Lions vs Bills Odds, Picks & +EV For Week 2: Williams Offers Plus Money Value
Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions battle Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in the new Highmark Stadium to kickoff Week 2 of the NFL season on Thursday Night Football. Allen and the Bills are currently 4.5-point favorites with the total set at 54.5 points.
Check out the odds and our +EV picks for Thursday Night Football and always check out our odds screen for the latest NFL odds.
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Lions vs Bills Odds Week 2
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | -213 (NoVig) | +4.5 (+108 NoVig) | O54.5 (-105 4cx) |
| Buffalo Bills | +210 (4cx) | -4.5 (-110 BetOnline) | U54.5 (+104 (NoVig) |
Odds as of September 16th at 6pm ET
Lions vs Bills Analysis
Josh Allen did what Josh Allen does in Week 1 rushing for two scores and throwing for two more to lead Buffalo to a hardfought victory over the Texans.
Maybe the scariest part for the rest of the NFL was how comfortable Allen looked with new weapon DJ Moore. Moore hauled in five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown and looks like a seamless fit in Joe Brady’s offense. If you’re backing the Bills on Thursday you can find Moore OVER 62.5 receiving yards as low as -107 at Underdog.
Much in that same vein, Jahmyr Gibbs took over against the Saints rushing for two scores as the Lions held on for the win. Gibbs went off for 156 yards and those two touchdowns while adding another five receptions. That’s a concern for a Buffalo defense that was on the field for 79 plays against Houston and will face the Lions on just four days rest on Thursday Night Football.
The larger concern for Detroit however, will be injuries on both sides of the football. Dan Campbell’s squad will be without safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch yet again, which is less than ideal against the NFL MVP favorite quarterback. On top of that, the Lions will be missing left guard Christian Mahogany and rookie right tackle Blake Miller on Thursday night.
That’s massive for a Lions front that loves to get under center and run play action with quarterback Jared Goff. If Buffalo’s new look defensive front, which features the likes of Ed Oliver, Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb are able to generate pressure, it will be a long night for the former Cal quarterback. Goff completed just three of seven passes under pressure in Week 1, and has historically struggled in a muddy pocket.
The last meeting between these teams produced one of the wildest games of the 2024 season, ending in a 48-42 Bills win. A repeat performance would likely be asking a lot of these offenes, but both teams scored at least 30 points in Week 1 and both defenses allowed at least 30. As such the total has already been pushed upward by the market, starting at 52.5 and now reaching 54.5 at most books.
I like the Bills to win a close game to open the new Highmark Stadium on Thursday night, with the Lions banged up offensive line struggling to protect Goff.
Lions vs Bills +EV Opportunities Week 2
Jameson Williams OVER 4.5 receptions is currently the best +EV opportunity for Lions vs Bills at +140 odds over at BetRivers. We have it as a 2.5% edge, but his role on the field for the Lions leads to even further value.
Williams had four catches in Week 1, and more importantly had nine targets, the second most behind Amon-Ra St.Brown. He also ran a route on 90% of Detroit’s passing plays.
Gamescript is another huge reason to love the OVER here. Detroit enters this game as a road underdog in a game with a massive total of 53.5. If Allen and the Bills take control early, Goff should once again approach at least 40 passing attempts. Which gives Williams plenty of opportunity to haul in at least five catches.