Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson recorded two sacks against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1. As the second week of the NFL season arrives, the Lions head to Buffalo to face the Bills on Thursday night.

The game kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET at the new Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, the building’s first regular season game. Hutchinson is a sack machine and gets after the quarterback on any given down. The question in Buffalo is whether the Bills offensive line can keep him off Josh Allen.

Aidan Hutchinson Set the Tone in Week 1

Hutchinson finished the 31-30 overtime win over New Orleans with five tackles and two sacks. Listed at 6-foot-7 and 268 pounds, he uses his size and power at the point of attack, and he is stout enough against the run to push offenses into second and third and long. He was not doing it alone, either. The Lions noted this week that rookie defensive lineman Skyler Gill-Howard produced two quarterback pressures against the Saints, one of which led to a Hutchinson sack.

Hutchinson has already explained why he expects 2026 to be different, and a two-sack opener is the way to start proving it.

The Bills Offensive Line Held Up Against Houston

Buffalo opened its season with a 36-31 win over the Houston Texans. Josh Allen was sacked twice in that game, and the Texans edge pair of Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter combined for half a sack. That is the unit Hutchinson sees Thursday, and it is why the matchup is getting attention on both sides of the game.

Buffalo Writers Have the Matchup Circled

Buffalowdown.com writer Jamie Malloy laid out three important matchups to watch in the Bills home opener against the Lions, and he put the Buffalo offensive line against Hutchinson on the list. Malloy wrote:

“The Buffalo Bills offensive line in Week 1 did a fabulous job of protecting star quarterback Josh Allen while at the same time keeping Will Anderson Jr. in check and shutting down Danielle Hunter until the third quarter. This week, the trenches will be tested again as they face Lions star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson on Thursday night.”

Malloy goes on to predict that Buffalo puts up at least 30 points again on Thursday.

Detroit Gave Up 30 and Still Won

Even if the Bills get to 30, that does not automatically mean a quiet night for Hutchinson. The Lions gave up 30 points to the Saints in Week 1 and won the game anyway, and Hutchinson still came away with two sacks and five tackles in the middle of it. Buffalo scoring points and Buffalo keeping Hutchinson off Allen are two different things, and Thursday night will settle which one Detroit gets.