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NFL · Week 2 · 2026 Final

Lions at Bills

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 · 00:15 UTC
Detroit Lions logo
Detroit
Lions
1-0 · W1
31
@
Buffalo Bills logo
Buffalo
Bills
1-0 · W1
41
Buffalo Bills to win 64% win probability · projected 23–27 · Solid

Result & Grading

Published before kickoff, graded after. No edits, no quiet deletions.

Final score
31–41
DET at BUF
Our pick
BUF ✓
Correct
Margin error
5.3
points from our projection
Against the spread
Covered ✓
vs line of BUF −4.5

Pre-Game Win Probabilities

From the engine's power ratings, adjusted for home field and rest, then mapped through the margin distribution. Not a blend of the market — this is our own number.

DET 36%
BUF 64%
Projected score
23–27
DET at BUF
Projected margin
+4.7
home perspective
Projected total
50.2
combined points
Confidence
Solid
published before kickoff

Engine vs The Line

We agree with the market on the winner. The margins may still differ.

8th Day Engine
Buffalo Bills
by 4.7 points · total 50.2
Closing line
Buffalo Bills
by 4.5 points · total 53.5

Matchup Facts

Venue and rest come from the schedule feed and feed directly into the model; surface and weather are context we show but don't yet model.

Venue
Highmark Stadium
Roof
Outdoors
Surface
Grass
Temperature
67°F
Wind
4 mph
Rest · DET
4 days
Rest · BUF
4 days
QB · DET
Jared Goff
QB · BUF
Josh Allen

Recent Form

Last five completed games this season, most recent first.

Detroit Lions

W vs NO 31–30

Buffalo Bills

W @ HOU 36–31

Season Scoring

Points per game either side of the ball, 2026 season to date.

DET · scored
31.0
per game · 1 played
DET · allowed
30.0
per game
BUF · scored
36.0
per game · 1 played
BUF · allowed
31.0
per game

How The Model Sees It

Our rating has Buffalo Bills as the stronger side by 82 rating points, which on its own is worth about 3.3 points on the scoreboard (DET 1,552, BUF 1,634).

Home field adds 1.4 points to BUF — a measured figure from our backtest, not the traditional three, because home advantage in the modern NFL is considerably smaller than it used to be.

That lands on a projected margin of +4.7, and running that through the historical spread of actual results against projections gives Buffalo Bills at 64%.

The closing line agrees on the winner, making Buffalo Bills favourite by 4.5 against our 4.7.

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