The second defeat is certain for the Detroit Lions.

Their game against the Buffalo Bills was expected to be a high-scoring affair, and a score of 48-42 certainly lived up to that. Unfortunately, Detroit wasn’t on the right side of this situation and fell victim to Josh Allen and Co. In what many viewed as a preview of the Super Bowl, Detroit looked vulnerable. If they want to win a potential rematch, they will have to make a lot of adjustments.

With a critical NFC North tilt looming, let’s examine some takeaways from an eventful defeat.

The Lions fail their Super Bowl audition

A 12-win team shouldn’t be in trouble like the Lions just did. The Lions have already booked their playoff ticket, but against a potential Super Bowl contender, this was a test they had to pass. Even though Buffalo came into the game with a worse record of 10-3, they were the team that looked like the best in the NFL, not Detroit. The Buffalo offense was unstoppable and quarterback Josh Allen seemed to be the clear MVP. He was so impressive that many overlook a pretty terrible performance by the Buffalo defense.

This was arguably Detroit’s toughest test of the season, and it was a mixed result. The offense lived up to the hype (more on that later), but the defense also completely failed (more on that later). This game wasn’t a vital situation for Detroit, but they would have liked a more flattering performance. Many will be quick to call it a scam, but what exactly was fraudulent? The Lions have an elite offense and 42 points proves that. The Lions defense is weakened due to injuries and the fact that they allow 48 points proves that.

The Lions lost to a Super Bowl favorite, yes. Yes, there are significant concerns about defense advancement. Is it time to dismiss the Lions as an early playoff exit? Absolutely not.

The risk of injury demands more Lions

Khalil Dorsey suffered a horrific leg injury. Carlton Davis was rendered unconscious due to a jaw injury. Alim McNeill left with a knee injury and was eliminated almost immediately. All three could fail in the long term. In a truly promising season, the Lions’ defense is cursed.

The Lions had a top defense for most of the season, but this was the first time the defense truly looked like a defense made up of backup and practice players. There is no other way to talk about this injury epidemic. Everything that could be said was said. It just plain sucks.

I agree with the onside kick

Dan Campbell will be criticized for the onside kick decision with 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter – a far cry from the usual dire circumstances that would justify such a decision. The Bills returned the kick at the Detroit 5-yard line and immediately scored, a drive that lasted just four seconds.

However, this was the right decision that few coaches would have the courage to make.

The Lions defense couldn’t stop Buffalo. The only non-scoring drives before this moment were a missed 21-yard field goal, a drive at the end of the half and a punt. The Bills had shredded the defense most of the game and the defense couldn’t even pretend to resist. The Lions’ offense could score on every drive – and almost did – and that wouldn’t matter given the deficit and the defense’s inability to stop Buffalo.

Do you know what gives the Lions a chance to make it a one-score game without Josh Allen getting his hands on the ball? An onside kick. If the Lions had started as usual, the Bills probably would have marched down the field and still scored. The only difference is that Buffalo would have bled for at least three minutes of play, something the Lions couldn’t afford. Lo and behold, after the Lions’ next touchdown and kickoff, Buffalo kicked a field goal after a five-minute drive.

I don’t have the detailed analytics to support my thinking, but if you factor in defensive performance, I would bet that Detroit’s winning percentage before the onside kick and after the onside kick was almost the same – poor. The Lions didn’t lose this game because of the failed onside kick. An onside kick may have been the only way to get back into this game while there was still enough game time left.

The Lions cannot win the shootout

Detroit lost this game, but the passing offense is hardly to blame. Jared Goff and Co. had an outstanding performance against a Buffalo defense. Even an average defensive performance could have given the Lions a win tonight – a team shouldn’t score 42 points and still lose.

Goff threw for a whopping five touchdowns and nearly 500 yards, with the biggest benefactors being Amon-Ra St. Brown (14 catches for 193 yards) and Sam LaPorta (seven catches for 111 yards). This was also a notable game for LaPorta, his first 100-yard game of the season amid a quiet sophomore season. Even Dan Skipper got in on the action with a 9-yard touchdown grab! In any other game, this performance from Goff would be praised, but it will likely be thrown into the “garbage time” discussion. Because as bad as it looked, the Lions had a chance until the end, and that was because of their offense.

The Lions never got into the running game, Jahmyr Gibbs finished the game with just 31 yards on eight carries, while David Montgomery had more runs (five) than yards (four). However, it’s hard to get too upset about it given how the game’s script went. Detroit played from behind for most of the game and opted to miss most of the second half – Goff finished the game with 59 pass attempts.

I have no concerns about the offense making the playoffs. They have the talent to challenge any team in a shootout. The problem is entirely that the defense is not holding up its end of the bargain.

Linebacker disappointment

When a team is missing five of its top six linebackers, expect to have a significant problem. The Lions were without Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez and Jalen Reeves-Maybin, but solid performances from Trevor Nowaske and Ezekiel Turner kept the linebackers playing well. With Nowaske out of the lineup and Turner taking a step back against the Bills, it was an absolute disaster for Detroit.

Former Lions draft pick Ty Johnson thrived in his pass-catching duties, racking up a whopping 114 yards on just five catches. The Bills and their offense made mincemeat of the Lions’ linebackers, a mismatch on almost every down. The run defense fared no better: James Cook ran for 105 yards, 14 carries and two touchdowns, including a massive 41-yarder that featured terrible tackles all around. Josh Allen also added a few rushing touchdowns as his maneuverability gave the defense nightmares.

Going back to one of my earlier points, there’s only so much you can take away from this overwhelming number of injuries. Regardless, the Lions need better linebacker play if they want to have success in the playoffs. The good news is that Alex Anzalone’s return could be on the horizon.

Is Za’Darius Smith enough?

Hitting a home run swing at the trade deadline was and is never the goal for Brad Holmes Procedure. But in the final weeks of the regular season, you have to wonder if he should have done that.

Za’Darius Smith was undoubtedly a positive acquisition for the Lions, but he alone didn’t save a pass rush that was nearly invisible without blitz attacks. Detroit failed to put pressure on Josh Allen for most of the game, giving the star quarterback a clean pocket at best or an easy escape at worst. Containment was a significant problem for the front seven, contributing to the 197 rushing yards allowed on the day. Allen showed his usual wizardry outside the pocket on multiple occasions in the third and fourth periods to extend drives that Detroit desperately needed to stop. Josh Paschal and Ezekiel Turner were the only players to record a quarterback hit for Detroit.

The Lions defense played phenomenal compared to all the injuries they accumulated, but they didn’t look like a Super Bowl-caliber unit against the Bills. They continue to bleed talent and don’t have the players to compensate. Given what may be the Lions’ best chance at a Super Bowl run, there’s a real debate about whether going all-in was the right move. Coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn could be head coaches elsewhere next season. Team contracts are becoming more and more expensive. Should the Lions have pulled the expensive trigger on a pass rusher like Trey Hendrickson?

The defense has played to its strengths for most of the season, but a regression to the mean was long overdue. The question now is whether the Lions can survive another defensive disaster like this. The trade deadline has long passed, the Lions will have to make do with the pieces they have.

The uniform curse is over

For those of you who succumb to superstition, the Lions ended up losing a game while wearing matching jerseys and pants. Detroit was previously undefeated in 2024 and wore blue-blue, white-white or black-black jersey and pants combinations. Their only loss this season prior to this game was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in which they wore blue jerseys and silver pants.

Are the Lions banishing the black jerseys? Will they hold on to superstition? This will be must-see TV next week.