▶ Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. Sunday, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
▶ TV/radio: NBC/97.1 FM
▶ Line: Chiefs by 2½
▶ Records: Lions are 4-1; Chiefs are 2-3
▶ Series: Kansas City leads 9-6 (Last time: Sept. 7, 2023 — Lions 21, (at) Chiefs 20)
Richard Silva of The Detroit News breaks down the Lions’ Week 6 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Key matchup
DETROIT’S CORNERBACKS VS. KANSAS CITY’S WIDE RECEIVERS
The Lions have matched up with speed on the perimeter before, but not like this, and not without their top two cornerbacks (D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold). Wide receivers Xavier Worthy (4.21 seconds in the 40-yard dash), Tyquan Thornton (4.28) and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown (never ran due to injury) are among the fastest players in the NFL. Their collective speed presents opportunities for shots down the field; quarterback Patrick Mahomes (26) is tied for second in pass attempts beyond 20 yards, behind only Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield (29).
Thornton’s average yards per reception (20.9) leads the NFL, and he paces the Chiefs with 272 yards and three receiving touchdowns. Brown narrowly trails Thornton with 257 yards, and Worthy, after missing two games earlier this season with a shoulder injury, is up to 125 yards.
The task of slowing Kansas City’s speedsters will fall mostly on Amik Robertson and Rock Ya-Sin. The Lions spent the first four weeks of the season playing a ton of Cover 1, with safety Brian Branch walked up into the box for run support, often leaving Detroit’s CBs on an island with little help. That changed in Week 5, as the Lions took on the Bengals without Reed and had Branch, alongside fellow safety Kerby Joseph, playing deep. Expect to see more of that against a Chiefs offense capable of an explosive play at any moment.
Chiefs to watch
▶ George Karlaftis, defensive end: Drafted in the same year as Lions star Aidan Hutchinson, Karlaftis has grown into one of the NFL’s more underrated pass rushers. Karlaftis and Hutchinson currently lead the league in pressures (with 31 apiece, per Pro Football Focus), and Karlaftis has posted 2½ sacks over his last three games. The former Purdue standout was rewarded in the offseason with a four-year contract extension worth $88 million. He’s one of 15 edge defenders making at least $20 million annually. Hutchinson is sure to join that group soon.
▶ Chris Jones, defensive lineman: The Chiefs have the rare benefit of coupling a strong edge presence (Karlaftis) with a dominant defensive tackle in Jones, who has been a first-team All-Pro for three consecutive seasons. Among interior defensive linemen (edge rushers excluded), Jones is tied with Denver’s Zach Allen for second in pressures (20), trailing Tennessee’s Jeffery Simmons (24). Jones is versatile, capable of lining up across from any offensive lineman. His ability to hop from position to position is part of what makes him dangerous.
▶ Trent McDuffie, cornerback: Among the 65 cornerbacks who’ve played at least 200 snaps this season, McDuffie’s passer rating allowed of 62.8 ranks ninth, and his overall defensive grade from PFF (76.0) has him eighth. McDuffie spent a majority of his time at nickel in 2023, but 77.4% of his reps since 2024 have come on the outside. He has a team-high four pass deflections so far this season.
Facts and figures
▶ Only three head coaches in NFL history have more wins in the regular season than Andy Reid (275) — Don Shula (328), George Halas (318) and Bill Belichick (302). Reid, in his 13th season with the Chiefs, has won 72.1% of his games since being hired in 2013. He previously spent 14 years with the Philadelphia Eagles, leading them to a 130-93-1 (58.3%) record. Reid’s career winning percentage (64.8%) is 19th all time among qualified coaches.
▶ His numbers will fluctuate until retirement, but Mahomes currently has the highest passing yards per game average (287.3) in league history. Other active quarterbacks in the top 15 include Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow (270.3, fifth) the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford (270.1, sixth), the Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert (265.7, ninth), Detroit’s Jared Goff (260.8, T-10th), Atlanta’s Kirk Cousins (260.7, 11th) and Dallas’ Dak Prescott (258.2, 14th).
rsilva@detroitnews.com
@rich_silva18
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