PLAYER NOTES
–LB Matt Milano underwent surgery to repair a broken fibula and he was placed on the injured reserve list.
–CB Taron Johnson underwent shoulder surgery and he is on season-ending IR.
–WR Robert Foster has enjoyed two 100-yard receiving games, the only two by a Bills receiver this season. Both came against the Jets, making him the first Bills player to have two 100-yard games against the same team in the same season since 1999. Foster led the wideouts by playing 96 percent of the snaps, an indication of how much he has risen in the last couple weeks. This was also the first game the Bills played without Kelvin Benjamin, whom Foster replaced in the starting lineup.
–TE Charles Clay saw his snap count dip to a season-low 55 percent and he caught just one pass for six yards. It certainly seems like his time with the Bills could be nearing an end even though he is signed through 2019.
–RB LeSean McCoy did not practice Wednesday and he’s day-to-day with a hamstring injury.
–RB Keith Ford was signed from the practice squad Wednesday as a precaution in case LeSean McCoy can’t play.
–S Dean Marlowe was signed from the practice squad Wednesday, most likely in an effort to give the sagging special teams a boost.
–K Stephen Hauschka was limited in practice after suffering a hip injury, but the Bills believe he’ll be fine for Sunday’s game.
–CB Ryan Lewis remains in concussion protocol and did not practice.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: WR Robert Foster. The Bills signed Foster as an undrafted free agent out of Alabama, and it was in no small part because the team’s new offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, was in that role with the Crimson Tide last season. Foster didn’t do much at Alabama, but Daboll liked his speed, and his upside, and the Bills brought him in. Foster didn’t show much in training camp and preseason, and it was somewhat of a surprise that he made the team. Then, when he made only two catches in the first six games, the Bills hit pause. They cut him, re-signed him to the practice squad, and that’s when things turned. When he was brought back up to the active roster, he made an immediate impact and now he has two 100-yard receiving games since then and seems to have become the Bills’ big-play receiver.
GAME PLAN: It has become apparent in the last three games that Josh Allen has taken ownership of the Bills’ offense and that figures to continue for the rest of the season. In each of the last three games, he has accounted for more than 80 percent of the yardage gained with his arm and his running. The Lions have been stout against the run this season, and Buffalo has been anything but a good running team. The Bills rank ninth in the NFL only because of Allen’s scrambling as they have struggled behind a weak offensive line to get push for the backs. Allen may be able to burn the Lions on runs if they’re in man coverage, but the Jets did an excellent job in the second half making Allen stay in the pocket.
Detroit’s offense has been inconsistent all season as it ranks 24th in yards and 25th in points. The Bills’ defense, on the other hand, has been inconsistent at times, but the highs have been higher than what Detroit’s offense has produced at its peak. The Bills have the ability to lock it down and they have six games where they have yielded fewer than 250 yards. And in eight of the last nine games, opposing teams have passed for 170 yards. One area the Lions may look to exploit is quarterback Matthew Stafford checking down to running back Theo Riddick with Matt Milano out for the season. He was the Bills’ best coverage linebacker.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Bills WR Robert Foster vs. Lions CB Darius Slay. Foster has made nice strides in the past month and has become Josh Allen’s big-play receiver. He had a career-best seven catches for 107 yards last week against the Jets, including a big 38-yard reception that set up the Bills’ go-ahead score in the fourth quarter. Slay has not had a great year, but he did have a 67-yard pick-six last week off rookie Josh Rosen in Arizona.
–Bills front four vs. Lions OL. In the loss to the Jets, the Bills’ pass rush was non-existent, and it will have to be more effective against established QB Matthew Stafford. Buffalo ranks No. 1 in the NFL in pass defense, and the Lions have not been as efficient moving the ball through the air, especially since the departure of Golden Tate, so this looks like an advantage for the Bills. Stafford has been sacked 37 times, and the Bills have the ability to get pressure with their front four, which enables them to cover with seven.
