According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Moore’s shoulder injury isn’t as bad, but that doesn’t mean he will come back. Per Schefter, his source said, Moore “has a chance to play next week (vs. the Chargers), but it’s not a lock, either.”

The good news is the injury isn’t considered serious by the doctors. Hence, he has a ‘day-to-day‘ label. Given that the Bills have a long week after dismantling the Lions on Thursday Night Football, they remain hopeful that Moore can suit up.

The Bills still looked great without Moore

While Moore is important and clearly the WR1 of the team, the Bills still had an incredible offensive output. The fact is that when Josh Allen is the quarterback, the offense will produce regardless. With Moore, life’s easier, but without him, the Bills still move the chains.

Against the Lions, they scored 41 points, put up 446 total yards. The Bills are an unstoppable force. With Moore, they just add more firepower in a multidimensional level, as Moore can operate in many ways.

The game vs Chargers should be another shootout

While the Chargers started very slow, the offense projects to be absolutely fireworks too. Both defenses have stuff to clean out, hence, Week 3 could be a third-straight high-scoring game for Buffalo.

The Bills scored 41 against the Lions. However, while a great win, the team also allowed a hefty 31 points to Detroit. Still, it was a great performance overall for a team that had a capacity crowd stadium roaring.

The new Highmark Stadium cost a fortune but it looks like an impressive venue for one of the most intense fanbases in all of football. In the end, that fanbase saw its team win in a game with a total of 72 points scored.

How many points were scored in Old Highmark’s first game?

Old Highmark opened its doors to the NFL for a regular-season game on September 30, 1973. The game was a very low-scoring affair as Buffalo won 9-7 against the Jets.

Hence, it was the complete opposite. The Old Highmark presented old-school football and ended up being a close-yet-boring matchup. Meanwhile, the 2026 opening of the New Highmark, that has new roof features, presented two explosive offenses.

The Bills started the 2026 NFL season in outstanding form

Week 1 was a bad matchup for the Bills. They had to visit NFL’s most elite defense in Houston. Josh Allen had no fear and stole a win from Reliant Stadium as the Bills scored more than 30 points against a defense that had no answers for the superstar quarterback.

Now, they dispatched a top-tier offense by overpowering them. The Bills almost scored double of what the Lions were able to score. That is a statement. Their defense still needs some improvement, but the Bills are 2-0 and they played two of their toughest games already.

DJ Moore fell hard when targeted in the endzone by Josh Allen. He couldn’t grab the ball and fell with all his bodyweight on his shoulder. He was immediately in pain and was taken to the locker room for X-Rays.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, “WR DJ Moore, who landed hard on his shoulder, is questionable to return with a shoulder injury and a stinger.” This would be a massive blow for the future of the Bills, if Moore ends up missing time.

Moore was brought to be the WR1 of the Bills

Despite the Bills moving the chains with ease vs. the Lions, it’s a reality that Moore was a key component going forward. After all, he was expected to serve as the WR1 of the team and first option for Josh Allen in the passing game.

The stinger —also called a burner or brachial plexus neuropraxia— is a temporary nerve injury that causes a sharp, burning pain shooting from the neck and shoulder down the arm. However, the concerning injury is the whether it’s an AC sprain or a clavicle fracture.

Bills WR depth chart without DJ Moore

Without DJ Moore, the Buffalo Bills’ wide receiver group relies on Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, and Greg Dortch. However, in terms of relevance, the pecking order must include the tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox. This would be the order of all receivers available:

1. Khalil Shakir
2. Dalton Kincaid
3. Keon Coleman
4. Dawson Knox
5. Joshua Palmer
6. Greg Dortch

For the Lions, Isiah Pacheco is not playing due to a back surgery. Meanwhile, Ty Johnson is officially listed as questionable with a hamstring injury on the Bills final Week 2 injury report.

