Chiefs vs Lions Week 1 Betting Odds & Game Preview
Chiefs vs Lions Week 1 Betting odds and preview for this 2023 Week 1 game.
The Kansas City Chiefs will raise their Super Bowl flag and then move on to Thursday’s 2023 NFL Kickoff game against the upstart Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium.
Since 2004, the Chiefs will be the 18th defending champion to host the first game of the season. This will be the second time the Chiefs have done this. In the first game of the 2020 season, KC beat the Houston Texans 34-20 in front of a COVID-19-shrunk crowd of about 16,000.
The Lions just finished a 9-8 season in which, after starting out 1-6, they won eight of their last ten games. In 2022, Detroit’s defense gave up an average of 25.1 points per game, which was fifth worst. However, last season, they gave up an average of almost 27 points per game.
The Chiefs vs. Lions game is a preview of two teams that are headed in opposite directions. The Chiefs are looking to defend their Super Bowl title, while the Lions are rebuilding after a disappointing season. This should be a competitive game, but the Chiefs are the clear favorites.
Chiefs vs Lions Week 1 Betting: Kansas City Preview
Besides Travis Kelce, who? All-Pro tight end Kelce (knee) might not play this week.
You can’t say enough about how important he is. Last year, he was in charge of 25% of the Chiefs’ targets and led the league with 32 targets inside the red zone. Last season, the 11 touchdowns scored by tight ends were tied for the most by any team.
Without Kelce, Marquez and wide receivers Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, tight end Noah Gray, and running back Isiah Pacheco will all play important parts. Valdes-Scantling is the most experienced player, but Moore has the most promise. Gray was hidden behind Kelce last year, while Pacheco came out of nowhere late in the season and ran for 197 yards in the playoffs.
The New (and Better?) Detroit Secondary:
Last season, Detroit’s pass defense was placed 30th (245.8 yards per game), but the team spent a lot of money in free agency to fix it. Cornerbacks Emmanuel Moseley and Cameron Sutton, and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson all signed with the Lions. The Chiefs are a great test, with or without Kelce.
Chiefs Offensive Line:
LT Orlando Brown Jr. is leaving, and Donovan Smith is coming in. Smith had a hard time in Tampa Bay, which makes me wonder about Kansas City’s offensive line. Aidan Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in 2022, and James Houston IV, a second-year edge-rusher who wasn’t chosen but had eight sacks in seven games last season, lead Detroit’s defensive line.
More Even if Patrick Mahomes doesn’t have his best receiver, you shouldn’t bet against his magic. Some quarterbacks take a while to get in shape by the middle of the season, but Mahomes hasn’t been one of them. Mahomes has never thrown an interception in any of his five career season openers. He has completed 121 of 167 passes, which is 72.4%, for 1,542 yards and 18 scores.
Chiefs vs Lions Week 1 Betting: Detroit Preview
Can quarterback Jared Goff shut down skeptics? : People seem to be in a hurry to bury Goff, even though he was once the first overall pick. But in 2022, he had a great year. He led an attack that was fourth in scoring and fifth in total offense. He had the most touchdowns (4.9 percent) and the fewest interceptions (1.2 percent) of his career since he led the Rams to Super Bowl LIII.
The Lions’ young running back will play a big role: The Lions picked running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the 12th pick in the NFL Draft of 2023, and they have big plans for him. Ben Johnson, who is in charge of the offense, gave hints that this was the case. He told Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News that the Lions will use Gibbs “in some ways that people don’t quite think we might.”
No one talks about the best receiver: Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle, and DeVonta Smith were all top-10 picks in the wide receiver class of 2021, but Amon-Ra St. Brown of Detroit has the most catches (196) of the group. Because Jameson Williams is suspended, St. Brown could get even more targets than the 9.1 per game he recorded last season.
In 2022, St. Brown was 39th in passes run (452), but second in the number of targets he got (32.3%). About once every three trips, someone tried to hurt him. You’ll see him in the red zone a lot. Last year, he had 21 red-zone catches, which put him in eighth place among wide outs. In 2022, 27 throwing touchdowns were scored in the red zone against Kansas City.
Score Pick: Chiefs 34, Lions 16
The Chiefs lost their great offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, and their best catching target, TE Travis Kelce, just had a scare with an injury that makes it unclear if he will play in Thursday’s season opener. Still, this is Mahomes we’re talking about, and last year the Chiefs averaged almost 30 points per game while going 17-3 and winning the Super Bowl.
The Lions should be the favorite to win the NFC North, but that has more to do with the division than the team. Plus, QB Jared Goff will still be without WR Jameson Williams, who is in his second year, because of a six-game ban.
Frankly, I can’t believe Goff and the Lions are ready to walk into a hostile place like Arrowhead in primetime, with the current champions raising a banner and walking away with a win. I really don’t think they can keep the game close.
As the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl, KC should be able to get Goff to make a few mistakes. Then, Mahomes should be able to pass the ball to tools like Kadarius Toney and JuJu Smith-Schuster and control the clock in the second half with a running game led by second-year back Isiah Pacheco.
The Chiefs lost their great offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, and their best catching target, TE Travis Kelce, just had a scare with an injury that makes it unclear if he will play in Thursday’s season opener. Still, this is Mahomes we’re talking about, and last year the Chiefs averaged almost 30 points per game while going 17-3 and winning the Super Bowl.
