Jared Dubin· Sep 17, 2026
Unsigned CBS Sports preview of Bills-Lions picks Buffalo to win a high-scoring Thursday night game 35-31, and expects Larry Borom to step in as Detroit's starting right tackle for the injured Blake Miller.
“Pick: Bills 35, Lions 31”
published in writing · CBS Sports · read the original →
2 checkable claims — 1 depth chart call and 1 score prediction — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 2 have settled so far, averaging 85.7 out of 100, against 79.4 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room.
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Who this take is about
The game in this take
- Lions at Bills 20 calls
2 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Score PredictionsBuffalo BillsSep 17, 2026
Buffalo Bills 35 — Lions 31
“I lean toward the Bills for the win in the debut of their new stadium... Pick: Bills 35, Lions 31”
Hit · 86Scored 85.71a naive guess scored 79.41+12.23 skillHow this was scored
- score:
- 31-41
- skill:
- 12.23
- they picked:
- BUF
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 85.71
- baseline:
- 79.41
- difficulty:
- 1.94
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- actual margin:
- 10
- weeks left when called:
- 17
- naive home margin:
- 1.35
- predicted margin:
- 4
- Depth Chart CallsLarry BoromDetroit LionsSep 17, 2026
Larry Borom to be 1st on the depth chart
“Larry Borom is likely to take over for Miller at tackle.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Tyler SullivanScore Predictions · Buffalo BillsHit · 86Sullivan picks the Bills 31-27 over the Lions and the Eagles to beat the Titans 27-17.
- Jordan DajaniScore Predictions · Buffalo BillsHit · 90Dajani picks the Bills 36-30 over the Lions and the Texans to beat the Bengals 27-23 in Houston.
- John BreechScore Predictions · Buffalo BillsHit · 93Breech picks the Bills to beat the Lions 38-31 on Thursday night, floats the game as a Super Bowl preview, and takes the Cardinals to upset the Seahawks 20-17 in Week 2.
- Pete PriscoScore Predictions · Buffalo BillsHit · 90Prisco picks the Bills 36-30 over the Lions and has the Jaguars upsetting the Broncos 23-20 in Denver.
- Jordan DajaniScore Predictions · Buffalo BillsHit · 90Dajani picks winners and exact scores for seven Week 2 games, taking the Bills over the Lions in a shootout, the Patriots narrowly over the Steelers, the Ravens over the Saints, the Texans over the Bengals, the Jaguars upsetting the Broncos, the Chiefs over the Colts and the Rams over the Giants.
- Tyler SullivanGame Outcome Picks · Detroit LionsMiss · 0An unsigned CBS Sports column flags five Week 2 favorites on upset alert, effectively backing the underdogs — Lions at Bills, Bengals at Texans, Jets over Packers, Jaguars at Broncos and Saints at Ravens — to pull off wins.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Rich HribarDepth Chart Calls · Malik WillisHit · 100Hribar previews the Week 1 Dolphins-Raiders game, calling Malik Willis a strong floor-based QB2 for fantasy, noting Kirk Cousins is the Raiders' starter and not a Week 1 streamer in 1QB leagues, and listing expected defensive starters for both teams.
- Randy GurziDepth Chart Calls · Jadarian PriceHit · 100Gurzi suggests the Seahawks could sign three free agents — safety Donovan Wilson, guard Kevin Zeitler, and running back Kareem Hunt — if weaknesses show up after Week 1. He also notes Trevon Diggs starting on the practice squad and describes Seattle's projected backfield roles.
- Tyler SullivanDepth Chart Calls · Malik WillisHit · 100An unsigned CBS Sports preseason review grading all 32 teams, which along the way stakes out a number of depth-chart calls for Week 1 and beyond — including Deshaun Watson opening as Cleveland's starter, Fernando Mendoza taking over as Las Vegas' QB1 by season's end, and Minnesota's Murray-Wentz-McCarthy quarterback order.
- Warren SharpDepth Chart Calls · Kirk CousinsHit · 100Sharp argues Raiders rookie No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is not ready to play, predicting he won't start Week 1 or Week 2 and that Kirk Cousins will be the Week 1 starter, with Mendoza sitting behind him for a long stretch.
- Greg AumanDepth Chart Calls · Malik WillisHit · 100Auman states Malik Willis will be Miami's Week 1 starting quarterback and the player the Dolphins build their season around, despite having only six career starts.
- Carter BahnsDepth Chart Calls · Kirk CousinsHit · 100The newsletter says Shedeur Sanders' preseason Week 2 start may have won him the Browns' starting quarterback job over Deshaun Watson, and that Kirk Cousins will lead the Raiders' offense in Week 1. It also asserts Florida is the best college basketball team heading into 2026-27.