The reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will try to win their ninth straight Week 1 game when they host the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL Kickoff Game on Thursday at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs' eight-game Week 1 winning streak is tied for the fifth longest in NFL history. They haven't dropped a season-opener since losing to the Titans in 2014. The Lions haven't won a Week 1 game since 2017, losing four games and tying another. However, the Chiefs will reportedly be without tight end Travis Kelce (knee).
Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. ET. Kansas City is a 4.5-point favorite in the latest Lions vs. Chiefs odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 53. Before you make any Chiefs vs. Lions picks or NFL predictions of your own, you need to see what proven SportsLine NFL expert R.J. White has to say, given his mastery of picks involving Detroit.
White, a Fantasy and gambling editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes against-the-spread picks and went 535-450-30 on his ATS picks from 2017-22, which returned more than $3,500 to $100 players. He also closed the 2022 NFL season on an incredible 107-80-6 run on his last 193 against-the-spread and total NFL picks, returning more than $1,800 for $100 bettors.
Moreover, White has a read on the pulse of the Lions. He is 53-35-2 (+1462) on his last 90 picks in games involving Detroit. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, White has locked in on Lions vs. Chiefs from every angle and just locked in his NFL Kickoff Game 2023 picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Lions vs. Chiefs:
- Lions vs. Chiefs spread: Kansas City -4.5
- Lions vs. Chiefs over/under: 53 points
- Lions vs. Chiefs money line: Kansas City -224, Detroit +184
- KC: Patrick Mahomes led the league in passing yards (5,250) last season
- DET: Jared Goff tied for fifth in the NFL in passing touchdowns (29) last year
- Lions vs. Chiefs picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Chiefs can cover
Patrick Mahomes is coming off another standout season. The two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback led the league in passing yards (5,250) and passing touchdowns (41). His 67.1 completion percentage was the best of his career. On Thursday, he faces a Lions defense that ranked 30th against the pass last year (245.8 yards per game).
One of the reasons for the Chiefs' passing success is the protection of the offensive line. Led by center Creed Humphrey and guard Joe Thuney, Kansas City allowed just 26 sacks last season, third fewest in the league. Thuney led all NFL linemen with a pass block win rate of 98.9%, while Humphrey ranked second (98.1%). See which team to back here.
Why the Lions can cover
Detroit has a dynamic and young pass-rushing duo in Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston. Last year, Hutchinson became the first NFL player to have 9.5 sacks and three interceptions in a season since Richard Dent in 1990. Houston has the most sacks by any player through seven career games (eight) since sacks became an official stat in 1982. Hutchinson and Houston also were the first rookie duo with at least seven sacks each in a season since 1982.
In addition, Lions quarterback Jared Goff has turned around in his career. Over his first 22 games as a Lion, Goff averaged 6.9 yards per attempt and threw 33 touchdowns versus 15 interceptions, and Detroit went 5-16-1. Over his last nine games, he has averaged 7.7 yards per attempt and has thrown 15 touchdowns and zero interceptions. The Lions are 7-2 over that stretch. See which team to pick here.
How to make Lions vs. Chiefs picks
White has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he's leaning Over the point total, he has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He's sharing what it is, and which side to back, only at SportsLine.
Who wins Chiefs vs. Lions, and which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Chiefs vs. Lions spread hits hard, all from the expert who is 53-35 on picks involving Detroit, and find out.