His exact status will not be finalized until the team releases its official inactives list roughly 90 minutes before the kickoff on Thursday Night Football. However, he could be suiting up after he logged three straight days of limited participation during the short week of practice leading up to this game vs Lions. If he does, it’s likely in a limited capacity.

Ty Johnson is not the RB1 of the Bills

While he is a cherished member of the roster since 2023, Johnson is by no means the main back on the Bills RB depth chart vs Lions. If he is able to play, he will be the third RB in the pecking order, behind James Cook III and Ray Davis.

Johnson was inactive in Week 1 due to the same lingering hamstring issue. However, Johnson will clearly want to have a say in the first game inside the Bills’ new Highmark Stadium.

Ty Johnson’s stats with the Bills and history with the Lions

Johnson will face —if able to play— the team that drafted him in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. After one year with the Lions, Johnson spent three with the Jets before arriving to the Bills. These are his stats for Buffalo in three seasons:

• 44 games (1 start)
• 121 rush attempts
• 545 yards
• 4 rushing touchdowns
• 49 catches (on 65 targets)
• 609 receiving yards
• 6 receiving touchdowns

The running game is always an important piece to any football game, as it allows the team in question to control the tempo of the game, as well as the clock. For the Bills, who just built a new stadium to leave the Old Highmark, it’s key to relieve some responsibility off of Josh Allen’s shoulders.

The Bills didn’t have much of a running game in Week 1, but Allen’s heroics from the quarterback position allowed the team to still beat one of the best defenses in the NFL like the Houston Texans. However, the Lions pose a different threat. They have a very explosive offense, so running the ball effectively will allow the Bills to minimize the risk of having to defend against Detroit.

Bills RB depth chart vs Lions

The Bills have a very good trifecta of running backs, though one stands above the other two as the clear workhorse. James Cook is a three-down back, but he had quite a shy performance in Week 1. This is the depth chart for the game vs. Lions:

1. James Cook III
2. Ray Davis
3. Ty Johnson

Lions RB depth chart vs Bills

Contrary to the Bills, the Lions had an outstanding rushing offense in Week 1 against the Saints. In fact, the Lions might have the best running back in the NFL in Jahmyr Gibbs, who blasted New Orleans for 156 yards, two touchdowns, and 29 carries. However, Isiah Pacheco won’t be playing in this game. This is the full depth chart vs Bills:

1. Jahmyr Gibbs
2. Sione Vaki
3. Jacob Saylors

Buffalo’s official depth chart lists Josh Allen as the starter and Kyle Allen as his backup, while Detroit has Jared Goff followed by Joshua Dobbs at quarterback.

The quarterback matchup comes with plenty of attention, too, as this is the first regular-season game at the Bills’ new stadium. They will kick off at 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, September 17, with both teams looking to begin the season 2-0.

Bills and Lions off to 1-0 starts

Both quarterbacks are coming off victories in the season opener, with Buffalo beating Houston 36-31 and Detroit edging New Orleans 31-30.

Allen opened the season with 334 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and no interceptions against the Texans, while also adding 23 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. His 130.5 passer rating was one of the strongest individual performances of Week 1.

Allen spent the offseason competing for the backup job alongside Shane Buechele, with the Bills noting during training camp that both quarterbacks had impressed.

The Lions’ quarterback room changed during the offseason after Teddy Bridgewater, who was initially expected to compete for the backup role, decided to retire. Detroit’s training camp preview identified Goff, Bridgewater and rookie Luke Altmyer as the quarterbacks on the roster at the time, but the current Week 2 depth chart now has Dobbs directly behind Goff.

How to watch Bills vs Lions in the USA

The Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions matchup will be broadcast nationally through Amazon Prime Video as the first regular-season Thursday Night Football game of the 2026 NFL season.

Can I watch Bills vs Lions for free?

Eligible viewers in the United States can watch Bills vs. Lions through Amazon Prime Video‘s 30-day free trial. Amazon’s official guide specifically states that non-Prime members can sign up for a free 30-day trial to watch TNF.

