The three-time defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs have not been above .500 this season dropping to 2-3 with last week’s loss in Jacksonville. Reaching the breakeven point is going to be a difficult task as they entertain the streaking Detroit Lions in Week 6 Sunday Night Football. The game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET on October 12 from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO and will be televised on NBC.
Lions at Chiefs Preview
There is a price for success and the Lions paid it after winning 27 games the previous two regular seasons. Both coordinators were plucked by other teams for head jobs and the club looked in transition in the season opener, losing 27-13 to Green Bay. With most of the players responsible for all those wins still on the roster, the Lions regrouped winning their next four games.
The offense looks a lot like the unit we saw last year when the Lions led the NFL in scoring. They’ve surpassed the 30-point mark in each of their wins and again lead the league averaging 34.8 points. It’s also helped them go OVER the total on the NFL betting line in three of those games. Jared Goff is making an early case for MVP leading the NFL in completion percentage (75.2) and TD passes (12).
- The Lions have scored more than 30 points in 10 of their last 11 games.
- Detroit has payouts in four straight games and in seven of their last 8 regular season games.
- Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are the only teammates to rank among the top 20 in the NFL in rushing.
- The Lions are 3rd in the NFL with a plus-6 turnover margin.
There are still some questions surrounding the Chiefs. They started the season 0-2 for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era, but rebounded with wins over the Giants and Ravens. Those victories don’t look so good now with both clubs entering Week 6 with a record of 1-4. And the Chiefs dropped below .500 with a loss to the Jaguars on Monday night.
The good news is we’ve seen offense like we haven’t seen in a few years. The Chiefs scored their most points in a span of over 40 games in their 37-20 win over the Ravens. They followed that with 476 total yards in the 31-28 loss to the Jags. After finishing the last two seasons as a top 5 scoring defense the Chiefs have dropped to 13th giving up 21.4 points per game.
- The Chiefs are 10-1 SU in their last 11 home games holding nine opponents to 20 points or less.
- KC has converted 9 of 10 (90%) fourth down attempts this season.
- Patrick Mahomes is the team’s leading rusher and has led them in rushing in three of five games.
Lions at Chiefs Predictions
Both teams have been sharp on offense in recent weeks leading many to believe points will be scored. And with two average ranking defensive units backing the OVER is a solid bet. Also take into account that the Lions put starting CB D.J. Reed on IR last week and the other CB Terrion Arnold exited the last game with a shoulder injury. Look into props for Mahomes and consider the OVER on his passing yards total.
Lions at Chiefs Betting Tips
- Kansas City opened as a 2.5-point favorite with a moneyline price of -128
- The Lions are 7-3 SU and 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games as a road underdog. One of those outright wins was in KC to start the 2023 season.
- Detroit is +115 on the moneyline.
- The total of 53 is the highest on the Week 6 board.
- The OVER is 5-2 in KC’s last seven overall games.
Lions at Chiefs Head to Head and Key Stats
- The teams have met six times since 2000 splitting those games SU and ATS.
- The most recent game took place in 2023 with Detroit snapping a 4-game losing streak in KC with a 21-20 victory as a 4-point dog.
- The Lions are 3-1 ATS in the last matchups.
- The teams cashed the OVER in eight of the last nine head-to-heads.
