By Gus "Walk-Off" Fields
The fireworks went off before kickoff, and Buffalo made sure they kept going all night.
The Bills opened their new Highmark Stadium in style Thursday, beating the Detroit Lions 41-31 to move to 2-0 on the season. Josh Allen was at the center of it, accounting for five touchdowns in a performance that had the building rocking from the first snap.
ESPN characterized Buffalo's control of the game as more thorough than the final score suggested — Buffalo led for long stretches and never let Detroit's defense find its footing.
The night wasn't without cost. Standout defensive tackle Ed Oliver was a surprise scratch, ruled inactive after suffering a hip injury in pregame warmups — a blow to a Buffalo front seven that will need him healthy as the season goes on.
On the other sideline, the mood was somber. Linebacker Jack Campbell fought back tears discussing his unit's performance, shouldering the blame for a defense that couldn't slow Allen or the Bills' offense. His All-Pro status, cited in some accounts of the game, could not be verified against NFL official records and has been dropped here. What's clear is this: it was a raw moment from a player who clearly felt the loss personally, not just as a box score.
For Buffalo, the takeaway is simpler: a new stadium, a signature win, and a quarterback playing like the best in the league. For Detroit, there's a defense that needs answers — and fast.
Final score's the last thing that mattered here, but on this night, it told plenty of the story too.
— Compiled from reporting by ESPN and BBC Sport.
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