Ready or not, here comes the start of the 2023 NFL regular season. This year’s festivities will begin on Thursday, September 7, at 8:20 p.m. eastern standard time, with a showdown between the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the up-and-coming Detroit Lions, on the GEHA Field inside Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
Which team is poised to begin the season with a massive victory? And what can we expect to see on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball? That’s what we’re here to figure out. First, however, let’s have a look at the latest NFL online betting odds for Chiefs vs. Lions:
Please remember to double-check these online NFL betting odds until you actually submit your wager. Our Lions vs. Chiefs betting odds are accurate as of Sunday, September 3. That gives the best online sportsbooks in the United States plenty of time to make adjustments prior to the opening kick-off on Thursday night. This holds especially true now. Early-season matchups are typically subject to more noticeable tweaks in the lead-up to gametime, because we have limited information on how a team might look, what style they may champion, which players break out, which players fail to meet expectations, etc.
Of course, that variability and unpredictability is part of the fun. The meeting between the Chiefs and Lions is no different. If anything, this should be one of the easier matchups to predict. After all, Kansas City continues to dominate early betting on the NFL’s next Super Bowl. But will their popularity (and familiarity) translate to a Week 1 victory over the Lions? Let’s find out.
The Kansas City Chiefs Need to Treat the Detroit Lions as a Real Threat
If not for this game being the first of the 2023 NFL season, many might be inclined to write it off as an afterthought, mostly because the Lions have been a laughingstock for years. However, that’s not the case anymore.
After beginning the 2022 NFL regular season 1-6, Detroit went on to win eight of their final nine games to finish 9-8, a stretch that included a rollicking win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Though reading too much into a half-season’s performance can be dangerous, the Lions genuinely looked like they turned a corner last year. The offense, in particular, was on fire. Led by quarterback Jason Goff, Detroit finished fifth in points scored per game while sporting one of the league’s most lethal passing attacks. Replicating that success won’t be easy, but the Lions have two talented and young wideouts in Amon-Ra St Brown and Jameson Williams who can help alleviate any drop-off experienced by Goff.
And yet, just because Detroit is on the rise doesn’t mean they’re equipped to hang with the champs. The Chiefs are a different beast altogether. Their passing offense is unstoppable, and the Lions still don’t have the consistency in the middle of the field or secondary to slow down MVP candidate Patrick Mahomes.
What’s more, Detroit’s offense will be operating at a deficit. Williams will miss the first six games of the season after violating the NFL’s anti-gambling rules. That will free up the Chiefs to focus on Brown and put additional pressure on Goff. Granted, the latter will be tougher if star defensive tackle Chris Jones, who hasn’t yet reported to the team at this writing due to a contract holdout.
Even so, it’s hard not to like the Chiefs in this one. They’re playing at home, pretty much all of their most important players are healthy, and for all the progress they’ve made, Detroit remains a few notches below Super Bowl contention.
OSB Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs (-290)
Can Detroit Keep Things Close vs Kansas City in Week 1?
Here’s a look at the latest NFL point spread betting odds for Detroit vs. Kansas City:
- Kansas City Chiefs, -6.5 (-115)
- Detroit Lions, +6.5 (-105)
This point spread initially gave us some pause. Sure, the Chiefs are hardly strangers to winning by a touchdown. Especially at home. But Kansas City covered the spread just 33.3 percent of the time at home last season. Detroit, meanwhile, went 9-1 against the spread over their final 10 games.
Given how little the Chiefs’ main players took the field during preseason, we find ourselves wondering whether they might be rusty. Nevertheless, we’re ignoring this inkling. Detroit’s offense will be hard-pressed to cover the same ground when they’re down a top receiver.
OSB Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs, -6.5 (-115)
Both the Chiefs and Lions Offenses Should Shine in Thursday Night Football Showdown
Below you can see the latest NFL over/under betting odds for Lions vs. Chiefs:
- Over 54.5 (-115)
- Under 54.5 (-105)
This points total feels incredibly high at first blush. But that’s only because we’re still accustomed to the NFL preseason betting odds, which always deflate the final score.
Both of these offenses cleared over 26 points per game last year. The Lions will have a harder time moving the chains and finding the end zone without Jameson Williams to catch passes from Jared Goff, but they’re far from incapable. If nothing else, head coach Dan Campbell’s pass-heavy playbook bodes well for a higher-scoring affair on the basis of volume alone.
And as for the Chiefs, well, they're a near lock to topple 30 points whenever they're playing in warmer weather at home. If Mahomes and crew fail to rack up 33 points, we'll be flat-out-shocked.
OSB Prediction: Over 54.5 (-115)
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