The Detroit Lions were handed the unenviable task of facing reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, at Arrowhead in the NFL Kickoff Game this season. However, the NFC North team were able to upset the odds by beating the home side on what was meant to be a night of celebration for the Chiefs.
Week 1 final. pic.twitter.com/5qc4Itb49P
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 8, 2023
In what was a tight game in Missouri, running back David Montgomery scored a touchdown in the final quarter to level the scores. The extra point was then converted by the Lions to give them a 21-20 success in the opening week encounter.
Lions Carrying Momentum from Last Season
Those looking to place an online bet on Detroit to win the Super Bowl this season can get odds of 14/1 following their triumph over the Chiefs. Although it is only week one, they have put down an early marker with that performance.
The Paddy Power news site covers the NFL throughout the year, and if you followed the page last season, you would have noticed that the Lions ended the 2022/23 campaign as one of the in-form teams in the NFL. They won eight of their last 10 matches in the regular season, including victories over Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings.
It has been 30 years since Detroit last won a divisional title. That came in 1993 when they were in the NFC Central division. If they do go on to top the standings this season, it will be their first triumph in the NFC North in their history.
Jared Goff Now Settled in Detroit
Quarterback Jared Goff is now in his third season in Detroit. The former first overall pick was traded to the Lions in 2021, with Matthew Stafford going in the opposite direction to the LA Rams. After a difficult first season with his new franchise, the 28-year-old is now showing why he was once considered one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the league.
Jared Goff is now the first QB to hand Mahomes a loss in an opener 🥶 pic.twitter.com/BNMiDrXBOA
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 8, 2023
Goff led the Lions to a winning record of 9-8 in 2022. He threw 4,438 passing yards last year, his best figure since 2019. In the opening game of the latest campaign, the Detroit QB completed 22 of his 35 passing attempts. He recorded 253 yards and had one touchdown. Unlike Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, he did not turn the ball over.
The performances of Goff over the last 12 months will give Lions fans a lot of confidence that he can be the man to lead them to the Super Bowl at the franchise.
Chiefs Likely to Bounce Back
Although it is not the way they would have wanted to begin the season, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid will not be panicking about the defeat. He is experienced enough to know there is a long campaign still ahead.
The Chiefs were without tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle Chris Jones in their defeat to the Lions. Those players are likely to return in the early stages of the season and give the defending champions a lift. They will also take the positives out of the game, including some impressive performances by the rookie players in their team.
This year’s NFL season will conclude on the 11th of February at Super Bowl LVIII at the Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada.
