Pride of Detroit
The last time these two met—also on a national stage—it was a coming-of-age moment for Detroit. In the 2023 NFL kickoff game, the Chiefs were celebrating their second Super Bowl title in four seasons, while the Lions were chasing only their fourth postseason berth in 23 years. Detroit stamped its authority with a 21-20 victory thanks to touchdowns from Amon-Ra St. Brown, rookie Brian Branch, and newly-signed David Montgomery.
Though only 42 games have passed, the Lions have surged to rare heights. Both teams are now considered legitimate Super Bowl contenders, ranking among the top five in odds on most sportsbooks—even with the Chiefs sitting at 2-3. Kansas City returns home with a chip on its shoulder after a last-minute loss and with one of the healthiest rosters in football.
Detroit will aim to take down Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, with these five key statistical matchups likely to shape the primetime contest.
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all statistics are sourced from NFL Pro, TruMedia, FTN Fantasy, or Pro Football Reference.
Chucking it deep
The Lions’ secondary is in survival mode. Top cornerbacks D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold are already ruled out, and rookie Ennis Rakestraw—who was sidelined before the season began—remains shelved for the year. Now Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, and Avonte Maddox all missed Friday’s practice and are questionable for Sunday. Cluster injuries at one position are among the toughest challenges an NFL team can face—a lesson Detroit learned at defensive line and linebacker last season. This week, defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard may have to get creative against a three-time Super Bowl champion and two-time MVP in Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes will test the depth. Not many quarterbacks have been more aggressive pushing the ball vertically—he ranks second in the NFL with 26 deep attempts (20+ air yards). The results have been inconsistent (26.9% completion rate, 27th), but the Lions must be ready for roughly five potentially game-altering shots downfield.
When Mahomes connects, it’s punishing. He’s completed seven deep passes, averaging 38.9 yards per completion (3rd) and 34.8 air yards per attempt (2nd). His 3.63-second time to throw on these plays (9th longest) underscores how effectively he extends pockets to launch deep strikes.
His favorite deep target has been Tyquan Thornton, the blazing free-agent addition. Thornton’s caught five of 14 deep targets for 186 yards (37.2 per catch) and a touchdown. The 2022 second-rounder is built for the role—he ran a 4.28-second 40, recorded nearly an 11-foot broad jump, and boasts a 6-foot-5+ wingspan that helps him haul in off-platform rainbows.
The rest of Mahomes’ deep completions have gone to Marquise Brown (49 yards) and Xavier Worthy (37 yards)—both speedster who clocked sub-4.3 40-yard dashes. Detroit’s patchwork secondary will be tasked with keeping up with a Kansas City track team, despite the lack of cohesion and reps together that typically hold a defense steady.
Mahomes on the move
Since rookie Xavier Worthy’s Week 3 return, the Chiefs’ offense has found a spark—averaging 32.5 points per game over the last...
