Thursday | 8:20 ET
The Lions fanbase comes into their season opener with the most optimism in recent memory. Ford Field season tickets sold out for the first time in history. Unfortunately for Dan Campbell’s squad, they must kick off their golden season with a trip to Kansas City to battle the reigning Super Bowl champions. From the Chiefs’ perspective, they are hoping to avoid a Super Bowl hangover with a tough week 1 win. With two of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, this is the perfect matchup to jumpstart week 1.
The key for the Lions is to avoid getting down early. Last season, Kansas City played the least cover 3 (the best run-stopping coverage) in the whole league. Since they were usually winning, they were able to sit back in 2-high-safety looks and simply play the pass. If Detroit becomes one dimensional early, it’ll be tough sledding.
Another thing to watch is the battle between the Chiefs wide receivers and the Lions cornerbacks. In 2022, Detroit played a highly aggressive style of defense that meant putting a ton of trust into their cornerbacks. With new additions Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley, the strategy may begin to pay off. Still, there is also a good chance that Andy Reid is able to dial up man-beaters at the right time and expose the gelling defense.
The probable abcense of Travis Kelce is massive. If he isn’t good to go, Patrick Mahomes won’t have a true number one receiver, someone that he can count on to beat man coverage consistently. It would be fascinating to see this form of the Kansas City offense. Assuming Kelce doesn’t play, this game is going to to be a lot closer than previously anticipated.