The Detroit Lions lost to the Buffalo Bills in their Week 15 matchup on Sunday, as quarterbacks Jared Goff and Josh Allen delivered standout performances.
Goff went 38-for-59 with 494 yards and five touchdowns, while Allen finished 23-for-34 with 362 yards and two touchdowns. Although the Lions have already secured a playoff spot, the loss could affect their race for the NFC North title, with the Minnesota Vikings close behind. After the game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell took full responsibility for the defeat during his postgame press conference.
“I didn’t have these guys ready to roll,” Campbell said, per Lions reporter Eric Woodyard on X, formerly Twitter.
Week 15: Bills Overcome Lions
Injuries played a key role in the game, as the Bills took advantage of a Lions defense already weakened by the absence of key players like Aidan Hutchinson, who has been sidelined with a leg injury since Week 6. The Lions also lost cornerback Khalil Dorsey during the game to a leg injury, requiring him to be carted off the field and taken to the hospital.
Campbell later confirmed that Dorsey’s injury would likely end his season, adding to the team’s defensive struggles with injuries to Alim McNeil, Alex Anzalone, and Hutchinson.
Despite these setbacks, the Lions defense managed to hold its ground against a red-hot Bills offense led by Allen. In Week 14, Allen threw three touchdown passes and rushed for another score. Against the Lions, he continued his stellar play with two passing touchdowns and two rushing scores.
Steps Moving Forward
Campbell stressed the importance of adapting to injuries, a constant challenge in the physically demanding NFL.
“Defensively, even the new guys we brought in really stepped up, but now they’re here for another week, and we need them to perform better,” Campbell said to FOX 2 Detroit, per John Maakaron of Sports Illustrated.
“The guys we rely on—Kerby [Joseph], Branch, Jack Campbell, Alim McNeil—we need their absolute best every week, just like everyone else.”
The Lions remain focused on holding off their closest competitors to secure the NFC’s top seed, which would grant them home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
There’s also hope that Hutchinson could return in time for the NFC Championship game—provided the Lions can make it that far under Campbell’s leadership.
Michael Aaron Gomez is a creative writer and lifelong NBA fan. A Lakers supporter since the three-peat era, he still considers LeBron James the greatest player of all time.
