Lions HC explains what Week 1 game vs. Chiefs means to team
The NFL had no shortage of captivating matchups to pick from when deciding which game would serve as the 2023 season opener.
So when the league landed on the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7 on “Thursday Night Football,” that sent a clear message to Lions head coach Dan Campbell.
"Certainly we're beginning to get noticed; that's what it means," Campbell said Friday on “Good Morning Football.” "Now I'll say this, here's my first thought, if I'm being totally honest with you as to why they would give us Kansas City: OK, well yeah, (we) finished the year a certain way, but it also means they're betting on we won't get our ass kicked, alright? You may get beat, but you're not getting your ass kicked — that's what they're saying.”
Detroit added some pieces on offense through free agency (RB David Montgomery, WR Marvin Jones Jr.) and the draft (RB Jahmyr Gibbs, TE Sam LaPorta), as well as upgrading several key areas on defense as well (LB Jack Campbell, CBs Cameron Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley and safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Brian Branch).
After starting last season 1-6, the Lions won eight of their final 10 games down the stretch, including a 20-16 win over the Green Bay Packers that kept them out of the playoffs, finishing 9-8 (just their fifth winning season since 2000) and narrowly missing out on the playoffs themselves.
Given how last season ended and the offseason additions the team made, Detroit is a popular pick to not only contend for a playoff spot this year but to also push for the NFC North title.
“I do know that there’s (more) interest (in us) and we’re an intriguing team,” Campbell added. “We made a run there at the end of the year, and the thing that can’t be lost is…we did just enough to mess up early in the season to not get in (the playoffs). We had an opportunity and yeah, you go 8-2 down the run and it’s like if you don’t lose one of those two games — Buffalo or Carolina — well it should have never come to that. … So, we’ve got to get off to a fast start (against Kansas City).”
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