Discussion: Has your opinion of the Detroit Lions changed after win vs. Chiefs?

The Detroit Lions shocked the world on Thursday night, ruining the festivities for the Kansas City Chiefs on banner-raising night. The Lions announced to the world that they have arrived and all the offseason hype they had over the past few months had actual merit.

Some are certain to point at countless mistakes from the Chiefs that helped lead the Lions to victory, but welcome to Week 1 of the NFL season. There was plenty of sloppy play from both sidelines, and it was the Lions who made the extra play to come away victorious.

Obviously, fan expectations were pretty high going into this season, but there were undoubtedly some people who were skeptical to buy in to a team that has hurt its fanbase over and over again.

So today’s Question of the Day is:

Has your perception of the 2023 Detroit Lions changed after Thursday night’s win?

My answer: Not at all. In fact, I would go further to say that not much about the Chiefs game surprised me at all. I have been trying to tell anyone willing to listen that the Lions defense is poised to make a huge step this year—a step that they really already started last year.

On Thursday, the Lions basically eliminated anything resembling a running game from the Chiefs, Aidan Hutchinson looked even better in Year 2 than he did his rookie season, and the Lions secondary hung tough for four quarters despite Patrick Mahomes continually extending plays.

Offensively, it was certainly a disappointing night, but where they struggled wasn’t exactly a surprise either. Many had pointed out that Detroit’s receiver room looked a little suspect, and relying heavily on rookies like Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs—both of whom had promising debuts—was only going to get them so far.

Still, Detroit was able to run the ball somewhat effectively, and when they got out of their own way, they were able to put together a handful of productive drives.

So I don’t truly feel any different about this team than the one I predicted to go 12-5 this offseason. The only difference is that they already have one more win than I predicted them to have by this point in the season.

How are you feeling about the Lions after this big win? Vote in the poll below and scroll down to the comment section to share your specific thoughts.