The Detroit Lions Visit The Buffalo Bills In Brand New $2 Billion Stadium: Prime Video Broadcasts First Thursday Game Of The Season

A new chapter in Western New York sports history begins tonight as the Buffalo Bills officially open the gates to their brand-new, $2.1 billion Highmark Stadium. The state-of-the-art venue will make its regular-season debut under the prime-time lights of Thursday Night Football, hosting a heavyweight clash against the Detroit Lions.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET, with a national broadcast streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. Local fans can also catch the simulcast on WKBW (ABC Channel 7) in Buffalo and WJBK (FOX Channel 2) in Detroit.

The atmosphere in Orchard Park is expected to be electric. To mark the historic occasion, multi-platinum pop-rock band OneRepublic is scheduled to headline the venue’s first-ever halftime show.

Both teams enter the Week 2 matchup carrying momentum from 1-0 starts to the season, but it is the visiting Lions who face the steeper uphill battle tonight. Detroit’s offensive line has been heavily depleted by injuries on a short week; starting left guard Christian Mahogany (hip) and starting right tackle Blake Miller (knee) have both been officially ruled out. Additionally, cornerback D.J. Reed remains questionable with a foot injury.

The Bills carry their own share of bumps into the home opener. Safety Cole Bishop (knee/groin), running back Ty Johnson (hamstring), and defensive lineman T.J. Sanders (knee/illness) are all listed as questionable, though the team expects the energy of a sold-out new stadium to give them a distinct home-field advantage.

With two high-powered offenses sharing the turf, tonight’s grand opening promises to be a memorable showcase for a stadium built to house Buffalo’s championship aspirations.