Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - One week after the Buffalo Bills saw their seven-game winning streak come to an end in Los Angeles against the Rams, Sean McDermott's team will be faced with the task of stopping the team with the longest active win streak in the National Football League.
The NFC North-leading Detroit Lions are 12-1. The last and only loss this season came way back in Week 2 when Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers left the "Motor City" with a 20-16 victory. The 16 points were/are a season-low, and that is the only game this season where the Lions were held under 20 points.
Their current 11-game winning streak is a franchise record, and the Lions' history dates back to 1930.
Detroit has outscored their opponents by 183 points, which is easily the best point differential in the league. The second-best team is... well, if you guessed the Bills, you would be correct. They are at +129 point differential this season.
But all the Lions have done, to this point, is clinch a playoff spot in the NFC. They still have plenty of work left to do.
The Lions have just a one-game lead over the 11-2 Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North. And as far as the race for the 1-seed, Detroit is only one game in front of the Philadelphia Eagles, who have won their last nine games.
Like the Bills, the Lions' motor is powered by their explosive offense.
Detroit averages 32 points a game, which is tops in the NFL. The Bills are next up at 29 points per-game. The over/under for this game has been set at 55 by BetMGM, so take the over.
In terms of other league stats, the Lions lead the league in first downs per-game. They rank second in total yards per-game (394), fourth in rush yards per-game, pass yards per-game and third down efficiency.
Lions quarterback Jared Goff has an impressive completion percentage of 72%. He is averaging 251 passing yards a game, has 25 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.
Goff has the luxury of having a two-headed monster in his backfield. Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are both having strong seasons.
Gibbs has 1,016 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns, and his yards per-carry average of 4.0 is considered good. He also averages an eye-popping 5.7 yards per-run.
As for Montgomery, he has 771 yards on the ground and a team-leading 12 touchdowns.
I'll save you from doing the math yourself: The pair have combined for 1,787 yards and 22 touchdowns. Needless to say, they could be big trouble for a Bills defense that has had some struggles stopping the run this season.
Buffalo is near the bottom of the league in average yards per-carry given up, and the Bills have yielded 49 explosive runs in 13 games. Those are runs of 10-or-more yards.
This past Sunday, the Bills' secondary failed in their attempts to stop Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. The task won't be any easier in Detroit, where the Bills have to find a way to keep Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams from going off.
St. Brown has an 82% catch rate this season, recording 81 receptions for 863 yards and nine touchdowns. When the Lions need a clutch catch, he is their go-to guy.
The speedy Williams has 39 catches for 710 yards and four touchdowns. He is a big play weapon, as evidenced by his outstanding 18.2 yards per-catch average.
Don't forget about their talented tight end Sam LaPorta. His numbers might not be as impressive as the ones he put up as a rookie last season, but LaPorta still has 36 catches for 445 yards and five touchdowns.
Last Sunday, the Bills and Rams combined for 12 touchdowns, 902 yards and 86 points. The Bills and Lions might just top those totals in this game.
Detroit is dealing with a rash of injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Most notable is elite pass rusher Aiden Hutchinson, who they hope could come at some point in the playoffs.
In their last game against the Green Bay Packers, the Lions' front-seven had just one player who was on their opening day roster. Detroit has given up 51 points in their last two games (wins over the Packers and before that, the Chicago Bears). That is the most points given up by the Lions in back-to-back games all season.
They do have a talented linebacker in Jack Campbell. He leads the team in tackles, but his stat line also includes 1.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, three passes defended and a forced fumble.
Detroit has some ball hawking safeties too. Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch have combined for 11 of the Lions' 14 interceptions. Cornerback Carlton Davis leads the secondary with 11 passes defended.
Despite all of the injuries, Detroit's defense is tied for second-fewest points given up per-game. They are 10th in total yards, fifth in rush yards, 23rd in pass yards (Hello Josh Allen and the Bills' passing game), and just 23rd in sacks per-pass play.
However, the Lions do lead the league in third down efficiency, and are the second-best fourth down defensive unit in the NFL.
If the game comes down to the kickers, Detroit has an edge on paper thanks to Jake Bates. The former UFL kicker is 48-of-49 on extra point attempts, and 21-for-22 on field goal attempts. Bates is 11-for-11 under 40 yards, 5-of-6 from 40-49 yards, and 5-for-5 from 50-plus.
In case the loss to the Rams took some wind out of your "race for the 1-seed" sails, the 10-3 Bills are still second in the AFC.
The Kansas City Chiefs, who are having the most lucky single season in the history of sports, is 12-1. The Chiefs play in Cleveland against the Browns on Sunday, so we are all big fans of Jameis Winston this weekend.
Kansas City has a tough closing schedule, so don't give up on the 1-seed just yet. The Chiefs' final three games are at home against the Houston Texans, and then on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos.
Speaking of Pittsburgh, the Steelers are tied with the Bills at 10-3, but due to a tiebreaker, they are currently the No. 3 seed.
Pittsburgh plays the aforementioned, red-hot Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday, then visit the Baltimore Ravens before finishing the regular season at home against the Chiefs, followed by the Cincinnati Bengals.