By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
The Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions are both beat up but the show must go on.
Within the game each week, there’s also individual games going on in it which will help decide the outcome.
With that, here are three key matchups to watch on Sunday when the Bills (4-9) host the Lions (5-8):
DE Shaq Lawson vs. RT Tyrell Crosby
This one is easy and should be for Lawson if he wants to stick around Buffalo. The Lions won’t have starting right tackle Ricky Wagner due to injury. He’s being replaced by Crosby, a rookie fifth-round rookie who’s making his first-career start.
Taylor Decker, the Lions’ left tackle, also might not play, so this applies to Jerry Hughes, too. The Bills must get to quarterback Matthew Stafford, who’s also playing with a back injury most likely. Buffalo didn’t even register a QB hit last week. That’s got to change.
CB Tre’Davious White vs. WR Kenny Golladay
Tre’Davious White will be Buffalo’s No. 1 cornerback for maybe the next decade if things continue to go right. However, things haven’t gone right for him the past two weeks. White has come back to earth a bit. He gave up a 37-yard pass setting up the game-winning score against the Jets last week and earlier in the game, he allowed a touchdown. White didn’t speak to the media following the game, something he usually has no problem doing.
Across from him on Sunday will be a player in the midst of a breakout year. Golladay, also a second year player, had 28 catches, 477 yards and three touchdowns last year. The 6-foot-4 target is going to more than double that this season with 57 catches for 859 yards and five touchdowns already.
WR Zay Jones vs. CB Darius Slay
After a four catch, 67-yard, two touchdown outing against the Miami Dolphins two weeks ago, Jones was quiet last week with only three catches and 22 yards. Jones’ second half of his season has gone that way. He’ll have a big game and then go quiet the next week, which could be the game plan as well.
Slay is an under-the-radar cornerback in the NFL. He was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week last week after he had his first-career pick-six interception. On the year, Slay has 12 passes defended and three interceptions, that’s down from his 26-8 ratio last season, but he’s still one of the more talented cornerbacks that Jones has had to face this season.