Odds Detroit Lions Beat Kansas City Chiefs in NFL Opener

Enough hype and rumors. Time to test the Lions' football skills.

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They play the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night in front of a national audience to start the season.

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But they aren't the "Same Old Lions." This Lions club has a fresh and improved lineup and won eight of its final 10 games to finish 2022.

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Most importantly, Detroit general manager Brad Holmes correctly strengthened their pass defense.

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He certainly needed to. The Lions allowed 4,179 passing yards last season, third in the NFL.

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So Holmes signed three experienced defensive backs in free agency: Cam Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

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He also chose Alabama's versatile defensive back Brian Branch in the second round of the NFL Draft in April.

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Sutton, Gardner-Johnson, and Branch should get plenty of repetitions against Mahomes & Co.

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This Lions team can stop Kansas City's high-flying offense better than last year's. Aaron Glenn's defense should struggle against Andy Reid's attack.

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