Nolan Bianchi, Richard Silva, John Niyo and Bob Wojnowski of The Detroit News offer predictions for Sunday’s game between the Lions and Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri (8:20 p.m., NBC/97.1).

▶ Nolan Bianchi: Detroit has played sleepy contests against projected cellar-dwellers in two straight weeks and has come away from both of them feeling like they should’ve won by more. For that reason — plus the Lions‘ penchant for showing up big in primetime — I’m suspecting the Lions to bring their A-game to Arrowhead Stadium. Detroit’s four injuries in the secondary are undoubtedly a big concern when Patrick Mahomes is on the other side, so I’m looking for the Lions’ front seven to pick up the slack. That group showed up in a big way against Lamar Jackson in Baltimore in Week 3, and with Alim McNeill potentially returning this Sunday, I think the Lions will be able to get enough stops to find a win. Pick: Lions, 35-34

▶ Richard Silva: Two positional matchups have my attention in this one: Detroit’s beat-up secondary versus Kansas City’s track-speed receivers, and the interior of the Lions’ offensive line versus the Chiefs’ linebacking corps. Beginning with the former, Xavier Worthy, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Tyquan Thornton are among the fastest players in the NFL, and the Lions will have to deal with them without D.J. Reed, who did a splendid job against Baltimore’s Zay Flowers in Week 3, and Terrion Arnold, who turned in his best performance of the season before injuring his shoulder against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5. On the other side, how interior O-linemen Christian Mahogany, Graham Glasgow and Tate Ratledge are able to climb to the second level and challenge KC’s linebackers will be key. If it’s like Week 1, it could be tough sledding for running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. If it’s like Week 3, the Lions have a chance to post 30-plus points for the fifth straight week. Pick: Lions, 34-31

▶ John Niyo: When healthy, the Lions do have a better roster than the Chiefs. We didn’t used to be able to say that. But the Lions aren’t healthy right now, and the injuries have piled up in a spot — the secondary — where Kansas City is equipped to take advantage. Not because they’re loaded at receiver, though there’s plenty of speed to burn there. But because Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are both still elite at creating explosive plays in the pass game. The Lions’ offense certainly can match that, and maybe they will. But I think Mahomes burns them one time too many. Pick: Chiefs, 34-31

▶ Bob Wojnowski: Is time catching up to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs? It’s starting to look that way, but the Lions can’t think that way. Kansas City is 2-3, all one-score losses, the type of games they never used to drop. Mahomes is still the best, but with fewer weapons. Receiver Xavier Worthy is back from injury to add explosiveness, and Mahomes is taking more deep shots. That’s especially notable because the Lions will be missing starting cornerbacks D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold, and their elite safety tandem also is banged up. Of course Jared Goff is always up for a shootout, and he’s 2-0 against Mahomes. The Lions have won four straight and lead the league in scoring at 34.8 points per game. A hot opponent coming into Arrowhead to face an angry heavyweight that’s desperate to turn its season around? Be careful. Hard to picture the Chiefs falling to 2-4. Pick: Chiefs, 38-34

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