The Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs clash in week 2 of the NFL preseason Saturday night inside GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs kick it off at 4:00 pm as they look to clean some things up.
The Chiefs lost their 2024 preseason debut, 26-13, to the Jacksonville Jaguars. They will have to address a couple of areas to clean up, including understanding the new kickoff rule.
The rule has caused many teams to need clarification, which was the case for the Chiefs against the Jags.
Meole Hardman misjudged a kickoff as it landed in the end zone and then bounced out to the 1-yard line. He then ran into the end zone, knelt down, and scooped up the ball. After the officials initially ruled it a touchback, the replay officials reversed the call and made it a safety because the veteran wideout brought the ball back into the end zone. The Chiefs starters played a series on offense and will most likely do the same against the Lions.
Don't expect to see a ton of action from starters in the future.
Kansas City, though, did not come out of the game healthy, as WR Marquise Brown will most likely miss some time after dislocating a clavicle. You may want to revisit any future prop bets involving Brown. If the starting offense stays out for a quarter or so against the Lions, look for them to clean some things up and get going. They will not open up the entire playbook, as they will likely play it safe, but that does not mean they do not want to complete scoring drives against a suspect secondary of Detroit.
The Chiefs might also work on their ground game, knowing the Lions gave up chunks of yards in week 1 of the preseason.
The Lions will enter the season with an explosive offense that will be able to score points in bunches, but the secondary offense could be a cause for concern, and the run defense has to fix some things. They got gashed by the New York Giants in week 1 of the preseason during a 14-3. The Giants ran for 155 yards and a couple of scores as their backs netted 5.7 yards a carry.
The Lions sat franchise QB Jared Goff and stud playmaker Amon-Ra St. Brown. Head Coach Dan Campbell recently said that most starters will rest during the preseason, so do not expect many points from the Lions' offense. They managed just three points against the Giants. The under could be in play here.
The Lions' win total in 2024 is set at 10 1/2. Last season, they won one game as an underdog (1-2) and went a solid 11-3 as favorites. Their odds to win the NFC North sit at +145, and they are -135 to win 11 or more games. The Chiefs' win total in 2024 is 11 1/2, and they have won 11 or more games in six straight seasons. They are -250 to win the division, which implies they are the heavy favorite again.
