The last time the Lions and Bills played, they combined for 90 points. Buffalo beat Detroit 48-42 at Ford Field on December 15, 2024, handing the 12-1 Lions their second loss of the season in a game that was billed as a Super Bowl preview and played like one. Josh Allen threw for 362 yards and ran for 68 with four total touchdowns, Jared Goff threw for 494 yards and five touchdowns in defeat, and the Bills finished with 559 yards of offense.
How It Happened
Buffalo came in 10-3 off a 44-42 loss to the Rams the week before and jumped out 14-0. Detroit, riding an 11 game winning streak, answered, but the Bills kept scoring: it was 35-14 in the third quarter behind James Cook’s two rushing touchdowns and Allen’s two scores on the ground. Goff then threw the Lions back into it with 21 fourth quarter points, and it was a one score game at the end before Buffalo closed it out. It ended 48-42, the highest scoring game in the series by a wide margin.
The Numbers
| Player | Line |
|---|---|
| Josh Allen, BUF | 362 passing yds, 2 TD; 68 rushing yds, 2 TD |
| James Cook, BUF | 105 rushing yds, 2 TD |
| Jared Goff, DET | 38 of 59, 494 yds, 5 TD, 0 INT, 118.9 rating |
| Team totals | Bills 559 yards of offense; 90 combined points |
Allen’s line was one of three games in NFL history with at least 340 passing yards, 60 rushing yards, two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns, and he had done it the week before as well. The win was a centerpiece of his 2024 MVP season. Goff’s 494 yards were a career high and his five touchdowns tied the Lions single game record.
Why It Still Matters
Both quarterbacks are back, and so are most of the skill players who produced that night: Cook, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs. The coaching staffs are not the same. Buffalo is now led by Joe Brady, promoted from offensive coordinator, with Jim Leonhard running the defense. Buffalo has beaten Detroit five straight times going back to 2006 and Allen is 3-0 against the Lions. Oddsmakers have Thursday’s total at 53.5, largely because of what happened last time.
The Meeting Before That
Thanksgiving 2022, Bills 28, Lions 25 in Detroit. Tyler Bass hit from 45 yards with two seconds left after Michael Badgley had tied it at 25 with a 51 yarder. Allen threw for 253 and ran for 78 with three total touchdowns; Goff threw for 240 and two scores.
Related
Lions vs. Bills all time record and history · Josh Allen stats vs. Lions · Jared Goff stats vs. Bills · Thursday night preview
The Bottom Line
Bills 48, Lions 42 on December 15, 2024: 559 Buffalo yards, four Allen touchdowns, 494 and five from Goff. Thursday night is the first meeting since.