The Detroit Lions reminded the Kansas City Chiefs that Super Bowl LVII was in February -- it's September now.
Kansas City, despite being without cogs Travis Kelce and Chris Jones, succumbed to a 21-20 defeat at home Thursday as the Lions started the 2023 NFL season with a victory.
The issues mainly stemmed from the Chiefs' offense, as it was a day for Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and Co. to forget. Mahomes, the 2022 NFL MVP, completed just 21 of 39 passes for 226 yards, two touchdowns and one pick-six, which wasn't his fault. But he finally looked human.
And it didn't help that without Kelce, he lacked a true go-to target for the entire game. Kadarius Toney had one catch for one yard on five targets and one rush that lost a yard. Skyy Moore was essentially invisible, ending with no receptions on three targets and one four-yard rush. As good as a quarterback can be, they'll be limited if the receiving core isn't up to par.
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Jared Goff, on the other hand, didn't light up the scoresheet but did his job and kept his composure. His supporting cast also delivered, along with a vital pick-six from rookie safety Brian Branch, which provided the one-point difference needed to triumph.
Here's what social media had to say about the Chiefs following their loss:
NFL
Kansas City will next travel to Jacksonville for a Week 2 matchup against Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars where they will look to bounce back.