Week 2 of the NFL season is here, and get this: two of the league’s most successful yet snake-bitten teams, the Detroit Lions (1-0) and Buffalo Bills (1-0), are squaring off on “Thursday Night Football.” These two squads are tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the best record across the entire league since 2023, rocking an insane 37-15. But for these franchises, that kind of success has come with a heavy, heavy dose of heartbreak.
History Haunts These Powerhouses
Let’s talk about some brutal history. The Lions are the *only* team in the entire Super Bowl era, which kicked off back in 1966, to never even reach the title game. Think about that for a second. Then you got the Bills. They’ve got the best record in the NFL since 2020 at a staggering 73-27, a .730 winning percentage, but they haven’t seen a Super Bowl since 1994. Those 73 wins from 2020 to 2025? They are the most *ever* by any team without a Super Bowl appearance. That’s not just a statistic, that’s a punch to the gut for their fans.
Their last matchup was an absolute offensive laser show, an instant classic that Buffalo won 48-42. We’re talking 90 combined points and 1,080 combined yards. Bills quarterback Josh Allen went off, racking up 430 total yards and four total touchdowns. But here’s the kicker: Lions quarterback Jared Goff threw for an unbelievable 494 yards and five touchdowns. He became the *only* quarterback in NFL history to lose a game with 400-plus passing yards, five-plus passing touchdowns, and no interceptions. Talk about a brutal way to make history.
Detroit’s 2023 Nightmare: The 24-7 Lead That Vanished
For the Lions, their best chance to win it all might have been back in 2023. They rolled to a 12-5 record, snatching the NFC North title, and boasted the NFL’s No. 5 scoring offense, putting up 27.5 points per game. That team was stacked, too. They had Pro Bowlers like running back Jahmyr Gibbs, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (who was also first team All-Pro!), right tackle Penei Sewell (another first team All-Pro!), center Frank Ragnow (second team All-Pro), edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (also second team All-Pro). Head Coach Dan Campbell even had two current 1-0 NFL head coaches on his staff as coordinators: Ben Johnson, now with the Chicago Bears, and Aaron Glenn, now leading the New York Jets.
They finally broke a long playoff curse, beating their former face-of-the-franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams 24-23 in the wild card round, their first playoff win since the 1991 season. Then they followed it up with a 31-23 divisional-round victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They were cooking! In the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers, Detroit led 24-7 at halftime, looking absolutely destined for their first Super Bowl appearance. But then, as the source so perfectly puts it, “the wheels came off the wagon” in the second half. Just brutal to think about.
This Thursday night game isn’t just about kicking off the Bills’ new Highmark Stadium; it’s a heavyweight clash with major vibes. The football world knows it’ll be an offensive laser show. But underneath all that excitement, it’s also a stark reminder for both squads: are they battling for a Super Bowl window that’s still wide open for 2026, or did they already blow their best shot at the Vince Lombardi Trophy? You gotta wonder what’s left on the table for these teams.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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