The Detroit Lions will face the Kansas City Chiefs in the traditional Thursday night opener of the NFL season.
As usual, the Chiefs get the first home game of the season as the defending Super Bowl champions. The decision to make the Lions their opponents shows how much optimism there is coming out of Detroit that this could be the best Lions team in many years.
Last year the Lions won eight of their last 10 games and this year they return most of the key players from last season, including quarterback Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. The Lions are favorites to win the NFC North, a division they’ve never won since the NFL’s 2002 realignment.
But the Chiefs will certainly be favored to beat the Lions in Week One, and will be the favorites in almost any game they play as long as Patrick Mahomes is healthy.
The 2023 NFL schedule kicks off on Thursday, September 7 at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.