Bills Top Lions 41-31 in $2.1B Stadium Debut — SkimNews
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- Josh Allen accounted for five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) and threw the night's first scoring strike to Joshua Palmer on a 43-yard bomb, powering the Bills past the Lions 41-31 in the debut of their new $2.1 billion Highmark Stadium.
- Joe Brady became the first head coach in Bills franchise history to win his first two games, as Buffalo improved to 2-0 on the season.
- The Bills' 41 points were the most in a team's home stadium debut since the Dolphins scored 42 at Joe Robbie Stadium in 1987, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
- Hall of Famer Bruce Smith led 60,000-plus fans in a 'Let's Go, Buffalo' chant during pregame tailgating festivities, while Allen said he got emotional during the national anthem thinking about being the first QB to open the new stadium.
- The Bills raced to a 21-0 lead and never let the Lions draw close, silencing any concern that the luxury of the new venue might diminish one of the NFL's most overwhelming home-field advantages.
- The old Highmark Stadium now sits in ruins across the street, but the franchise's recent home success — including the late-game 'Mr. Brightside' sing-along — has transferred directly to the new building.
Why it matters: The Bills' emphatic debut produced the most points in any NFL home stadium opener since 1987, and Allen's five-touchdown performance in front of 60,000-plus fans suggests Buffalo's intimidating home-field advantage has migrated intact from the demolished old stadium to the new $2.1 billion venue — a significant signal for opposing teams who already dreaded visiting Orchard Park.
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