The Buffalo Bills already knew Landon Jackson had attracted the NFL’s attention once this season. Now, after Thursday night’s game against the Detroit Lions, the second-year defensive end could be facing another disciplinary decision from the league.
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Jackson was flagged for tripping Detroit’s running back Jahmyr Gibbs late in the second quarter of Buffalo’s 41-31 win over Detroit. With just seconds left, Gibbs took a handoff from Jared Goff and gained seven yards before Jackson was credited with the tackle. The officials then threw the flag on Jackson for tripping, giving Detroit an additional 13 yards of enforcement.
The important part is what comes next. This was not the first time Jackson has been punished for conduct that falls under the NFL’s striking, kicking, tripping, or kneeing category. The league fined him $8,190 after Buffalo’s preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers, where he was cited for unnecessary roughness under that same category.
That earlier incident makes Thursday night’s flag worth watching beyond the 15-yard penalty on the field. The NFL’s current fine schedule lists “Striking/Kicking/Tripping/Kneeing” at $12,537 for a first offense and $18,507 for a second offense.”
The $18,507 figure is not automatic. Jackson’s play still has to go through the league’s review process before any discipline is decided. The fine schedule simply shows that a repeat violation could carry a higher financial penalty.
“The NFL Officiating Department also reviews every play from every game and refers potential violations to the Football Operations compliance team,” per the league.
The tripping call is outside the NFL and NFLPA’s three-offense suspension system. That rule is for hip-drop tackles, horse-collar tackles, launching, hits on defenseless players and blindside blocks.
Jackson also never got a full rookie season in Buffalo. An injury ended his 2025 campaign early. The Bills had drafted him No. 72 overall last year after getting the pick from Chicago. The Bears used two of their picks from that trade on offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo and defensive lineman Shemar Turner. Jackson tore his MCL and PCL against Miami in November 2025, ending his rookie season after a handful of appearances.
The penalty came with six seconds left in a first half Buffalo largely controlled. Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw three touchdowns and ran for another, while running back James Cook had 101 rushing yards by halftime. Buffalo was also without defensive tackle Ed Oliver, who was ruled out with a hip injury before kickoff, and lost wide receiver D.J. Moore to a shoulder injury.
Both Teams Entered Buffalo Chasing the Same Clean Slate
Detroit arrived in Buffalo with a 1-0 record, but the Lions had plenty to clean up from their season opener. They built a 21-0 lead over the New Orleans Saints before allowing the game to reach overtime, eventually escaping 31-30. The Saints’ comeback exposed several areas Detroit needed to tighten up, particularly after the Lions had controlled the game early.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell had already been dealing with changes along his offensive line. Veteran guard Ben Bartch played 66 of 77 offensive snaps against New Orleans after getting limited work earlier in the season, and Campbell acknowledged that Bartch was rusty but expected him to improve with more game action.
“Just inconsistent, a little rusty,” Campbell said. “I mean, he got a few reps, he got that last week, and so he’s only going to be better as we keep going here.”
That made the quick turnaround to Buffalo another test for Detroit. The Lions had escaped Week 1 with a win, but they had not played a clean game. Buffalo also entered at 1-0 after a 36-31 comeback victory over the Houston Texans, giving both teams a chance to start the season 2-0 while addressing what had gone wrong in their openers.
By halftime in Buffalo, Campbell was again talking about the same issue. With the Lions trailing 27-10 and having committed seven penalties for 36 yards, Campbell told Amazon Prime sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung:
“We’ve just got to stay on the field, and we’ve got to score points, and cut out the penalties because they’re killing us right now. The little s*** is killing us.”
For Detroit, the clean slate lasted only as long as the opening kickoff. The Lions were trying to move forward from the mistakes that nearly cost them against New Orleans, only to find themselves dealing with another penalty-filled first half against Buffalo. That gave Jackson’s late tripping flag an added layer, even though the two situations involved different players and different circumstances.