2026 Detroit Lions schedule leak: Buffalo Bills host Detroit in primetime

TL;DR

The Detroit Lions will play the Buffalo Bills in a primetime game during Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season. This matchup marks the debut of the Bills' new stadium, Highmark Stadium, in front of a national audience.

Key points

Detroit Lions will play Buffalo Bills in Week 2 of 2026 NFL season
Game will be at the new Highmark Stadium in Buffalo
Lions have lost five straight games against the Bills since 2006

Mentioned in this story

Joe BradySean McDermott

Highmark StadiumDetroit LionsBuffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook runs against Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46), left, and safety Brian Branch (32) during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Detroit Lions will have at least one primetime game on their 2026 NFL schedule. The NFL announced on Monday that the Lions will face off against the Buffalo Bills in Week 2 for a “Thursday Night Football” matchup. There are a couple of notable things about this matchup for the Lions and Bills. For one, it will be the debut of the Bills’ new stadium, according to Prime Video. With the Bills playing on the road in Week 1, Highmark Stadium will make its regular season NFL debut in primetime on the national stage. That will make for a rowdy crowd Detroit will have to navigate through. Additionally, this will be an early game under Buffalo’s new regime. While head coach Joe Brady has been with the team for a few years as the offensive coordinator, the defense will be under new management with Sean McDermott now gone. They could still be figuring things out on that side of the ball. Finally, Buffalo can be a tough place to play in the winter, but the Lions will get the benefit of heading on the road in September. Detroit has been relatively lucky in avoiding weather games in recent memory, and they’ve dodged another bullet here. That said, the Lions have not had good luck against the Bills as of late. Detroit has lost five straight games against Buffalo, with their last win occurring over in 2006. You can track all of the latest Detroit Lions 2026 rumors here in our rumor tracker.

Q&A

When will the Detroit Lions play the Buffalo Bills in 2026?

The Detroit Lions will face the Buffalo Bills in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season.

What is significant about the Lions vs. Bills game in 2026?

This game will be the first regular season NFL game at the Bills' new Highmark Stadium, showcasing it in primetime.

How have the Detroit Lions performed against the Buffalo Bills recently?

The Lions have lost their last five games against the Bills, with their last victory occurring in 2006.