Turnovers killed the Bills momentum in a 28-23 loss in Detroit on Thursday.
Despite scoring the first points of Thursday’s game with an interception return for a TD, it was the Bills who had their offense drives repeatedly squandered by turnovers in their 28-23 loss vs. Detroit.
Buffalo dominated the first half, as CB Drayton Florence got the team off on the right foot, picking off Matthew Stafford’s second pass of the game and running it back 40 yards. QB Trent Edwards once again affirmed his starting status, completing all 4 passes he threw for 66 yards and completed a 50-yard bomb to WR Lee Evans. He finishes the preseason with an excellent 102.6 average QB rating. However, the team couldn’t find their way into the endzone, adding 3 more FGs from Rian Lindell to seal a 16-0 lead late into the second quarter
“I thought our first groups went out there and did OK; not great, but OK,” coach Chan Gailey told the Buffalo News. “It was a great interception to score. That was big.”
With 313 total yards and 20 first downs, the Bills offense played well in the open field, but turnovers and an inability to finish drives let the Lions hang around. The turning point came when Lions’ LB Ashlee Parker intercepted one of Brian Brohm’s passes after it was tipped up by new TE J.P. Foschi. Detroit turned the pick into 7 points thanks to a 1-yard run by Jerome Felton, cutting the lead to 16-7 at the half.
The Lions roared out in the second half with 2 TD passes from back up QB Drew Stanton, taking a 21-16 lead. They gave the Bills a chance to get back into the game when they lost a fumble on their own 23 in the 4th quarter, but Levi Brown gave the ball right back. His overthrown pass fell victim to a diving interception and 102-yard TD return by Detroit CB Paul Pratt, effectively putting the game to bed.
Thursday’s match also showcased Bills RB Marshawn Lynch’s return to the playing field after missing three weeks with a high ankle sprain. The comeback performance was lackluster, as he only rushed for 2 yards on 5 carries. Brohm, 7/15 for 78 yards and an INT, and Brown, 10 of 18 92 yards and an INT, were also unable to make a strong case either way for the third QB slot.
The Bills will welcome their AFC East-rival Miami Dolphins into Buffalo for their regular season opener on Sept. 12.