How four penalties shaped Buffalo's lead over Detroit

Buffalo's 41–31 win contained no official turnovers by either team. It did contain a play that appeared to end in an interception, followed by a Bills touchdown and a 21–0 lead.

Buffalo led 14–0 and faced third-and-6 in the second quarter when a Josh Allen pass appeared to be intercepted. Roger McCreary's defensive holding made it a no-play and gave Buffalo first-and-goal at the Detroit 4. On the next play, Jack Campbell's defensive holding nullified an apparent sack and awarded another first down at the 2.

Allen found Dawson Knox for a one-yard touchdown at 11:48. The two apparent defensive outcomes were not an official interception and sack; both plays were wiped out. What counts in the sequence is that Detroit's penalties preserved and advanced Buffalo's opportunity before the score. The record cannot establish what would have happened without them.

Detroit finished with 10 penalties for 58 yards to Buffalo's five for 46. But two of the Bills' flags came at points that gave the Lions new chances to narrow the lead.

At 34–17 in the fourth quarter, Detroit faced fourth-and-8 at the Buffalo 17. Davison Igbinosun was called for defensive holding, and an apparent incompletion became a no-play. The Lions had a first down at the 12. Later, on third-and-7 at the 9, Christian Benford's pass-interference penalty moved Detroit to first-and-goal at the 1; that apparent incompletion was also a no-play.

Jared Goff hit Sam LaPorta for a touchdown on the next play. At 10:53, the margin was down to 34–24. The penalty totals cannot show the value of those particular first downs: Detroit had a two-score deficit again, with nearly 11 minutes remaining.

Detroit was still within 10 when Jack Fox punted at 7:36. Buffalo then had to navigate more than one demanding down-and-distance situation on the possession that rebuilt its lead.

At 6:05, Allen found Keon Coleman for nine yards on third-and-7. After James Cook III lost two yards, Allen hit Khalil Shakir for 16 on second-and-12. Both completions produced first downs. They extended the possession; they do not by themselves explain the touchdown that followed.

Cook later ran 22 yards to the Detroit 1 and scored on the next play. Buffalo led 41–24 with 2:50 remaining, more than four and a half minutes after the punt. Amon-Ra St. Brown's 27-yard touchdown cut the lead to 41–31 at 1:42, but the same 10-point gap now came with far less time left.