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Not only will CBS and Paramount+ be carrying one of the most anticipated NFL games left on the 2024 schedule this Sunday, but "The NFL Today," the award-winning pregame show, will be onsite in Detroit, just outside Ford Field, to preview the Lions' Week 15 showdown with the Buffalo Bills.

Ahead of the matchup (4:25 p.m. ET kickoff), Emmy Award-winning "NFL Today" host James Brown spoke with CBSSports.com to anticipate both the atmosphere and the contenders driving it:

How confident are you that Bills-Lions could be a Super Bowl LIX preview?

Brown: At this point in time, it's a very fair assessment. But there's still four more weeks to go. Anything can change, and we've seen that happen. But at this snapshot in time, yes, they both look good.

I'll preface this by saying also what John Madden taught me many years ago, God bless him: Until the defending champions have been dethroned, I'm still gonna give them their due respect. ... [The Chiefs have] leadership. Andy Reid. Patrick Mahomes. ... He's got them in position to win games better than anyone else. He is still the quarterback of the league right now, so I wouldn't rule them out.

But at this point in time, Josh Allen is showing that he still has a tremendous upside yet to be attained in his game. I've never poo-pooed players, but it's clear that when you've got a diva wide receiver that you've gotta keep happy, he may have been forcing some things [in past years.] Now, he can go wherever the open person is. And when they're not there, he is still a one-man Paul Bunyan wrecking crew. He is willing his team across the goal line. ... [And] let's give Sean McDermott his credit. That man knows how to coach.

How has the atmosphere in Detroit changed in just the last few years?

Brown: That futility [is gone]. They [the Lions] are the darlings of the town. They represent the grit and determination of that blue-collar city. Dan Campbell is perfect in that regard. Keep in mind: Dan Campbell, not too long ago, was in the coaching interview cycle, and nobody gave him the nod. I love what he's doing. But I think first and foremost the credit goes to the top of the organization: Mrs. Sheila Ford Hamp is showing that her chops are sharp; Brad Holmes as the general manager, Dan Campbell as the head coach and both coordinators, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn. Then all the assistants.

[Hamp] did well trusting her people, hiring the right people, and she stepped out of the way and is letting them do their thing. There are some owners who don't do that! If you hire well, let them do the job. Two hundred years ago, when I broke into this business from corporate America, there was a mantra that we adhered to: You cannot expect what you don't inspect. [But] as the big boss [in the NFL], you give your performance review sheet at the end of the year, not along the way, trying to mettle and move for them. That's not fair. Dan Campbell does not have that to worry about in Detroit.

How do you expect the Detroit crowd to compare to the Buffalo crowd?

Brown: Buffalo faithful are second to none. But Detroit, look here: I've seen what's been taking place in that stadium. I can't wait to get there. We're gonna be outside with the set, so those fans will be challenged to duplicate what the Bills Mafia did. ... At the end of the day, as John Madden always said, the game is the thing.

How are you personally preparing for CBS' coverage of such a pivotal game?

Brown: There's a Scripture that says, 'Every joint supplies.' All of us are given gifts. 'Every joint supplies, for the fervent, effectual working of the whole body.' ... So I've got some excellent people with whom I work: Hall of Famer Bill Cowher, multiple Emmy Award-winning Nate Burleson, JJ Watt, Matt Ryan, Jonathan Jones. So my job is to make sure I'm that one gift that's working effectively with them to deliver the job. And we're excited about it.