Recap: Bills kick game-winning FG to beat Lions 28-25
The Lions were in a game with a Super Bowl contender until the end, but they couldn't finish the job in a 28-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
This team overcame a Jamaal Williams fumble, a safety, and a missed field goal to take a 22-19 lead in the 4th quarter. Buffalo drove down the field to take the lead with over two minutes to go.
The Lions drove down the field themselves, but some questionable clock management combined with a strange play call on 3rd and 1 to take a shot at the end zone caused them to settle for a 51-yard FG, which Michael Badgley barely made.
Josh Allen got the Bills in FG range in one play, and that was pretty much that.
Final: Bills 28, Lions 25
Tyler Bass hits the 45-yarder to win it.
-Q4 0:07: Bills lining up for game-winning FG.
-Q4 0:16: Or not. Bills already in FG range.
Badgley ties it
-Q4 0:23: Badgley is good from 51 yards to tie the game at 25. Looks like we might be headed to OT.
Two-minute warning
Bills take late lead
-Q4 2:40: Allen to Diggs for the touchdown. Lions will have all three timeouts plus the two-minute warning. And another missed XP from a Lions opponent. All they need is a FG to tie.
-Q4 4:00: Bills are driving here. Little resistance from Lions defense.
-Q4 8:59: Lions get a couple first downs but the drive stalls at the DET 45. Bills ball.
-Q4 10:34: Lions defense gets off the field on third down. Huge opportunity to make this a two-score game.
Chark week!
-Q4 13:47: Finally. Goff to D.J. Chark for the TD on third and goal. 2 pt. conv. is good. Three-point game, Lions lead 22-19.
End of third quarter: Bills lead Lions 19-14
-Q3 0:56: The Bills are trying to hand the Lions this game. They're making just as many mistakes as the Lions. Another three-and-out here and the Lions have another shot to take the lead after a big punt return by Kalif Raymond.
Badgley misses a field goal
-Q3 1:57: Michael Badgley misses his first field goal of the season. That's a killer. Still 19-14.
-Q3 6:45: Lions defense finally gets off the field on third down. Rookie sixth round pick James Houston picks up his second sack of the day. I don't think he'll going back on the practice squad.
Goff takes a safety
-Q3 9:05: Goff takes a sack in the end zone for the safety. Just a horrible sack to take.
Anzalone INT
-Q3 9:55: Alex Anzalone picks off Josh Allen in the red zone after the pass was tipped by Rodrigo. Huge play for this Lions defense.
Second half underway
First-half stats
Goff: 12-19, 124 yards, TD
Williams: 12 rushes, 22 yards, TD
St. Brown: 4 catches, 34 yards, TD
Halftime: Bills 17, Lions 14
Bills get the ball to start the second half.
Lions tie it back up
-Q2 1:52: On fourth-and-1, Goff to St. Brown for the TD. Great play call by Ben Johnson. Bills will have 1:52 and two timeouts to respond. 14-14.
Two-minute warning
Lions will have third-and-goal from the Buffalo 6-yard line when we return.
Bills take the lead
-Q2 7:55: Bills take advantage of the turnover. Allen fumbles the snap and walks right in for the touchdown. Bills take a 14-7 lead.
Bills gobble up Williams fumble
-Q2 13:23: Jamaal Williams fumbles and the Bills recover. Not what the Lions need if they're going to compete in this game.
End of 1st quarter: Lions and Bills tied at 7
Bills tie it up
-Q1 1:58: Josh Allen finds Isaiah McKenzie for the TD. Open over the middle. Will Harris on the coverage. Tie game, 7-7.
Lions strike first
-Q1 6:44: After converting a 4th-and-1, Jamaal Williams does what he does best—score a touchdown. Great long, sustained drive for the Lions to take a 7-0 lead.
-Q1 13:01: Bills go three-and-out as well. Good start for the defense.
-Q1 14:13: Lions go three-and-out to start. Not ideal. O-line didn't hold up well without their two starting guards.
Kickoff
Bills win the toss and defer. Lions get the ball first. Here we go.
Injury designations
ACTIVE: WRs Josh Reynolds (back) and D.J. Chark (ankle)
INACTIVE: G Jonah Jackson (consussion), C Evan Brown (ankle), DLs Michael Brockers, Charles Harris (groin) and Josh Paschal (knee), CB Jeff Okudah (concussion)
More: Lions' Josh Reynolds active against Bills after missing three straight games
Pregame
The Lions are going to put their three-game winning streak on the line against one of the best teams in the NFL in the Buffalo Bills on Turkey Day.
It's expected to be a historically large crowd at Ford Field, which is great because the Lions are going to need every advantage they can get. Josh Allen and the Bills have looked mortal in recent weeks, but they'll still be a tough matchup for this young team.
Can the Lions pull off a major upset and push their winning streak to four games? It seems unlikely, but you know what they say, "any given Sunday" ... or Thursday, in this case.
Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Matthew Scheidel.
Lions vs. Bills
▶ Kickoff: 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Ford Field, Detroit
▶ TV/radio: CBS/97.1 FM
▶ Records: Lions are 4-6; Bills are 7-3
▶ Series: Bills lead 6-4-1 (Last game: December 16, 2018 — (at) Bills 14, Lions 13