Most teams coming away with a win in the opening week of the regular season will feel nothing but optimistic heading into Week 2. That's not entirely the case for the Detroit Lions, who barely escaped Week 1 with a win over the New Orleans Saints. To make matters worse, starting left guard Christian Mahogany went down early in the game with a hip injury.
According to Dan Campbell, Mahogany's status is in doubt for the Lions' Thursday night game against the Buffalo Bills. On a short week, the lineman's time to recover is limited.
Ben Bartch, who was a backup guard just a few days ago, is now one of the most important players in Detroit's Week 2 matchup.
Ben Bartch may be a key Lions starter after Christian Mahogany injury
Mahogany suffered his injury on the Lions' second drive of the game against the Saints. Bartch filled in for the rest of the game, logging 66 offensive snaps in the overtime win. He held up well, only allowing one pressure and earning a PFF run blocking grade of 66.7.
Bartch and Mahogany were battling for the starting left guard spot throughout the preseason, and Campbell even considered rotating the two players in the season opener when they were both healthy.
Now, he doesn't have much of a choice. It's unlikely that Mahogany will be fully recovered with just three full days between games. Bartch, whom the Lions signed this offseason, will need to step into a key role against the Bills.
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Buffalo may have come away with a win over the Houston Texans in Week 1, but they showed the same weak run defense that held them back in 2025. The Texans, who struggled to run the ball last season, put up 124 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
With Jahmyr Gibbs looking as dominant as ever, the rushing attack is the Lions' clearest path to a win over the Bills on Thursday night. But Bartch will need to be at his best to truly open the game up for Gibbs.
The Bills have some big bodies on the interior of their defensive line, with Ed Oliver and Deone Walker leading the charge. But neither player is an anchor against the run. They can both be moved off their spot and tend to shoot through gaps rather than eating up space.
If Bartch and the rest of Detroit's interior offensive line bring the right combination of physicality and technique, they'll set Gibbs up for another big day and help the team to a 2-0 start.
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