Lions vs. Chiefs preview, predictions and best bets
Every week, VSiN will be doing an in-depth dive on the week’s Thursday Night Football Game. In Week 1, that game happens to have the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Yesterday, news trickled out that Travis Kelce’s status for the game is in question because of knee injury he suffered in practice (keep an eye on our VSiN Injury Report for updates). But this is still a game you should be excited about. The Chiefs are once again one of the best teams in the AFC, while the Lions look like a legitimate threat to win the NFC North. So, keep reading for our Chiefs vs. Lions preview, picks and predictions.
RELATED: Check out our Pro Picks page for NFL best bets from all of our VSiN analysts
Lions vs. Chiefs Spread
This spread opened with the Lions getting 6.5, but it’s all the way down to 4.5 now. So, the Kelce news has done a number on how the oddsmakers view this game. The reality is that this Chiefs team is very thin at the wide receiver position, so being without Kelce really leaves Patrick Mahomes with a depleted group of pass catchers. But head coach Andy Reid is a guy you can normally trust to put together an effective offensive game plan, and Kansas City does have a few guys that can step up. The Chiefs are high on second-year receiver Skyy Moore, and Kadarius Toney is a player that oozes talent. Perhaps we’ll see them as a bigger part of the offense than usual, and rookies Rashee Rice and Justyn Ross could get some opportunities right off the bat.
The biggest concern for the Chiefs might seem like the potential absence of Kelce, but they’re probably a little more worried about Chris Jones still being out. Jones is holding out for a new contract after a season in which he had 15.5 sacks and had the highest PFF grade out of all the league’s interior defenders. Against a Lions team that figures to have an elite offense this year, the Chiefs will miss his presence. Kansas City can’t afford to let Jared Goff sit there with a clean pocket and make throws. He will pick the Chiefs apart if that happens. But if Kansas City can generate some pressure on Goff, the quarterback could crumble. We have seen it before.