:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72623410/1651893402.0.jpg)
The Detroit Lions 2023 season kicks off on the highest possible Week 1 stage: Thursday night against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. It’s a tough draw for the Lions, but it actually seems to be coming at the exact perfect time for Detroit. The Chiefs are without two of their best three players. Tight end Travis Kelce is out with a knee injury suffered in practice this week, while star defensive tackle Chris Jones continues his holdout into the season.
Even without those strokes of luck, the Lions were expected to be competitive in this game. They were the hottest team in football at the end of last season, and they’ve fortified their depth and starters this offseason through free agency and the draft.
That’s led many to pick the Lions as not only the NFC North winners for the first time in franchise history, but they could even be a team that could make some noise in the postseason. Other Lions fans are understandably hesitant to put too many expectations on this team—they’ve been burned before.
Thursday night won’t tell us everything we need to know about this team, but it will be one hell of a first litmus test to see where they’re at in Week 1. It’s been a slow start to the past two seasons, but if they can kick things off with a high-pressure win, it could bode well for the next four months.
Kickoff is at 8:20 p.m. ET, but before we get there, check out all of our pregame coverage.
- How to watch Lions vs. Chiefs on TV, online streaming
- Chiefs scouting report
- 5 keys to a Lions victory
- Lions vs. Chiefs podcast preview
- 5 Questions with Arrowhead Pride
- Lions/Chiefs fantasy football sit, start
- Lions vs. Chiefs On Paper preview, prediction
- Lions Week 1 comprehensive depth chart
- Best Lions vs. Chiefs prop bets
- Lions Week 1 Bold Prediction
- STAFF PICKS!
Loading comments...