DETROIT -- Detroit Lions starting quarterback Matthew Stafford is expected to get only a cameo appearance in tonight's preseason game against the Buffalo Bills.

Stafford, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft, started 10 games as a rookie last season. The Lions went 2-8 in his starts, and he completed 53 percent of his passes for 13 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.

Lions coach Jim Schwartz would not say this week how much Stafford would play, but Stafford said he would open the game.

Detroit is 2-1 in preseason. The Lions lost to Pittsburgh and beat Denver and Cleveland.

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 Bills coach Chan Gailey on the fight for roster spots: "There's some big decisions to be made. There's a lot still out there and quite a bit will ride on this ball game for a few guys. Not necessarily a lot of the starter guys, but more of the other guys."

The Bills play Detroit in the regular season, in Buffalo on Nov. 14. Gailey said that's not much of a consideration in terms of what the Bills will show the Lions.

"To be honest with you, when you have a game on a short week like this, you really are doing your basic stuff," Gailey said. "You're not doing anything game-planning wise. It kind of works out good for us. We're just going to go out and run our base stuff on both sides of the ball and on special teams. We didn't game plan for this game, hardly at all. So, that will be left for the season."

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  Bills quarterback Brian Brohm played only one series in Saturday's game against Cincinnati. He's looking for more action tonight.

"Everyone's going to do what they can do to show the coaches what they have," Brohm said. "I'm just going to execute the offense to the best of my ability and show them what I've got. ... I'm not going to go out there and try to force it. I'm going to go out and try to go to the right place with the ball, make accurate throws and try to move the ball down the field."

mgaughan@buffnews.comnull