2023 NFL Season: Betting Preview for the League’s Opening Game Between the Lions and Chiefs

The NFL season will officially kick off tonight with a thrilling matchup between the Lions and Chiefs. While the Chiefs are the reigning Super Bowl Champions, they will be in for a challenge with a dangerous Lions offense coming to town.

If you are looking to get in on the action for the NFL’s opening game, you have come to the right place. Below we will provide information on the matchup and both teams to help you make winning bets on NFL betting sites today.

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

Tonight’s game will be the fifteenth time the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs have played each other. The Chiefs lead the series 9-5 and have won three of their last five meetings. The last meeting came on September 29, 2019, with the Chiefs winning 34-30 on the road. That was the second-lowest point differential in the series history, but you can expect another close game tonight.

Both the Lions and Chiefs were both top four offenses last season. The Chiefs led the league with 413.6 yards per game, while the Lions finished fourth with 380 per game. Kansas City was better passing the ball, but the Lions had the edge on the ground.

Defense was a different story, with the Lions finishing last in the league by allowing 392.4 yards per game. The Chiefs allowed 328.2 yards per game last season, which was the eleventh fewest in the NFL.

Though the team missed the playoffs, it was clear things are changing for the better in Detroit. The Lions finished last season by winning eight of their final ten games. Their success has come mainly from their offense, who ranked among the top five in average yards in 2022. Their pass game has been their strength, led by breakout wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

As good as the Lions’ offense was in 2022, their defense was bad enough to keep them out of the playoffs. They allowed more yards per game than any other team, despite having one of the best defensive rookies in the league, Aidan Hutchinson. The unit will be improved, but not to the point where they will be striking fear into the hearts of offenses.

As of Wednesday, the Lions injury report did not include any key players. However, they have two backup quarterbacks that likely won’t suit up, meaning the team will be in trouble if Goff gets hurt.

The Chiefs won another Super Bowl last season after a thrilling victory over a great Eagles team. They did so without a true top receiver, thanks to another dominant season from Travis Kelce. However, Kelce is doubtful to play today so Mahomes will have to rely on the trio of Kadarius Toney, Marques Valdes-Scantling, and Skyy Moore. That isn’t a strong group, meaning running back Isiah Pacheco should see a lot of action.

While the Chief’s defense wasn’t great last season, it was far better than Detroit. The problem in 2023 is that Kansas City is without their top pass rusher, Chris Jones. The defensive tackle is holding out for a new contract after a monster 2022 campaign, but that has not happened. With Jones out, the Chiefs will need to find another way to pressure Jared Goff tonight.

We talked about Chris Jones and Travis Kelce both expected to miss tonight, but wide receiver Kadarius Toney is also listed as questionable. He has been limited in practice, but with Kelce likely out, expect for him to suit up tonight.

• What: Detroit Lions vs Kansas City Chiefs
• When: Thursday, September 7 at 8:20 PM EST
• Where: GEHA at Arrowhead Stadium
• TV: NBC