BUF
Buffalo Bills
85.7PFM Team Score#7 NFL
Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions: PFM Team Comparison
PFM rates the Detroit Lions higher than the Buffalo Bills overall, with a slight advantage. The main reasons are the stronger coaching operation and the clearer long-term football direction.
Current PFM Team Scores
Slight edgeDET
Detroit Lions
86.3PFM Team Score#6 NFL
WEEK 2 MATCHUP
Thursday, Sep. 17 8:15 PM ET
View on NFL Schedule
PFM CALL
Locks September 17th at 8:15 PM EDT
Who wins Detroit Lions vs. Buffalo Bills?
Week 2 matchup
AwayDET1-0
HomeBUF1-0
Pick the winner.
PFM JUDGMENT
Why PFM Rates the Detroit Lions Higher
The staff edge favors the Detroit Lions. Dan Campbell gives the team steadier direction than Buffalo has on the sideline. Buffalo's strongest counterargument is Explosiveness. The Buffalo Bills have more ways to create a sudden scoring chance. That big-play ability can change field position before a defense settles in.
Detroit also brings the clearer long-term football direction. PFM still has the Detroit Lions in front.
TEAM DNA COMPARISON
Buffalo vs. Detroit Across the Core Pillars
The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.
BUFBuffalo Bills
DETDetroit Lions
THE COUNTERARGUMENT
Buffalo Bills’ Best Argument
The explosive-play advantage belongs to the Buffalo Bills. One chunk gain can rescue a drive that was otherwise going nowhere. That is why the overall gap is smaller than the score first suggests. Detroit still answers with the stronger coaching operation and the clearer long-term football direction, which keeps the overall judgment in place.
COMPLETE COMPARISON
Where Each Team Has the Edge
PFM Team Score
BUF85.7
Buffalo Bills 85.7DET86.3
Detroit Lions 86.3Overall NFL Rank
BUF#7
Buffalo Bills #7DET#6
Detroit Lions #6QB Stability
BUF88.0
Buffalo Bills 88.0DET85.0
Detroit Lions 85.0Roster Strength
BUF82.7
Buffalo Bills 82.7DET84.0
Detroit Lions 84.0Coaching Direction
BUF72.8
Buffalo Bills 72.8DET85.7
Detroit Lions 85.7Recent Performance
BUF86.3
Buffalo Bills 86.3DET80.2
Detroit Lions 80.2Offense
BUF91.4
Buffalo Bills 91.4DET88.4
Detroit Lions 88.4Defense
BUF80.7
Buffalo Bills 80.7DET80.1
Detroit Lions 80.1Franchise Direction
BUF77.8
Buffalo Bills 77.8DET80.6
Detroit Lions 80.6Explosiveness
BUF90.7
Buffalo Bills 90.7DET83.8
Detroit Lions 83.8Conference Rank
BUF#2
Buffalo Bills #2DET#5
Detroit Lions #5Division Rank
BUF#1
Buffalo Bills #1DET#1
Detroit Lions #1Outlook
BUFPlayoff ContenderDETSuper Bowl Contender
Stronger outlook: Detroit LionsSCHEDULE CONTEXT
Which Team Has the Tougher Road?
Buffalo Bills
Remaining schedule rank: #9
Toughest stretch: Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers
Strongest opponents: Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions
Next five difficulty: 82.9
View Buffalo Bills Road AheadDetroit Lions
Remaining schedule rank: #25
Toughest stretch: New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears
Strongest opponents: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears
Next five difficulty: 77.7
View Detroit Lions Road AheadBuffalo has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 9. The strongest opponents include Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, and the Detroit Lions. Detroit also has the more favorable road, which adds to the stronger coaching operation and the clearer long-term football direction.
Explore Both Team Dashboards
Ratings and Schedule Freshness
PFM ratings updated September 15, 2026. Schedule data updated September 14, 2026.
How to Read This Comparison
PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.
PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.
PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams