The Detroit Lions will get a terrific opportunity to see just where they stand among the NFL's elite as they travel to Kansas City to take on the defending Super Bowl champions in front of a national audience to kick off the 2023 NFL season on Thursday night.
Defending NFL MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the No. 1 ranked Chiefs offense will be a terrific early test for a revamped Detroit defense that spent considerable resources improving their secondary this offseason with the signings of veteran cornerbacks Cam Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Kansas City ranked No. 1 in total yards (413.6) and points per game (29.2) last season.
It's the first meeting between these two clubs in Kansas City since 2003. The last time the Lions had a road game against Kansas City it took place in London, and the Chiefs won, 45-10. The Chiefs have won the last two matchups between the two teams.
View photos from offseason workouts on Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Detroit Lions Defensive Quality Control Wayne Blair, Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell (58) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Benito Jones (94), Detroit Lions Defensive Line Coach John Scott Jr. during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Darrin Paulo (69) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton (1), Detroit Lions Director of Sports Science Jill Costanza during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman John Cominsky (79) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Brady Breeze (35) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Romeo Okwara (95), Detroit Lions Defensive Quality Control Wayne Blair during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman John Cominsky (79), Detroit Lions Defensive Line Coach John Scott Jr. during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Saivion Smith (23) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Benito Jones (94), Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Julian Okwara (99) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (59) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Charles Harris (53) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton (1) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (6) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds (8) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds (8) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions long snapper Jake McQuaide (50) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jermar Jefferson (28) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions kicker Michael Badgley (17), Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Graham Glasgow (60) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Taylor Decker (68) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Obinna Eze (65) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions guard Logan Stenberg (71) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during offseason workouts at the Lions Training Facility in Allen Park, MI on May 10, 2023. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
The NFL featuring Detroit and Kansas City to kick off the 2023 NFL season says a lot about the kind of team the league thinks the Lions can be this season. The Lions were 9-8 last year and nearly made the playoffs with one of the youngest rosters in the NFL. There's a real buzz around this team making a run at the NFC North, and the NFL wants to showcase that.
"It's about raising expectations, you know? We've got to be thinking that way, and everything we do has to be with that type of purpose," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said at the Annual League Meetings earlier this year.
A Week 1 matchup against Mahomes and the Chiefs will certainly give Campbell a good indication of where his young football team stands to start the year.
