The Detroit Lions were down nearly their entire secondary and couldn't keep up with the Kansas City Chiefs in a potential Super Bowl preview.
KANSAS CITY, MO — This time, the mob of blue behind the Detroit Lions bench left early.
Patrick Mahomes threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns as the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Lions, 30-17, in another thriller of a game between two of the NFL’s heavyweights at Arrowhead Stadium.
Mahomes threw touchdown passes of 6, 9 and 3 yards and ran for a fourth score as the Chiefs avenged a loss to the Lions in their banner-raising game to open the 2023 season. Lions fans celebrated that win in a game that confirmed their place among NFL contenders.
On Sunday, Oct. 12, the Lions forced just one punt and allowed the Chiefs to convert two big fourth downs in the first half on their way to victory.
Jared Goff was 23 of 29 passing for 203 yards and two touchdowns for the Lions, who fell to 4-2 with their first loss since their season-opener against the Green Bay Packers.
As the clock ticked down in the final seconds of the game, Lions safety Brian Branch appeared to snub Mahomes on a handshake, which Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster took exception to, calling Branch out before the safety smacked Smith-Schuster in the face. That led to a short but heated fight in the final seconds.
Here are three thoughts from the game:
Fourth downer
The Lions and Chiefs went into Sunday’s game intent on extending drives whenever possible on fourth downs, and while both teams tried their hand at it early, the Lions made two mistakes in the first half that were deciding factors in the game.
On fourth-and-goal from the 1 on the opening drive, the Lions were called for a motion penalty on an obscure rule that nullified a trick-play touchdown.
David Montgomery took a direct snap and threw a pass to quarterback Jared Goff, who lined up under center and motioned to his left to start the play. Goff bobbled the ball as he caught it and followed a tenacious Amon-Ra St. Brown block into the end zone, but NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay explained on the broadcast that Goff had to come set after backing out from under center to be an eligible receiver.
Whether the play was poorly coached or poorly executed, the Lions were forced to settle for a field goal after the penalty, a four-point swing.
They led 10-6 later in the first half when they made another fourth down foul up. This time, St. Brown dropped a fourth-and-2 pass across the middle.
St. Brown is one of the most sure-handed receivers in the NFL – he had two drops in 41 targets entering the game, according to Pro Football Reference – and while Goff’s pass was a wobbly one under pressure, it’s one St. Brown usually catches.
The turnover on downs gave the Chiefs the ball at their own 45-yard line and Kansas City scored the go-ahead touchdown eight plays later with 37 seconds left in the first half. The Chiefs never trailed again.
The Lions were 91 of 160 on fourth-down attempts since 2021 entering play Sunday, the most attempts and conversions in the NFL. They were 7 of 9 this year before going 0 for 2 on Sunday.
Jameson Williams is back
After a couple quiet games, Jameson Williams was back in a feature role for the Lions on Sunday.
Williams tied a career-high with six catches for 66 yards and scored the Lions’ first touchdown on a crossing route when he pinballed into the end zone after being hit by two defenders.
Williams had just three catches for 49 yards the past two games and had just one game of more than two catches this year entering Sunday, but coaches have praised him in recent weeks for continuing to do the little things well like blocking and running routes downfield that open the intermediate passing game for St. Brown and Sam LaPorta.
St. Brown always will be this team’s No. 1 receiving option, and the way LaPorta has played of late – he made a fantastic touchdown catch in the back of the end zone Sunday – he looks like No. 2.
But the Lions need a happy, healthy, productive Williams to reach their potential offensively.
See you in San Francisco for the Super Bowl?
I don’t think this game deserves an asterisk, like some suggested when the Lions beat the Chiefs in Week 1 of the 2023 season (when Kansas City was without Chris Jones and Travis Kelce). But I wouldn’t mind seeing a rematch between these two teams in February – and I absolutely think it’s possible.
The Lions played Sunday without five of their top six cornerbacks including both starters, and Kerby Joseph left the game (and returned) with a knee injury that’s bugged him all year.
Both teams played without their starting left tackles, and the Chiefs didn’t have top receiver Rashee Rice, so I’m not suggesting the outcome would be different. But Sunday’s game was a fun one to watch with two of the NFL’s best quarterbacks playing high-level football and two coaches willing to trade blows on fourth downs, and the Lions simply couldn’t come up with the big plays on defense they’ve come to expect this year.
I still think the Lions are the best team in the NFC, though next week’s Monday Night Football showdown with the 5-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers looms large. And the Chiefs seem to have fixed whatever ailed their offense to start the season (having Xavier Worthy back helps).
At 3-3, the Chiefs are still in third place in the AFC West and have work to do to make the postseason. But Mahomes is the best quarterback in football and their winning pedigree is unmatched.
A Super Bowl rematch could very well be in the cards.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This story will be updated.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions score: Kansas City Chiefs too much in Week 7 NFL game
Category: Football
