DETROIT (AP) — Jake Fromm threw a 42-yard, fourth-down pass to rookie Marquez Stevenson to set up Tyler Bass’ 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds left in the Buffalo Bills’ 16-15 victory over the Detroit Lions on Friday night.
Fromm, Buffalo’s fifth-round pick in 2020, spent all of last year as the team’s COVID-19 emergency quarterback. He was forced into self-isolation and had to work out mostly on his own all season.
Davis Webb threw a 6-yard, tiebreaking touchdown pass to Devin Singletary late in the second quarter. Webb is vying with Fromm to be Buffalo’s third-string quarterback.
Both players had an extended opportunity to play with Josh Allen sitting out the preseason opener and Mitchell Trubisky playing for just two possessions.
The Bills, coming off their first AFC East title since 1995 and longest playoff run in 27 years, clearly want to keep key players healthy for Week 1 in just under a month.
Webb was 11 of 16 for 90 yards and ran twice for 26 yards. Fromm entered in the fourth quarter and finished 8 of 13 for 65 yards.
Jared Goff got off to a rough start in his and coach Dan Campbell’s debut with the Lions, nearly throwing an interception on his first snap and getting sacked to end the game-opening drive with a thud.
The former Los Angeles Rams quarterback, acquired as part of the Matthew Stafford trade, bounced back with seven straight completions. Goff finished 7 of 9 for 56 yards and had a 4-yard run to set up Randy Bullock’s 28-yard field goal that ended an 18-play, 70-yard drive that took almost 10 minutes off the clock.
Bass made 50- and 37-yard field goals to help Buffalo lead 13-3 at halftime.
Craig Reynolds — a day after signing — had a 24-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter to cut Detroit’s deficit to 13-12. David Blough’s 2-point conversion pass was incomplete.
Blough, competing with Tim Boyle to be Goff’s backup, opened the next drive with a 35-yard pass to rookie Javon McKinleyand converted a third-and-4 with a 15-yard pass to Tom Kennedy. The passes set up Bullock’s 28-yard, go-ahead field goal with 1:38 left, which proved to be too much time on the clock to hold on for the win.
INJURY REPORT
Bills RB Antonio Williams (stinger), WR Isaiah Hodgins (knee) and Lions C Evan Boehm (right knee) were injured during the game.
FLAG DAY
Buffalo extended some of Detroit’s drives with penalties, finishing with nine flags for 112 yards. The Lions were penalized five times for 59 yards.
NEXT UP
Bills: At Chicago on Aug. 21.
Lions: At Pittsburgh on Aug. 21.
