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It’s time for kickoff – not just between the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs, but also for the start of the 2023 NFL season.
Thursday night’s game at Arrowhead Stadium ushers in Week 1 and the start of a 272-game regular-season slate, with the defending-champion Chiefs taking on an upstart Lions team looking to establish its credentials as a potential contender. Reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes could have to shoulder a heavy load, as top target Travis Kelce will miss the game with a knee injury, while All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones will sit out the contest as he continues a contract holdout. But Detroit will have its own challenges as it seeks to hand Mahomes his first ever loss in an opener.
USA TODAY Sports will have live updates throughout the night, so check back often for all the latest news on the game:
Operating in the two-minute drill, the Chiefs went on a six play, 82-yard touchdown drive late in the first half to take their first lead of the game.
On third-and-17 with a little over a minute remaining in the second quarter, Mahomes found wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a 34-yard reception. Mahomes completed a 26-yard pass to WR Justin Watson on the next play to put the Chiefs inside the 5-yard line. The series was capped off when Mahomes passed to tight end Blake Bell for a four-yard touchdown to make the score 14-7.
With Chris Jones in a suite, Kansas City’s front four finally found a little juice.
Facing a third-and-5 from near midfield with three minutes left in the second quarter, Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna took down Jared Goff as the quarterback climbed the pocket, marking the team’s first sack of the night.
What looked to be another promising drive for Detroit came to an abrupt end.
On a third-and-10 from the Chiefs’ 17-yard line, Jared Goff found Marvin Jones Jr. on a quick hit – but Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie forced a fumble, which was then recovered by safety Bryan Cook.
The fumble was the first in Jones’ 11 NFL seasons.
On the following possession, however, the Lions forced a three-and-out.
The Chiefs answered Detroit’s touchdown drive with a TD of their own. The possession was highlighted by Patrick Mahomes’ ability to extend plays and scrambling skills.
Mahomes scrambled for 16 yards to get the Chiefs in a first and goal situation. Three plays later, Mahomes found rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice for a one-yard touchdown.
After a three-and-out on the opening possession, the Detroit Lions found their footing.
Jared Goff and Co. engineered an 18-play, 91-yard touchdown drive that was capped by a 6-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
The drive was sparked in part by a bold call on fourth-and-2, when Detroit called for a fake punt and converted the attempt.
Chiefs star defensive tackle Chris Jones is in attendance to witness Thursday’s season opener. According the NFL Network, Jones is in a suite at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium to watch the Chiefs raise their banner before the team takes on the Lions.
Perhaps Jones and Chiefs executives can bridge the gap in their contract negotiations during the game.
Detroit has waited a long time for a Lions team of this quality.
The last playoff win was in the 1991 season, and there’s been plenty of futility along the way. This year’s Lions team could be poised to end all that, but coach Dan Campbell doesn’t want his team distracted by the hype.
“I told them from Day 1, when we first arrived in camp,” Campbell told USA TODAY Sports, ” ‘Man, don’t buy into all the noise that’s out there and all these predictions. Don’t listen to that.’
“Because it’s all the same noise in a positive way that we were getting negatively when we were 1-6 last year: ‘We weren’t good enough. Your coach sucks. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. The quarterback can’t.’ We have to block that stuff out. That’s not reality. The reality is not what they’re saying now, and the reality wasn’t what they were saying when we were 1-6. We’re in the gray, man. Just live in the moment.”
Read more in Jarrett Bell’s column about this rare moment for the Lions and their fanbase.
Tight end Travis Kelce (knee) is officially inactive, the Chiefs announced. Noah Gray is expected to start for Kansas City at tight end. TE Blake Bell will also receive snaps.
CB Darius Rush, CB Nic Jones, DE BJ Thompson, OL Wanya Morris, T Lucas Niang and DT Neil Farrell are also inactive, the Chiefs announced.
Not among the inactives: DT Chris Jones, who could continue his holdout.
The Lions will be without cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (knee). DL Romeo Okwara, DL Isaiah Buggs, DL Brodric Martin and CB Steven Gilmore will join Moseley on Detroit’s inactive list.
With Travis Kelce officially inactive for Thursday’s game against the Lions, the Chiefs could have a problem in their receiving corps. In a largely unproven collection of pass catchers, no one player from last year had more than 56 catches or 687 yards. But here are three candidates who could be in line for more looks:
WR Skyy Moore: A second-round pick in 2022, Moore already seemed like a strong bet for a heavier workload after his summer performance was lauded by both Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. He only played in 27% of the team’s snaps last year and only had more than four targets in two games, but the 5-10, 195-pounder could feature prominently into Thursday night’s plan.
TE Noah Gray: Next man up at tight end? No one will confuse the 2021 fifth-round pick out of Duke with Kelce, but there’s still room for Gray to play a substantial role in the passing attack, particularly as Mahomes looks to keep the offense on schedule without its most prominent weapon.
WR Kadarius Toney: There are high expectations for Toney this season after the departures of Tyreek Hill and JuJu Smith-Schuster in consectuive offseasons. He’s a versatile receiver who is explosive with the football, though he missed substantial time after having surgery for a torn meniscus. The Chiefs acquired Toney from the Giants last October, and he recorded 14 receptions, 171 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns in seven regular-season games for Kansas City.
Tonight’s kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.
The Chiefs tight end is officially inactive for Thursday’s game after he hyperextended his knee during practice on Tuesday, the team announced.
Tyler Dragon: Chiefs 26, Lions 18
Defending Super Bowl champions historically have sluggish starts in season openers. And the Chiefs are expected to be without their best defensive player in Chris Jones. But Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, a young receiving corps and a scrappy defense should be enough to defeat the upstart Lions in front of a raucous Arrowhead crowd.
Lorenzo Reyes: Chiefs 27, Lions 23
The Lions, for the first time in forever, have a little bit of hype behind them. I expect they will compete with improved offensive weapons and a culture of expectation, but I have a hard time seeing them take this one, on the road, against the defending champs. I do think Detroit keeps it under a touchdown, however.
The Kansas City Chiefs are among the best bets for NFL Week 1 in their opening game against the visiting Detroit Lions. The defending Super Bowl champions are favored by 6.5 points, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. One of the best mobile sports betting apps, BetMGM is among those offering the top NFL betting promos in 2023.
According to the top NFL betting apps, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has some of the best NFL MVP betting odds after winning the award last season. The Chiefs also boast some of the best early Super Bowl betting odds.
The Lions, meanwhile, are one of the most popular NFL future bets after their impressive 2022 season. How far can Dan Campbell lead Detroit this season?
There is also plenty of interest around NFL prop bets when it comes to other forms of NFL wagering. One of the most popular NFL parlay bets is combining this game with the best Sunday Night Football odds and/or Monday Night Football odds.
Whether you’re still learning how to bet on sports or a seasoned sharp, USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with the best online sportsbooks and sports betting sites. Our NFL betting guide can help you get started.
Tonight’s prime-time kickoff game between the Lions and Chiefs is on NBC, but “Thursday Night Football” will exclusively be on Amazon Prime Video beginning Week 2.
Fans will have to wait a little longer for the popular “Thursday Night Football” theme song since the season opener isn’t on Amazon Prime Video. The “Thursday Night Football” on Amazon Prime Video anthem is titled “Prime Video Sports Theme by Pinar Toprak.”
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