Match Preview: What’s at stake?

The Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions both enter Week 2 with 1-0 records, making Thursday night’s matchup an early opportunity for either team to move to 2-0. Buffalo opened the season with a 36-31 win over the Houston Texans, while Detroit defeated the New Orleans Saints 31-30 in overtime.

The game also carries added significance as the first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium, giving the Bills their official home debut in their new venue, which replaces an old Highmark stadium that will be demolished. The new stadium isn’t a dome but it does have a heated field.

The short week adds another challenge. Both teams played deep into their Week 1 games, with Detroit needing overtime against New Orleans, leaving only a few days to recover and prepare for Thursday Night Football.

Buffalo’s coaching staff has specifically pointed to the limited preparation time and the need to get players physically and mentally ready for the quick turnaround.

There are also important personnel situations to monitor. Detroit entered Monday’s practice with Christian Mahogany and Blake Miller listed as non-participants, while center Juice Scruggs was limited with a knee issue.

The Lions’ offensive line will therefore be one of the areas to watch as the team prepares for a Bills defense led by a Buffalo roster that also had several players dealing with injuries following Week 1. Meanwhile, Isiah Pacheco remains out for the Lions as the running back is on IR.

What time is the Bills vs Lions match?

The Bills vs. Lions game kicks off on Thursday, September 17, at 8:15 PM ET at a new Highmark Stadium with a lower capacity than its predecessor. The Thursday Night Football broadcast begins with pregame coverage at 7:00 PM ET, while the game itself starts at 8:15 PM ET.

• Eastern Time: 8:15 PM
• Central Time: 7:15 PM
• Mountain Time: 6:15 PM
• Pacific Time: 5:15 PM

Isiah Pacheco is missing today’s game because he is on the Injured Reserve list after undergoing back surgery. Pacheco’s career has been injury-riddled for a while now. Both the Bills and Lions have established their RB depth charts for this game.

In fact, Pacheco dealt with injuries all the way back in training camp. The new Lions RB was dealing with an MCL sprain back then, even before needing back surgery.

When is Pacheco scheduled to be back?

Head coach Dan Campbell stated he will miss a significant amount of time, with an expected 12-week recovery and a potential return around December. So, if the running back is able to get on the field, he will ramp up his actions just before the NFL playoffs. These are the injuries Pacheco’s had in the NFL:

• 2024 – Fractured Fibula: Suffered early in the 2024 season, limiting him to just 7 games.
• 2024 – Ribs & Ankle: Listed on injury reports with ankle issues (Week 12) and rib injuries (Week 18).
• 2025 – Knee / MCL Issues: Missed time over a month during the 2025 season, with official game reports listing knee injuries around Weeks 9 and 11.
• 2026 – Training Camp Sprained MCL: Suffered a knee injury early in training camp with the Detroit Lions.
• 2026 – Back Injury & Surgery: Picked up a lumbar/back issue while recovering from his knee injury, leading to placement on the injured reserve and back surgery in September 2026 to fix a nerve issue

Lions RB depth chart vs Bills

The Bills’ new Highmark Stadium has a different capacity than their old venue, but it will be packed for this game. Hence, the Lions will face a hostile environment as they seek new ways to find a victory vs Bills. For Detroit, running the football is key. Therefore, these RBs will be crucial for them as the game develops:

• Jahmyr Gibbs
• Sione Vaki
• Jacob Saylors

Joe Brady’s team will stick with its Blue Primary uniform. The Bills also brought back red end zones for the occasion after a fan vote, giving the new stadium a distinctive backdrop for its first NFL game.

Detroit, meanwhile, is going with its all-white “Marshmallows” road look, with white jerseys and pants for the trip to Orchard Park. From the very beginning, their uniforms were trending, as was the list of starting and backup quarterbacks.

