The Detroit Lions reminded the Kansas City Chiefs that Super Bowl LVII was in February -- it's September now.
Kansas City, despite being without cogs Travis Kelce and Chris Jones, succumbed to a 21-20 defeat at home Thursday as the Lions started the 2023 NFL season with a victory.
The issues mainly stemmed from the Chiefs' offense, as it was a day for Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and Co. to forget. Mahomes, the 2022 NFL MVP, completed just 21 of 39 passes for 226 yards, two touchdowns and one pick-six, which wasn't his fault. But he finally looked human.
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And it didn't help that without Kelce, he lacked a true go-to target for the entire game. Kadarius Toney had one catch for one yard on five targets and one rush that lost a yard. Skyy Moore was essentially invisible, ending with no receptions on three targets and one four-yard rush. As good as a quarterback can be, they'll be limited if the receiving core isn't up to par.
Jared Goff, on the other hand, didn't light up the scoresheet but did his job and kept his composure. His supporting cast also delivered, along with a vital pick-six from rookie safety Brian Branch, which provided the one-point difference needed to triumph.
Here's what social media had to say about the Chiefs following their loss:
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Kansas City will next travel to Jacksonville for a Week 2 matchup against Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars where they will look to bounce back.