Lions vs Chiefs Game Preview: The Highly-Anticipated 2023 NFL Kick-Off Approaches
After months of waiting and a series of preseason NFL games, the much-anticipated 2023 NFL Kick-Off is finally here.
As is tradition in the NFL, the Kick-Off will take place at the home of the reigning league champion. This year, it’s at Arrowhead Stadium, home to Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs.
This time, the Chiefs will host a football team that had an inconsistent and painful 2022 season: the Detroit Lions.
Let’s dive into how both teams are shaping up & their odds to win this initial game.
Chiefs’ Mission: The Back-to-Back
The Kansas City Chiefs aim to break a rare achievement in NFL history: winning back-to-back championships. Only seven teams have ever achieved this.
The Packers in 1966 and 1967. The Dolphins in 1972 and 1973. The Steelers twice, in 1974-1975 and 1978-1979. The 49ers in 1988 and 1989. The Cowboys in 1993 and 1994. And the Patriots in 2003 and 2004. No one else.
The Chiefs are determined to join this elite group, and they have the roster to do it.
Led by the 2022 NFL MVP, Patrick Mahomes, who boasts a 67.1% completion rate, 5250 yards, and 41 touchdown passes, they have in Mahomes their most lethal weapon.
Additionally, there are other relevant NFL players such as Travis Kelce, who has 1338 receiving yards; Isiah Pachecho’s stats contribute with 830 rushing yards, making for an attacking lineup that any franchise would envy.
In the best defenses list for Week 1, Nick Bolton is leading expectations, with last season’s stats of 108 tackles for the team, followed by L’jaruis Sneed’s 75. Meanwhile, Chris Jones’ 15.5 sacks significantly boost the Chiefs’ defense. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, Jones has not appeared on the roster since August 29th, due to a hold up on a contract extension. Coach Andy Reid undoubtedly has a powerhouse on his hands.
Regarding Lions vs Chiefs Odds, the Chiefs are favorites with a spread of -4.5 points, a Moneyline of -215, and a team total of 29.5 points. Before betting on the 2023 NFL Kick-Off, review any additional information.
Detroit’s Quest for Redemption
Last year hit the Detroit Lions hard. They had a rough start, holding a losing record of 1-6 by Week 8. But a miraculous November saw a 6-1 streak, making them 7-7 in total. However, a devastating 23-37 loss against the Panthers on Christmas Eve left the Lions almost out of the NFL playoff race. They won their last two football games, but it wasn’t enough.
Detroit -led by QB Jared Goff’s 4438 passing yards, Jamal Williams’ 1066 rushing yards, and Amon-Ra St Brown’s 1661 receiving yards- is desperate to avoid last year’s early-season slump.
Their defense also has a massive challenge ahead. Led by Alex Anzalone’s 77 tackles and DeShon Elliot’s 73, the Lions’ defensive unit -further strengthened by Aidan Hutchinson’s 9.5 sacks and James Houston’s 8 sacks- is vital. The NFL injury report for the Lions shows that Frank Ragnow possibly won’t be playing, which will certainly impact the moneyline. Which Lion’s player will replace him?
Despite finishing the NFL season on a high note, the NFL betting odds are against the Lions. They have a spread of +4.5, a Moneyline of +178, and a team total of 23.5. The Lions will need to play a perfect game to secure their first ATS of the football season and potentially deliver the first upset on the 2023 NFL Kick-Off.
Detroit vs Kansas City Betting Odds
Here are the Odds for the 2023 NFL Kick-Off match between the Detroit Lions vs Kansas City Chiefs:
| TEAM | POINT SPREAD | MONEYLINE | OVER/UNDER | TEAM TOTAL |
| LIONS | +4.5 | +178 | U 52.5 | 23.5 |
| CHIEFS | -4.5 | -215 | O 52.5 | 29.5 |
Lions vs Chiefs AI Predictions and SBAI Picks
Here are the AI Predictions and SBAI Picks for the first game of the 2023 NFL Season between the Detroit Lions and the current NFL Super Bowl Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs:
| TEAM | AI PICKS | SBAI PICKS | |||
| LIONS | 22 Pts | 51 Pts | SPREAD KC -4.5 | MONEYLINE KC -215 | TOTAL U 52.5 |
| CHIEFS | 29 Pts | ||||
The most accurate picks for this NFL Matchup are:
AI Picks: Correct result (Detroit 22-29 Kansas City)
SBAI Picks: Spread (Kansas City -4.5), Moneyline: (Kansas City -215) and Total: (Under 52.5)
Detroit vs Kansas City Head-to-Head
Given they’re from different football conferences (Kansas in the AFC and Detroit in the NFC), their clashes are rare. They’ve met only 14 times since that Thanksgiving night in 1971 when Detroit defeated Kansas 32-21. Since then, the Chiefs have dominated the NFL matchups with nine wins to the Lions’ five. Notably, the Lions haven’t won at Arrowhead since that one time they did, on October 23rd, 1988, with a score of 7-6.
Their last encounter was on September 29th, 2019 at Ford Field, where the Chiefs secured a 34-30 victory. Interestingly, that was the season when the Chiefs ended a fifty-year Super Bowl drought.
What can we expect now for the 2023 NFL Kick-Off now? The Chiefs will heavily rely on Patrick Mahomes’ brilliance, hoping his precise throws find his receivers to clinch the season’s first victory.
However, Detroit won’t make it easy. If they can channel their late 2022 season form, they might pose a considerable challenge, despite their regular-season elimination last year.
The 2023 NFL Season Kick-Off promises the beginning of a memorable season. With a curtain-raiser like Lions vs Chiefs, fans can expect an exciting start to the NFL season, making the long wait worth it.
