Bills Beat Lions 28–25 for 2Nd Win in 5 Days at Ford Field

Stefon Diggs (14), Tyler Bass (2) and Josh Allen (17) of the Buffalo Bills celebrate on the field after defeating the Detroit Lions in Detroit, Mich., at Ford Field on Nov. 24, 2022. Nic Antaya/Getty Images

DETROIT—Tyler Bass made a tie-breaking, 45-yard field goal with 2 seconds left, lifting the Buffalo Bills to a 28–25 win over the Detroit Lions on Thursday for their second victory in five days at Ford Field.

Josh Allen set up the game-winning kick by starting the drive with a 36-yard pass to Stefon Diggs and running twice for 12 yards.

Buffalo (8–3) has won two straight to move a half-game ahead of Miami in the AFC East.

The Bills were back in Detroit after the NFL shifted their previous home game against Cleveland to Ford Field because of a winter storm dumping several feet of snow in western New York. They had to work harder for the win on Thursday than they did against the Browns. Bass was 6 for 6 on field goals in the 31–23 win over Cleveland.

Allen threw a go-ahead, 5-yard touchdown pass to Diggs with 2:40 left, but Bass missed the extra point to make it 25–22.

Stefon Diggs (14) of the Buffalo Bills celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the fourth quarter at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. on Nov. 24, 2022. Nic Antaya/Getty Images

The Lions converted fourth–and–1 from midfield with Amon-Ra St. Brown’s 7-yard end-around to set up Michael Badgley’s game-tying, 51-yard field goal with 23 seconds to go. Badgley missed a 29-yard field goal late in the third and Jared Goff took a sack for a safety in the same quarter and those mistakes proved to be costly.

Allen had a passing and rushing touchdown in the first half, finishing 24 of 42 for 253 yards to more than make up for throwing his 11th interception of the season.

Detroit (4–7) missed an opportunity to win four straight games for the first time since 2016 and lost a franchise-record sixth straight game on Thanksgiving.

Goff was 23 of 37 for 240 yards with 1-yard touchdown pass to St. Brown that made it 14-all late in the first half, and a 1-yard touchdown to DJ Chark that pulled the Lions within three points early in third quarter at 22–19.

Pivotal Player

Buffalo defensive tackle Ed Oliver forced and recovered a fumble in the first half, leading to Allen’s tiebreaking, 3-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Oliver also sacked Goff for a safety, three plays after Allen threw an interception at the Detroit 4, to put the Bills ahead 19–14 early in the third quarter.

Injuries

Bills: Edge rusher Von Miller injured his right knee in the second quarter and was ruled out.

Lions: DE Julian Okwara (elbow) was hurt during the game.

Up Next

Bills: Play at New England on Thursday night.

Lions: Play Jacksonville at home on Dec. 4.

By Larry Lage