After a last-place finish last season, the Detroit Lions‘ 2026 schedule looks easier on paper, but their first big test arrives as early as Week 2 when they take on the Buffalo Bills. Led by star quarterback Josh Allen, they reached the Divisional round last year before losing to the Denver Broncos, so they would be carrying that momentum early in the next campaign.
Putting the brakes on the 2024 NFL MVP would be a big challenge for the Lions’ D-line. On that note, the star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson was recently asked about facing Allen early into the new season on a recent episode of the Green Light with Chris Long podcast.
“Yeah, well, I try not to think about who you’re playing. Just trying to get the dude and get whoever has the ball down. I don’t care who it is,” said Hutchinson, making clear that Allen would be similar to taking on any other NFL QB.
While Dan Campbell’s men will take on the New Orleans Saints in the season opener on September 13, the second game is scheduled for September 17 against the Bills at 8:15 PM EDT. It is an away game for the Lions, which will be played at brand-new Highmark Stadium.
It is going to be an exciting battle between the elite edge rusher and the quarterback, but it will not be their first meeting on the gridiron.
Josh Allen Has Dominated the Head-to-Head History Against Aidan Hutchinson
Aidan Hutchinson was selected by the Lions in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and since then, the Lions have faced the Bills twice—once in his rookie year of 2022 and again in 2024. On both occasions, Allen’s side edged past Hutchinson’s.
On November 22, 2022, Allen and Hutchinson crossed paths for the first time during the latter’s rookie season. While the Bills won by 28-25, the QB and the DE had drastically different games. Allen stood out with 253 passing yards and 2 passing touchdowns, but Hutch did not do much besides taking 61 defensive snaps.
The two teams faced off again more than two years later on December 15, 2024, when the Bills were victorious again by 48-42. In that high-scoring game, Allen threw for 362 passing yards, but the Lions Pro-Bowler did not play, as he had been ruled out for the season because of a leg injury.
After two straight losses, the 26-year-old would be hungry to lead his team to a win in September, and the Lions’ defense needs to bring their A-game to keep Allen under control.
Lions Face Crucial Decision Over Who Will Line Up Opposite Aidan Hutchinson
With Week 1 approaching, the biggest question is who will partner with Aidan Hutchinson on the opposite side. The former Carolina Panthers veteran D. J. Wonnum, who signed this offseason, is emerging as a possible starter after an impressive training camp and preseason.
Moreover, the highly-rated rookie Derrick Moore, who was picked in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, could also be a starter, especially against the Bills, as a groin injury has cast doubt over his availability against the Saints in Week 1. Regardless, to minimize the impact of Josh Allen, Wonnum or Moore has to match Hutchinson’s level of impact.
Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson Makes Blunt Admission on Facing Bills QB Josh Allen in Week 2