NFL WEEK 6 – SUNDAY NIGHT GAME OF THE WEEK (10-12-25)
DETROIT LIONS (4-1) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2-3)
VEGAS ODDS: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (-2 ½) ~ TOTAL: (52 ½)
TEAM TOTALS: DETROIT (24 ½) ~ KANSAS CITY (27 ½)
DETROIT: OFFENSE (#6) – (135R/230P) vs. KC DEFENSE (#13) – (123R/191P)
KANSAS CITY: OFFENSE (#8) – (120R/241P) vs. DETROIT: DEFENSE (#8) – (92R/207P)
TWO ELITE OFFENSES FACE OFF TO FINISH OFF SUNDAY CARD!
Sunday Night games are always heavily bet games as most bettors that lose all Sunday or worse all weekend then this one is what we call “THE BAILOUT SPECIAL”. When I looked ahead at all the Sunday and Monday night matchups before this season kicked off this was the game I was most excited to watch. Two of the elite teams facing off on national TV in what is usually a really fun game to watch as the stars surely know the whole world is watching. I fully expect this game will NOT disappoint the viewers.
The one shocker coming in is not many folks (me included) had the 3 Chiefs losses after 5 games on their bingo card. It’s been a strange start for the Chiefs who once again are playing tons of really close games but this year they are (0-3) in one score games, including a tough late loss on Monday night to the Jax Jaguars. The Chiefs can definitely not afford a 4th loss in 6 games so I fully expect the playbook by KC HC/OC Reid to get fully opened for this big game. These two teams really have almost identical stats on both sides of the ball through 5 games.
LIONS NOW SURGING OFF OPENING GAME LOSS TO GREEN BAY!
Detroit has been simply magnificent in the regular season the past few years and when they lost their opener in Green Bay by 2 TD’s many thought did losing its OC and DC in the offseason cost them this season being a loaded team again? Well 4 straight wins and the Offense scoring 52, 38, 34, and 37 points dispelled that false thinking quickly. The one thing lost in the opening loss to GB was the Defense held GB to only (78R/188P). It was the Offense that never got on track as their Top 3 OL got bullied and run thru all game long (Goff sacked 4x and 1 Int) even though they held a 35–25 Time of Possession advantage. I always throw out Game 1 performances now that most starters rarely play (if at all) and so that is really their first real work after weeks of watching worthless Pre-season games.
No team in the NFL has as many stud playmakers as the Lions do and the OL since that debacle vs. GB has been lights out for QB Goff (sacked only 4x the past 4 games – all wins). The Lions Defense has been solid getting pressure on opposing QB’s (15 sacks) and they have been turnover monsters with (6 INT’S/3 Fumble recoveries). One of the best things I’ve seen watching Lions tapes is their LB play has been elite and their gap intensity discipline has been fantastic. They have allowed one QB run for over 10 yards (13 yards last week vs. Cinci QB Browning). The Lions D is allowing only (3.3) yards after the catch = #1 in NFL). They are forcing opposing Offenses to really work longer drives to score points. But one thing about past stats is they are only good if all the same players suit up and this week the Lions Defense comes in decimated by injury to almost the entire secondary. Top CB’s Arnold, Reed and Maddux are all out for this game and secondary players Branch and Joseph missed practice time this week nursing injuries. The Lions need to pray that Branch/Joseph can suit up or this could be one very long night.
THE CHIEFS OFFENSE SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN BACK ON TRACK SINCE WORTHY RETURNED TO LINEUP!
My favorite line over my 36 year Radio Show career was previewing games and no phrase says it better than “SPEED KILLS”. The Chiefs Offense started season missing stud Rice and then was without speedster Xavier Worthy for basically first 3 games. Since he came back the Defenses can’t defend the same especially with youngster Thornton (1 of 3 Chiefs track stars) taking the lid off deep already catching 5 deep passes for 186 yards and a whopping (37ypc) average. It’s tough to cover 3 speedsters and so what happens is the RB’s have less loaded boxes to slow them and savvy TE Kelce is now often getting wide open for easy catches (12 catches with 6 for first downs) the past 2 games. With Worthy back in the lineup the Chiefs scored 37 and 28 points.
The KC Run game looked explosive last week vs. Jax gaining 158 yards on just 22 carries (7.2 ypr) and 3 TD’s. Chiefs QB Mahomes has thrown 26 deep passes (20+ yards in air) and so to avoid getting burned deep they have allowed some running lanes for Mahomes after sending his WR’s out deep, the Chiefs are calling Mahomes run plays (not scrambles where nobody is open). The result has been Mahomes rushing for 190 rushing yards on 28 carries (6.8 ypr). The Chiefs have secured first downs 71% of Mahomes rushes on third downs. The advantage for the Chiefs has been they have dominated the total plays the past 3 games (197-160) and possessed the ball (99 minutes – 81 minutes).
Last week the Chiefs big problem wasn’t gaining yards at will, it was committing way too many penalties (13 – 109 yards). You usually walk away with B2B wins when your Offense is piling up 858 total yards.
BOTH DEFENSES COULD BE IN FOR A LONG SUNDAY NIGHT!
I already told you the bad news of a decimated Secondary for the Lions Defense but the big problem for the Chiefs Defense this season is they allow (8.3) yards after the catch (worst in the NFL) as they have been destroyed by “PLAY ACTION” passes from opposing QB’s. Now they are facing Lions QB Goff who the past few years has simply excelled in Play Action pass plays and we’ve seen Goff complete 15 straight passes and get into these crazy grooves where he almost never misses a receiver. Goff should feast vs. the Chiefs Defensive coverage defending Play Action as they are allowing (78%) pass completion rate (3rd worst). The most alarming problem the Chiefs Defense has is their Superman Pass Rusher Chris Jones has been on a milk carton thru 5 games (only 7 tackles, 6 QB hits and 1 sack and a terrible pressure rate of only 12.9%! OUCH!!
FINAL PASS:
With the Lions Secondary so banged up and the Chiefs Offense starting to look like the Super Bowl days I fully expect the Chiefs to hit at least 28 points here. The Lions OL should protect Goff well enough for him to get into one of his patented streaks of completely lots of passes as the Lions Offense is hitting full throttle coming into this game. I expect the Lions and the Chiefs to trade blows back and forth all night long with lots of huge plays as both Defenses simply struggle. Look for lots of fireworks and for some sneaky tricks to come out as well. Likely most exciting game of the Week 5 Sunday card.
Grab your popcorn folks and enjoy the game. May all your wagers be Winning ones!
FINAL NOTE:
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