By Fred Liggett
sports.lsribune08@gmail.com
The NFL is kicking off their 104th season in 2023 and doing it in Kansas City. The season will last exactly four months, from Thursday, Sept. 7 through January 7, 2024. The Super Bowl Champions will raise a banner during a pre-game ceremony then it’s back to work for the Kansas City Chiefs who host the Detroit Lions from the NFC.
The 2023 Chiefs season schedule finds teams like the Eagles, Bills, Bengals, Chargers and Jets all thought to be prime time match ups. The NFL in their schedule reveal went with Detroit to match up against the Chiefs who finished 14-3 a season ago. While this surprised some, the Lions are projected to improve on a 9-8 season from a year ago. The Lions are expected to make some noise in the NFC North and this will be a good road test for them to see just how much they have improved.
While fans may not have got the season opening match up they wanted, expect this one to deliver the entertainment meant in a season opening stand-alone game the NFL annually seeks. The Chiefs take the field led by Super Bowl MVP QB Patrick Mahomes and a number of offensive weapons to secure a score. The Lions counter with QB Jared Goff who has settled in as a Lions franchise QB. Lions added in the draft RB Jahmyr Gibbs from Alabama who can score in several different ways. Lions head coach Dan Campbell is pretty unpredictable so the must-see Lions on TV meter goes up.
The Chiefs under Mahomes watch has always proved to be worth watching. Fans will be keeping an eye on two new offensive tackles in Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor who are charged with protecting Mahomes. On the defensive side of the ball it’s the NFL debut of first round pick DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah that will be watched. Especially with the continued hold out by Pro Bowl DE Chris Jones this position will be a key to success.
One doesn’t have to follow the Chiefs long to know when given extra prep time the Chiefs are pretty unbeatable. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is 9-1 in season openers in KC including eight straight wins. Mahomes enters with a 5-0 mark in openers to go along with 18 TD’s & 0 INT’s during that span.
On this night on the national stage the Lions will prove worthy of being invited to the party. The Chiefs will show everyone the Lions still have some work to do to arrive at the top. Chiefs score another season opening win in front of a sold out crowd as they begin their efforts to repeat as Super Bowl Champions. That’s What I REID Into It for this week.
