Taking on arguably their toughest opponent this season, the Detroit Lions hit the road to Highmark Stadium to play the Buffalo Bills. Both teams are at the top end of their respective conferences, and some could see this as a potential Super Bowl preview. While the Bills are on the higher end of their conference, the Lions in the NFC seem to have more work to do. Both teams are coming off close Week 1 wins and look to improve to 2-0 on the short week.
Last week I went 1-2, and the bold parlay would’ve hit if the Lions hadn’t gone to overtime, or if they had prevented the New Orleans Saints from scoring in overtime.
Here are three wagers to watch on Thursday night. The odds are with FanDuel Sportsbook.
1. Jahmyr Gibbs over 120.5 rush + receiving yards (-115)
Last week the Lions leaned on Gibbs to move the offense down the field. He also had a few broken tackles or inches away from breaking away for big-time runs, so last week’s numbers could have been even different. The Bills held the Houston Texans to a 3.9 yards-per-carry average, but they allowed 274 passing yards and 10.5 yards per reception. If Gibbs has trouble on the ground, I think the Lions use him more in the passing game than they did against the Saints.
Against the Saints, Gibbs finished with 186 rushing and receiving yards, so 121 seems attainable against a defense that has some question marks in the secondary. The Bills limited Gibbs to 31 rushing yards on eight carries in 2024, but were gashed for 83 receiving yards on five catches. Detroit might use a similar formula to move the chains against the Bills, and I think this line hits easily. Yes, I know right tackle Blake Miller and left guard Christian Mahogany are out, but guard Ben Bartch played most of the game last week, and I think Detroit could use Gibbs more as a receiver if the run blocking takes a step back.
Bet potential winnings: $10 -> $18.70
2. Josh Allen under 31.5 rushing yards (-113)
This one is a risky bet, but I think the Lions defense could step up and tackle him. In 2024, Allen ran for 68 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries, but that was against a banged-up Lions defense missing multiple starters. For something more recent, look at the Baltimore Ravens game from 2025 under current defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard. The Lions held Jackson to 35 yards on seven carries, forcing them to run with running back Derrick Henry more, and Jackson to beat them with his arm.
The difference is that Allen is a better passer than Jackson, so Detroit might not want to let him sling it around. Additionally, the Bills have seen running back James Cook emerge as a backfield threat after a career-high season in 2025.
Detroit passed their first mobile quarterback test in Week 1. Against the Saints and quarterback Tyler Shough, Detroit held him to 8 yards on four carries.
Last season, the Bills allowed 40 sacks and saw one of their starting guards, David Edwards, leave in free agency. Against the Texans, they kept Allen somewhat clean, only getting sacked twice. Detroit got five sacks on Shough along with 29 pressures, and if the front can put up a similar fight against the Bills, Allen might not have a chance to escape the pressure. Last week, the Texans held Allen to 23 yards on six carries, so under 32 yards seems doable for the Lions’ front seven.
Bet potential winnings: $10 -> $18.85
3. Aidan Hutchinson sack (-182)
Speaking of the defense, I believe EDGE Aidan Hutchinson will take down Allen at least once. Last week, he got two sacks and came close to a few more. While Allen is a bigger and tougher player than Shough, Hutchinson is big enough to contain him once he gets his hands on him.
The defensive line should generate enough pressure to force Allen toward Hutchinson once—or Hutchinson might beat his man fast enough to keep Allen from escaping. With interior players like defensive tackles Alim McNeill, Tyliek Williams, and even rookie Skylar Gill-Howard, Hutchinson might not face as many double teams as they’d like. I think Hutchinson can get one with the same game plan as Baltimore last season.
Bet potential winnings: $10 -> $15.49
If you want to turn these three single bets into a same-game parlay, the odds are +370 and $10 -> $47.05
Record: 1-2
Brandon’s Bold Bet
If you want to go bold and build a big parlay that could pay well, add the top three bets above and these three additional legs.
- Amon-Ra St. Brown over 7.5 receptions (-106)
- Jameson Williams over 3.5 receptions (-148)
- Sam LaPorta or St. Brown: either player anytime touchdown (-195)
In Week 1, St. Brown had 14 targets and caught 10, up from 6.8 catches per game last season. The Bills allowed the Texans’ top receiver, Nico Collins, to get seven catches. Buffalo’s secondary is the team’s biggest weakness, so I think the Lions can push St. Brown to get eight catches.
Williams had a rough week against the Saints, but even with the drops, he still finished with four catches, so this line is the easiest one I think that can hit.
St. Brown scored twice last week, and I think he can find the end zone again, if needed. Detroit’s offense ran a designed play for tight end Sam LaPorta in the red zone, but it fell short when quarterback Jared Goff couldn’t complete the pass. LaPorta had five catches for 48 yards, and I think he can find the end zone too. The good thing about this leg is you only need either player to score, so as long as one finds the end zone, it counts.
Odds for all six bets combined: +2211
Bet potential winnings: $10 -> $231.12
Record: 0-1
Use this information however you like. You can ignore it and watch the game, or, if you want to risk some money, follow these recommendations or test your own luck. Whatever you decide, please gamble responsibly and bet only money you can afford to lose.
