Despite coming off a thrilling 44-42 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 14, the Buffalo Bills showdown with the Detroit Lions actually comes at a perfect time of the 2024 season. Teams are jockeying for playoff position all over the NFL, making every game all the more important.
Who will finish the regular season atop the AFC & NFC? 👀 pic.twitter.com/vkvOjolac8
— NFL (@NFL) December 13, 2024
Buffalo wrapped up the AFC East rather easily and has turned its focus to the race for the top seed in the AFC. Having three losses to the Kansas City Chiefs one loss makes that harder than ever. A loss in Detroit to the Lions all but assures the Bills finish second or third, especially if the Pittsburgh Steelers keep winning.
Even with those possibilities, watching two of the NFL’s best teams square off so late in the season is a treat for NFL fans nonetheless.
Why The Bills Showdown With The Lions Comes At The Perfect Time Of The Year
An Enticing Matchup That Can Meet The Hype
NFL schedulemakers usually do a good job but often cater to featuring four or five teams in primetime slots. The Chiefs, Steelers, Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and Green Bay Packers usually dominate primetime meetings.
Decision makers gave both the Cowboys and the New York Jets favorable spotlights this year. Both teams have vastly underperformed for different reasons. It just proves that a team’s past reputation and off-season moves don’t always translate to success or good football.
Detroit is still new to the party of perennial juggernauts but got some respect in 2024 after nearly making it to the Super Bowl last year. Most of their games are fun to watch. If they blow a team out like the Cowboys, it’s at least due to an offensive outburst or defensive showcase.
Timing Is Everything
Schedule makers didn’t do the Baltimore Ravens any favors as they opened the 2024 season in the same place where their 2023 season ended – at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs dashed any hopes of Lamar Jackson finally reaching a Super Bowl.
Had the game been scheduled a few weeks later or even toward the midpoint of the season, it would have been a better indication of where each team stood. The game still came down to one score, but beating a team in the first week of a season often means nothing in later showdowns.
Buffalo and Detroit aren’t the same teams in Week 15 that they were in Week 5. Buffalo rattled off seven straight wins before losing to the Rams. Josh Allen overtook the MVP conversation.
.@Lions QB @JaredGoff16 has been among the @NFL's best QBs in home games since joining Detroit in 2021, ranking:
— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) December 12, 2024
– 1st in passing TDs (70)
– 1st in passer rating (106.9)
– 2nd in passing yards (8,429)
– 3rd in completion % (69.4%)#ProBowlVote #OnePride pic.twitter.com/Wt5wr0y3Ca
Jared Goff could move up in the conversation with a huge game against the visiting Bills. Despite Tua Tagovailoa leading the league with a 73.8 completion percentage, he’s done so in only nine games. Goff has completed 72.4 % of his passes in 13 contests. On the season, Goff has a 109.1 QB rating (2nd in NFL), 25 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and 3,265 yards passing.
Pressure Makes Champions
Had they defeated the Rams, the pressure to keep the winning streak going would have mounted with each passing week. The Lions and Bills are sentimental favorites this year due to each franchise’s unfortunate history in postseason play.
Bookers could have put the potential game of the year in a primetime slot due to Super Bowl implications. CBS and Fox have a say about which games they want, so fans may have to tune in in the late window to watch a potential second-straight shootout for the Bills.
In a year filled with some bad play, questionable officiating, and luck for certain teams, fans deserve an enticing game between two of the best squads currently in the league.
The Bills showdown with the Lions can be seen as an early holiday present for NFL fans hoping for a change in the status quo over the last four years. It should also highlight two teams playing their best football at an extremely pivotal point in the season. A thrilling game on Sunday can also erase the nasty taste of an unappealing 12-6 Thursday night game between the Rams and San Francisco 49ers.
Main Image: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