What is special about the Bills vs. Lions uniform matchup?

The Bills vs. Lions uniform matchup is special because Buffalo is opening the new Highmark Stadium in its Blue Primary uniform with a commemorative patch, while Detroit is wearing its all-white road combination for TNF.

The Bills’ Week 2 uniform was officially announced as part of the team’s “Inaugural Season” celebration, making the outfit part of the first regular-season game at the new stadium.

Buffalo’s uniform will feature a 2026 Inaugural Season at Highmark Stadium patch on the home jersey. The Bills selected their Blue Primary combination for the game, keeping the look tied to the franchise’s traditional identity.

There is another visual detail worth noting: they have prepared red end zones for the home opener, with the Bills logo at midfield. The team’s official field-painting photos from September 16 show the new stadium ready for its first regular-season crowd.

The Bills also have a new alternate uniform available in 2026, the “Nickel City” set, but that is not the look being used against Detroit. That uniform features gray jerseys and pants with a blue helmet and the team’s red charging streak, giving Buffalo another option during its first season in the new stadium.

For this particular matchup, then, the significance is less about a new uniform debut and more about the combination of Buffalo’s traditional blue home look, the Inaugural Season patch and the visual setting of the new Highmark Stadium.

Detroit News Lions beat writer Nolan Bianchi delivered the update Monday on social media platform X. “Coach Dan Campbell says RB Isiah Pacheco (back) had surgery. Said he’s going to be out ‘a significant amount of time,’“ Bianchi posted.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport added more details regarding Pacheco’s setback on X. “Isiah Pacheco had surgery to remove a body that was pressing on a nerve in his back, source said,” Rapoport posted. “It’s a 12-week recovery, with a chance he’s back by early December. Originally, Pacheco had an MCL injury, then hurt his back while training.”

An unfortunate situation for Pacheco

Pacheco was already slated to miss Detroit‘s first four games after being placed on the injured reserve list with a designation to return on Sept. 1 while dealing with an MCL sprain and a back injury, both of which he suffered during training camp.

The Lions added Pacheco this offseason as a free agent to pair with star running back Jahmyr Gibbs after trading veteran running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans. He spent his first four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he won two Super Bowl titles.

When he has been on the field, he has produced 2,537 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns in 51 games (42 starts). Pacheco has also been an effective receiver with 88 catches for 554 yards (6.3 per reception) and three touchdowns.

Who will step up in Pacheco’s absence?

With Pacheco out, the Lions offense will need to lean on Jahmyr Gibbs even more than they already do. Former fourth-round pick Sione Vaki also takes on a more significant role.

Gibbs delivered a solid NFL Week 1 performance, going for 156 yards and two touchdowns on his 29 carries in an overtime victory over the Saints. Vaki had two carries for seven yards and struggled as a blocker.

Pacheco’s placement on IR immediately raises questions about the running back depth chart and whether the room remains deep enough for the Lions to sustain a big season. The team expects strong performance out of its running backs, but doubts now arise with Pacheco sidelined. With Pacheco out, the running back depth chart features:

• Jahmyr Gibbs
• Sione Vaki
• Jacob Saylors
• Jabari Small

Potential return timeline for Pacheco

The move means Pacheco will miss Detroit’s first four games against the New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Carolina Panthers. The earliest he could return would be Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 11. Detroit then has its bye in Week 6.

Pacheco originally went down with a sprained MCL during training camp. At the time, head coach Dan Campbell expressed optimism that he could be ready for Detroit’s regular-season opener.

Detroit signed Pacheco in March after trading David Montgomery to the Houston Texans, with the former Kansas City Chief expected to become the primary complement to Jahmyr Gibbs.

Pacheco spent his first four NFL seasons with Kansas City and enters 2026 with 2,537 rushing yards, 554 receiving yards, and 17 total touchdowns. He also brings two Super Bowl championships to a Lions team trying to make its own postseason run.