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There was plenty of chatter in NFL circles last week about Bills vs. Lions potentially being a Super Bowl preview. Both teams did not disappoint in putting on a very entertaining show. The Bills beat the Lions 48-42 in a game where neither Josh Allen nor Jared Goff could seemingly be stopped. However, one NFL analyst believes that this game showed that neither team is equipped to win the Super Bowl this season.
Bill Simmons shared his theory on the most recent episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast. He explained why he thinks someone else will win the NFL's greatest honor this season.
“Here’s the bad news for Detroit, this is another stat I read. No team has ever allowed 45 points in a home game and then won the Super Bowl,” Simmons said.
Simmons seems to believe that defense is the reason why both teams won't make the Super Bowl.
“Buffalo in the last two weeks has given up 86 points, over a 1,000 yards, and 53 first downs in the last two weeks,” Simmons continued. “I know the Josh Allen thing is super fun but this isn’t how you win Super Bowls. Somebody is going to get them at some point unless he would have to be superhuman in a way very few guys in the history of the league have just thrown a team on their back to win with the defense he has.”
The Lions are in worse shape than the Bills.
“But Detroit’s defense is worse, they lost three more guys today, they lost McNeill. McNeill might be out for the year,” Simmons concluded. “So it’s never been a better spot for this Eagles team that everyone gave up on, including me three months ago.”
Are the Lions and Bills still elite NFL teams after high-scoring Week 15 battle?
Simmons does have a point that both teams have had subpar defensive play over the past few weeks. However, that does not guarantee that neither team can make the Super Bowl.
The main issue with Simmons' critique is that he focuses on the defense to the exclusion of the offense. When looking at offensive production, both teams are among the very best in the NFL.
Lions QB Jared Goff threw for 494 yards and five touchdowns. Detroit did not lean on their running game, especially after David Montgomery's possibly season-ending injury. Regardless, the Lions showed they can still play at a high level even without Montgomery or their usual running game.
Meanwhile, Josh Allen had another incredible game. Over the last three games, Allen has thrown for 852 yards with seven touchdowns and no interceptions. He's also rushed for 168 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
Both teams have elite offenses, which makes them dangerous in any given week.
Neither team looks invincible right now, but they are both good enough to make the Super Bowl this season.
That said, Simmons and other NFL figures can be forgiven for being more hesitant about that take after Sunday's game.
