The Detroit Lions spent the summer making sure Larry Borom would be available if Blake Miller was not.

That contingency plan is already being tested.

Miller has officially been ruled out of Thursday night’s game against the Buffalo Bills with a knee injury, leaving Borom as the likely starter at right tackle. Detroit will also be without starting left guard Christian Mahogany because of a hip injury, meaning Jared Goff could take the first snap at Highmark Stadium behind an offensive line featuring two replacements.

The Lions’ final Week 2 injury report confirmed that Miller and Mahogany did not participate in any of Detroit’s estimated practices this week.

Borom is officially listed behind Miller at right tackle on Detroit’s current depth chart, and SideLion Report also identified him as the likely replacement.

The question is not whether Detroit has a backup plan.

It is how much that backup plan changes the offense.

Larry Borom Has Experience, But Buffalo Will Test Him

Borom is not being thrown into an NFL lineup for the first time.

The veteran has started extensively at both tackle spots during his career. Before joining Detroit, he spent four seasons with Chicago and played for Miami in 2025. The Lions noted when evaluating the tackle position this offseason that Borom had already accumulated 38 NFL starts during his first four seasons, including 26 at right tackle. He added another 11 starts with Miami last season. Detroit viewed Borom as legitimate starting competition before drafting Miller.

That experience matters.

So does the opponent.

Buffalo defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard has installed a more aggressive 3-4 system built around creating pressure from different alignments. The Bills used five-man fronts on roughly 40 percent of their defensive snaps in Week 1, pressured Houston on 36 percent of passing plays and blitzed on 26 percent, according to a detailed breakdown of Buffalo’s new defense.

Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb give Buffalo legitimate edge threats, while Ed Oliver can create problems inside.

Borom will not be allowed to ease into this one.

Detroit Can Help Borom, But There Is Always a Cost

There are several ways offensive coordinator Drew Petzing can make life easier for his replacement tackle.

Detroit can use Brock Wright or Sam LaPorta to chip an edge defender before releasing into a route. Jahmyr Gibbs or Sione Vaki can provide additional protection out of the backfield. The Lions can slide protection toward Borom, lean on quicker throws and use the running game to prevent Buffalo’s rushers from simply attacking Goff every snap.

All of those options help.

None of them are free.

Keeping a tight end attached longer means LaPorta is slower getting into the route. Asking Gibbs to stay in and help Borom removes one of Detroit’s most dangerous receiving weapons from the progression. Sliding protection toward the right side can create more difficult one-on-one assignments elsewhere.

Even the quick passing game has a tradeoff. It can protect Goff, but relying on it too heavily allows Buffalo’s defense to compress the field and challenge Detroit to produce long drives without explosive plays.

That is why Borom’s ability to survive one-on-one matters so much.

The more help he needs, the fewer options Goff has elsewhere.

Jahmyr Gibbs Could Be Detroit’s Best Protection Plan

There is another way to keep Rousseau, Chubb and Buffalo’s pressure packages from taking over.

Run directly at them.

Detroit rushed for 165 yards on 33 attempts against New Orleans in Week 1, with Gibbs accounting for 156 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. Miller and Mahogany were part of the group that created that production before Mahogany exited early.

Detroit’s challenge is maintaining that identity with a reshuffled front.

That matters even more because the Lions learned the opposite lesson the last time they played Buffalo. Detroit rushed only 15 times for 48 yards in its 48-42 loss in 2024, eventually forcing Goff to attempt 59 passes.

We broke down why Detroit cannot repeat that pass-heavy formula against Buffalo.

A productive run game helps Borom in ways an extra blocker cannot.

It forces Buffalo’s edge defenders to respect the run. It makes play-action more believable. It creates manageable third downs and prevents Leonhard from unleashing his full pressure menu on obvious passing situations.

If the Lions repeatedly find themselves in third-and-8, Borom’s job becomes much more difficult.

Losing Mahogany Makes the Problem Bigger

Miller’s absence would be manageable by itself.

Losing Mahogany at the same time is what complicates everything.

Ben Bartch replaced Mahogany against New Orleans and is one candidate to handle the left guard spot Thursday. Detroit already knew it had experienced depth across the line, which is why there was not immediate panic when Mahogany went down.

But replacing two starters simultaneously changes the communication demands across the entire unit.

Detroit detailed the scope of the problem when its final injury report ruled out both Miller and Mahogany.

Center Juice Scruggs progressing to full participation Wednesday was therefore important. Detroit needs stability somewhere in the middle while the pieces around him change.

Goff’s protection has always functioned best when the offensive line operates as a connected five-man unit.

Thursday’s group has had very little time to become one.

Borom Does Not Need to Be Blake Miller

Detroit does not need Borom to suddenly become an All-Pro tackle.

It needs him to avoid becoming the story.

If Borom can hold up well enough that Petzing does not have to constantly dedicate a tight end or running back to protecting the right edge, Detroit can continue using the full width of its offense.

Gibbs can release into routes.

LaPorta can attack the middle.

Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams can work deeper concepts without Goff having to get rid of the football immediately.

But if Buffalo consistently wins against Borom, the offense begins shrinking one adjustment at a time.

That is what makes one backup tackle such an important part of Thursday night.

The Lions still have Goff, Gibbs, St. Brown, LaPorta and Williams.

They still have plenty of ways to score.

Larry Borom’s job is to make sure Detroit does not have to sacrifice too many of them just to keep Goff upright.