’s too bad they didn’t find ways to do it earlier, as it may have changed the tide of some drives. But hey, it was one hell of a battle, and I’m happy for Goff now that he’s been a top-10 quarterback over the last 3 years. I hope to see him face the Bills in the Super Bowl in 2025.
Running Back
Jahmyr Gibbs: 8 Carries, 31 Yards, TD | 5 Catches, 83 Yards, TD
The running game was not happening in this contest, but Jahmyr Gibbs still managed a 3.9 average yards per carry and a touchdown – more importantly, he found ways to make much bigger impacts through the air, including a touchdown catch. The usual 1-2 punch with David Montgomery wasn’t in the books, but the catches in the backfield with good yards after catch made a huge difference in keeping the ball moving. His awareness and utilization of blockers were significant, and his ability to avoid tackles allowed him to keep drives rolling as he was able to scoop up numerous first downs. However, it only contributed so much as Amon-Ra St. Brown was the only other player making consistent contributions throughout the game. His touchdown reception was one of the highlights of the game: he made a short catch on a simple check-down, juked and spun around a defender, was nearly pulled down but extended just far enough to earn a 12-yard touchdown. His second score of the day came after St. Brown set up 1st and inches, where the Bills seemed to have the stop, but Penei Sewell came in to shove Gibbs through for the score. He was also involved in a trick play where Jared Goff threw to St. Brown, who then lateralled to Gibbs, who took advantage of a soft zone to gain 21 yards. Gibbs is immensely talented, and he turned 13 touches into 100+ total yards and 2 scores; proof that nothing can slow him down.
David Montgomery: 5 Carries, 4 Yards | 4 Catches, 31 Yards
This was an uncharacteristic stat line for a top-10 running back on the season, as David Montgomery was only given 5 carries – and did absolutely nothing with them. The Bills did everything possible to shut down the run, and despite Jahmyr Gibbs having a good game, it was evident that the Lions weren’t able to utilize their rushing attack, which is a foundational component of the offense and certainly contributed to their downfall in the end. It was brutal to watch Montgomery get stuffed over and over again, but he just couldn’t successfully break the line. In an attempt to get him involved, Jared Goff targeted him twice in a row and, to his credit, made his biggest plays of the day, the first being a screen pass where he ran to the left and gained 14 yards after the catch, and the second took the pressure off of Goff for a short chuck and gain of 10 yards. Montgomery has over 30 yards in every game this season, and this is only his fourth game without a rushing touchdown.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Amon-Ra St. Brown: 14 Catches, 193 Yards, TD
Another massive outing for the superstar receiver! For the first time since week 2, Amon-Ra St. Brown was targeted 18 friggin times, nearly bringing in 200 yards on the day in what is the highest receiving total of his entire career! He was targeted everywhere: he made short catches near the sideline for 1st down and clock stoppage situations, he was trusted to convert a 4th down in tight man coverage, and he was even targeted 4 times in the 2-minute warning before the half. One of the biggest plays of the whole game came on a deep pass: just beyond 2 defenders, Jared Goff perfectly placed the ball, and St. Brown made the catch and outran the whole defense for a beautiful 66-yard score. His only mistake was on a catch that was made where he got control, made a football move, and then lost control, ruling it as a fumble recovered by the defense. Honestly, this was great coverage, and the defender’s arm was under the ball, and good leverage popped it out, but it certainly hurt the Lions’ chances of winning. Regardless, St. Brown is a superstar coming off one of the biggest nights of his career, and up until the 4th quarter, the rest of the teams receiving contributions were completely overshadowed by his production.
Sam LaPorta: 7 Catches, 111 Yards
With a season-high 10 targets, Sam LaPorta finally crossed the century mark in 2024! He’s having a late-season renaissance and is becoming the stable piece of the passing attack like he was in his rookie year. In the last seven games in which he was active, he had at least 6 targets in all but one of them. His utilization in this game was mostly at intermediate range: he found ways to get open near the 1st down marker and used out-muscled defenders to gain extra yards after the catch, with several 10+ yard receptions. He saw back-to-back catches, with the first being amplified by a stiff arm for a gain of 14 and the next for 11 yards. He was again targeted back-to-back on the following drive for gains straight up the middle of 11 and 12, respectively. Whenever Jared Goff wanted 1st downs, all he needed to do was look LaPorta’s way – it’s almost like they should’ve been doing this all along.
Jameson Williams: 3 Catches, 37 Yards, TD
What would’ve been a forgettable day was salvaged by a perfectly timed grab in the back of the endzone where Jameson Williams got ahead of his defender and snagged a 3-yard touchdown. Jared Goff placed the ball exactly where it needed to be and made the connection, identifying that Williams had his defender beat. As per usual, what would a Jameson day be without a massive throw; unfortunately, it doesn’t always pan out, and today, that was the case. It’s a shame because Goff perfectly placed the ball where it needed to be, but Williams couldn’t haul in what would’ve been a humungous touchdown. He was covered well, but it was still not an impossible catch to make.
Tim Patrick: 4 Catches, 30 Yards, TD
After scoring twice last week, Tim Patrick found paydirt once again as he hauled in a short score on a gorgeous play: short pass is caught on the right side, he runs forward and gets hit by a defender short of the end zone, but Patrick lunged forward in mid-air, extending his arm out and crossing the plane for a 12-yard touchdown. It was a remarkable effort and kept their hopes alive after trailing for the whole contest.
Dan Skipper: 1 Catch, 9 Yards, TD