It’s almost 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 seems likely to 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:
Could the Lions actually be …. good?
Detroit has waited a long time for a Lions team of this quality.
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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…
