It has been a grueling seven months since the final snap of the 2022-’23 NFL season, but the light at the end of the tunnel is finally here.
The 2023 NFL season kicked off in the home of the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, who welcomed the young Detroit Lions on Thursday night.
Chiefs Kingdom entered GEHA field at Arrowhead Stadium excited for the Chiefs to defend their Super Bowl LVII victory but left stunned and confused as the Lions spoiled banner night, taking the first game of the season 21-20.
The Chiefs were noticeably limping without two of their All-Pro leaders. The offense seemed out of sorts without Travis Kelce. It was announced the star tight end would be unavailable for Thursday’s game due to a knee injury in the hours leading up to kickoff. On the defensive side of the ball, the Chiefs were without the feared defensive tackle Chris Jones, who is sitting out due to a contract dispute.
In the Lions’ second drive, Coach of the Year candidate Dan Campbell proved his confidence in the growing Lions team, running a fake punt inside their 20-yard line. It worked, and level-headed QB Jared Goff led the Lions on a methodical 14-play, 91-yard touchdown drive. His connection with start receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is as strong as ever as they connected for the season’s first touchdown.
The Chiefs looked like their usual selves in the first half, going into the half with a lead, including a forced fumble by rookie cornerback Trent McDuffie, who was all over the field. But the Lions are never out of a game, and they gnawed at the open wounds of the Chiefs until swiping the lead back late.
Aidan Hutchinson is proving himself as one of the best pass-rushers in the league. Coming off a rookie season with 11 sacks, he was making himself a problem on nearly every dropback. Along with the Lions’ revamped secondary, the Chiefs had trouble making waves.
Mahomes did what he could, throwing for 229 yards and two touchdowns, including a six-play 93-yard touchdown drive, but had a tough time finding a reliable receiver when he needed one. His third-quarter ‘pick-six’ hit his receiver Kadarius Toney in the hands before landing in the lap of rookie Bryan Branch, who tied the game after taking it back.
The Chiefs didn’t return to the red zone after the interception, and all the momentum was in Detroit’s favor. Two field goals had Kansas City up late, but Goff led a nine-play, 80-yard drive capped by the first time RB David Montgomery cashed in as a Detroit Lion. He knotted the game with an eight-yard rush, and the extra point proved to be the difference maker.
Goff finished 22/35 with 253 yards and a touchdown in the win.
After years in the toilet, the Lions finally come into a season with hope. Campbell and his culture of playing through the whistle and biting kneecaps after you get knocked down has evolved into a gritty and, at times, unstoppable team.
It was an electric start to the ‘23-’24 season, and we only have more to come.
