The Buffalo Bills opened their new Highmark Stadium in spectacular fashion, scoring 41 points in a 41-31 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
The offensive explosion was dramatically different from what happened when the Bills played their first regular-season game at their previous stadium more than five decades earlier.
How Many Points Did the Bills Score in the First Game at the Old Stadium?
The Bills scored only 9 points in their first regular-season game at the old stadium, which originally opened as Rich Stadium in 1973.
Buffalo hosted the New York Jets on September 30, 1973, defeating New York 9-7.
That meant the Bills and Jets combined for only 16 points in the first regular-season game at Rich Stadium.
Compare that to 2026, when Buffalo and Detroit combined for 72 points in the first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium.
Old Highmark Stadium vs. New Highmark Stadium First Games
Here is the comparison:
Old stadium (Rich Stadium)
- Date: September 30, 1973
- Matchup: New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills
- Final score: Bills 9, Jets 7
- Bills points: 9
- Combined points: 16
New Highmark Stadium
- Date: September 17, 2026
- Matchup: Detroit Lions vs. Buffalo Bills
- Final score: Bills 41, Lions 31
- Bills points: 41
- Combined points: 72
Buffalo therefore scored 32 more points in the first regular-season game at its new stadium than it did in the first regular-season game at the old venue.
The overall scoring difference was even larger. The 72 combined points between Buffalo and Detroit were 56 more combined points than the 16 scored by the Bills and Jets in 1973.
Josh Allen Makes History in New Highmark Stadium Opener
Josh Allen made sure the first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium would be memorable.
The Bills quarterback accounted for five touchdowns, throwing for 248 yards and three touchdowns while adding 69 rushing yards and two rushing scores.
Allen also scored the first touchdown in a regular-season game at the new stadium, running the ball into the end zone from one yard out during Buffalo’s opening possession.
Buffalo built a 27-10 halftime advantage before eventually securing the 41-31 victory.
A Much Different Stadium Opening Than 1973
The difference between the two stadium debuts illustrates just how much NFL football has changed over the past five decades.
Buffalo’s first regular-season game at Rich Stadium in 1973 was a defensive 9-7 contest. The first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium featured 10 total touchdowns and 72 combined points.
The Bills themselves went from scoring 9 points in their old stadium’s first regular-season game to 41 points in their new stadium’s first regular-season game.
That represents more than four times as many points scored by Buffalo.
What Was the First Game Ever at the Old Bills Stadium?
There is an important distinction between the stadium’s first game and its first regular-season game.
Rich Stadium hosted preseason football before the September 30, 1973 regular-season opener.
However, when comparing regular-season stadium debuts, the historical matchup is clear: Buffalo’s 9-7 victory over the Jets in 1973 versus its 41-31 victory over Detroit in 2026.
Bills Begin New Highmark Stadium Era With an Offensive Explosion
The Bills couldn’t have produced a much more dramatic contrast between the beginning of their two stadium eras.
In 1973, Buffalo needed only nine points to win its first regular-season game at Rich Stadium.
In 2026, the Bills scored 27 points in the first half alone before finishing with 41 against Detroit.
More than half a century after opening their previous home with a 9-7 victory, the Bills began the new Highmark Stadium era with a 41-31 win — giving Buffalo fans a significantly more explosive opening night and another memorable chapter in franchise history.