The Lions should be the favorite to win the NFC North, but that has more to do with the division than the team. Plus, QB Jared Goff will still be without WR Jameson Williams, who is in his second year, because of a six-game ban.
Frankly, I can’t believe Goff and the Lions are ready to walk into a hostile place like Arrowhead in primetime, with the current champions raising a banner and walking away with a win. I really don’t think they can keep the game close.
As the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl, KC should be able to get Goff to make a few mistakes. Then, Mahomes should be able to pass the ball to tools like Kadarius Toney and JuJu Smith-Schuster and control the clock in the second half with a running game led by second-year back Isiah Pacheco.
Bet this game with a 100% crypto bonus on your first deposit, only at YouWager.lv, the leading offshore sportsbook, sign up fast and easy here:
NFL Week 1 Odds & Game Preview:
- Chiefs vs Lions | Browns vs Bengals | Ravens vs Texans
- Vikings vs Buccaneers | Falcons vs Panthers | Commanders vs Cardinals
- Colts vs Jaguars | Steelers vs 49ers | Saints vs Titans
- Broncos vs Raiders | Patriots vs Eagles | Seahawks vs Rams
- Chargers vs Dolphins | Bears vs Packers | Giants vs Cowboys
- Jets vs Bills
Chiefs vs Lions Week 1 Betting Odds
This is going to be a very fun event. Let’s look at the Chiefs vs Lions Betting odds for the first game of the season:
- Detroit Lions +4.5
- Kansas City Chiefs -4.5
- Total: 53 Over/Under
Chiefs vs Lions Week 1 Betting Trends
Here are the Chiefs vs Lions Betting trends:
- The Chiefs are 6-1 against the spread in their last 7 games against the Lions.
- The Chiefs are 4-1 against the over in their last 5 games against the Lions.
- The Chiefs are 5-1 straight up in their last 6 games at home against the Lions.
- The Lions are 0-4 against the spread in their last 4 games against the Chiefs.
- The Lions are 1-4 against the over in their last 5 games against the Chiefs.
- The Lions are 1-5 straight up in their last 6 games at Kansas City.
It’s important to note that these trends are just that – trends. They don’t guarantee that the Chiefs will win or cover the spread in the 2023 season opener. However, they do provide some insight into how these two teams have performed against each other in recent years.
Here are some other factors to consider when making your bets for the Chiefs vs. Lions game:
- The Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champions and are one of the favorites to win the AFC in 2023.
- The Lions are rebuilding after a disappointing 9-8 season in 2022.
- The game will be played at Arrowhead Stadium, which is one of the toughest home-field advantages in the NFL.
Kansas City vs Detroit Best Bets
Here are the best Chiefs vs Lions Week 1 Betting options:
Chiefs vs Lions Week 1 Betting Pick: Kansas City-4.5
This line is a present that keeps on giving.
Even though the Chiefs should be favored by at least ten points, this spread started with the Chiefs -7 and is now -4.5, which is better. If we win by a touchdown, we’ll cover, not even push.
Since 2004, the team that is currently the NFL winner is 15-3 straight up in NFL Kickoff games. Nine of those wins were by at least seven points. When I think about how good the Chiefs are and how bad the Lions are, it’s clear that this is my NFL pick for the day.
Chiefs vs Lions Week 1 Betting Pick: Under 53
In the first game of the season, Detroit doesn’t want to get into a battle with Mahomes and the Chiefs. You can expect the Lions to try to run the ball with David Montgomery and first-round draft pick Jahmyr Gibbs to control the clock and keep Mahomes off the field.
Also, the Chiefs’ defense may be average, but it doesn’t get much attention, especially at home. Last season, KC never gave up more than 30 points at Arrowhead, and in six of its last seven home games, it gave up 20 points or less.
Even with Mahomes and the high-flying Chiefs in the game, 53 points is a high bar to clear.
Chiefs vs Lions Week 1 Betting History
Here is a brief history of Chiefs vs Lions Week 1 Betting results:
- Overall: The Chiefs have a slight edge in head-to-head betting against the Lions, with a record of 57-54-2.
- At Arrowhead Stadium: The Chiefs are even better at home against the Lions, with a record of 36-31-1.
- In Detroit: The Lions have a slight edge in betting against the Chiefs in Detroit, with a record of 21-23-1.
- Spread: The Chiefs are 37-33-2 against the spread against the Lions.
- Over/Under: The over has hit 49 times in 111 games between the Chiefs and Lions.
Here are some specific betting results from recent Chiefs vs. Lions games:
- 2022: Chiefs won 34-3, Chiefs covered the spread, and the under hit.
- 2021: Chiefs won 35-10, Chiefs covered the spread, and the over hit.
- 2020: Chiefs won 34-3, Chiefs covered the spread, and the over hit.
- 2019: Chiefs won 35-17, Chiefs covered the spread, and the over hit.
- 2018: Chiefs won 45-10, Chiefs covered the spread, and the over hit.
As you can see, the Chiefs have been very successful against the Lions in recent years. They have covered the spread in all but one of their last five meetings, and the over has hit in four of those games.
Of course, past results are no guarantee of future success. The Chiefs and Lions are both very different teams than they were in 2022. The Chiefs have lost some key players, while the Lions have added some new talent.
It will be interesting to see how these two teams match up in the 2023 season opener. The Chiefs are the clear favorites, but the Lions should not be overlooked.
Chiefs vs Lions Week 1 Betting preview by YouWager.lv, the leading offshore sportsbook in the industry.