Steve Starr
- Kansas City is a 6.5-point home favorite over Detroit in the NFL season opener
- Patrick Mahomes will face Jared Goff in what promises to be a high-scoring shootout
- Week 1’s matchup kicks off from Arrowhead Field in Kansas City, MI at 8:20pm ET
The NFL schedule makers are instilling a whole lot of faith in a Lions franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2016. Dan Campbell’s team will head to Kansas City to face the reigning Super Bowl champions in Thursday night’s opener.
Does Detroit have a chance for the upset? Will the Chiefs cruise to victory? Before we check the odds on the game, here’s where you can find the best Super Bowl betting tips and the top betting sites for NFL football in 2023.
Chiefs vs Lions
 | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| Detroit Lions | +6.5 (-107) | +235 | Un 54.5 (-105) |
| Kansas City Chiefs | -6.5 (-113) | -280 | Ov 54.5 (-115) |
Kansas City favored at home
Kansas City is a 6.5-point home chalk versus Detroit. Patrick Mahomes opens the season as a +650 favorite to capture his second-consecutive and third NFL MVP of his career. Once again, he’ll have to make magic happen with one of the league’s worst wide-receiving corps. The Chiefs are counting on sophomore Skyy Moore to make the leap, and an injury-free season from Kadarius Toney.
Which means that Travis Kelce will likely be Mahomes’ only reliable pass-catching weapon. One pivotal player who won’t be in attendance to see the Super Bowl 57 championship banner raised on Thursday night is Chris Jones. Locked in a contract squabble, the All-Pro defensive tackle has yet to report to practice.
Are Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow the Top-2 QBs in the NFL? pic.twitter.com/MKt8VpOT7h
— PFF (@PFF) August 31, 2023
Lions offense ready to roar?
Chris Jones’ absence could make things significantly easier on Detroit’s offense. General manager Brad Holmes jettisoned D’Andre Swift in the offseason and replaced him with the No. 12 overall pick in the draft, Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Former Bears RB David Montgomery will also take over for last year’s NFL touchdown leader, Jamaal Williams, who punched in 17 scores last year.
The Lions managed to hold on to promising, young offensive coordinator Ben Johnson in the offseason. The club ranked fifth in points-scored per game (26.6) in 2022 and could be even better this year if Jared Goff stays on an upward trajectory.
Expect a lot of points
What better way to start the 2023 season than a high-powered shootout? At 54.5 total points, the Chiefs-Lions over-under is the highest on the Week 1 slate. Without Chris Jones, it’s unlikely Steve Spagnuolo’s defense will provide much resistance. Fantasy analysts such as Matthew Berry are expecting a breakout year from Amon-Ra St. Brown, who recorded a career-high 106 receptions, 1,161 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season.
Detroit also has one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Coming off their first winning season since 2017, Dan Campbell’s pride has won eight of their last 10 games coming into this one.
#Lions QB Jared Goff says he’ll “embrace” a shootout with the #Chiefs if it happens.
He knows a thing or two about shootouts with Patrick Mahomes..pic.twitter.com/Eo0EAhwBYp
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) September 1, 2023
Best Bet
Andy Reid’s teams have captured 15 of their last 19 openers. While sophomore pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson could make things more difficult on Mahomes, the Lions defense is nowhere near the quality to stop the living legend.
At the same time, Kansas City was 8-11-1 against the spread (ATS) in 2022, regular season and postseason combined. We like the Chiefs to win and Detroit to cover in a high-scoring shootout that hits the OVER.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
