The Detroit Lions may have finished at the bottom of the NFC North last season, but the NFL clearly sees them as a primetime attraction. The league has scheduled the Lions to face the Buffalo Bills in a Week 2 Thursday Night Football matchup, marking the grand opening of Buffalo's new $2.2 billion Highmark Stadium on September 17.

Prime Video, the exclusive broadcaster of Thursday Night Football, announced the game during its upfront presentation. This continues a trend for the Lions, who played five primetime games last season, plus seven more in the coveted 4:25 p.m. national window—including a Christmas Day showcase—alongside their traditional Thanksgiving game.

The Lions-Bills clash pits two of the NFL's most explosive offenses against each other. Detroit averaged 28.3 points per game last season (fourth in the league), while Buffalo wasn't far behind at 28.2 (fifth). The Bills, led by 2024 NFL MVP Josh Allen, have been a model of consistency, winning at least 10 games every season since 2019 and finishing 12-5 last year.

When these teams last met on December 15, 2024, Buffalo handed Detroit one of its only two regular-season losses in a wild 48-42 shootout. The Lions, plagued by massive defensive injuries that season, saw their playoff run end a month later against the Washington Commanders.

For Lions fans looking to gear up for this primetime showdown, the team's 2025 schedule is shaping up to be a must-watch affair. The NFL and its broadcast partners are rolling out game announcements this week, with networks revealing specific matchups during their upfront meetings with advertisers. Earlier Monday, Fox confirmed the Lions will play a November 15 game in Germany, with their opponent to be announced Wednesday.