Lions vs. Chiefs highlights: Detroit stuns champs as Patrick Mahomes' rescue bid comes up short

What a start to the 2023 NFL season.

The Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs provided plenty of excitement Thursday night as they kicked off the first of 272 regular-season games this year, with the contest coming down to the wire. But in the end, Patrick Mahomes was unable to mount another rally, as a receiving corps that struggled throughout the night couldn't rise to the occasion for the reigning NFL MVP. And the surging Lions were ready to pounce, as Detroit repeatedly held its ground in the second half to score the 21-20 upset.

Here's a look back at some of the key developments from the night from USA TODAY Sports:

Lions vs. Chiefs video highlights

Even as each team tried to find its groove, Thursday provided an abundance of highlight plays.

From Lions rookie Brian Branch's pick-six to David Montgomery's game-winning touchdown and more, check out the full highlights from the night:

Who were winners, losers of Lions' win over Chiefs?

While it was just Game 1 of 17 (at least) for each team, Thursday night's showdown had substantial consequences for plenty of figures from both sides.

A sampling of one of the major winners, courtesy of USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis ...

Lions rookies: They didn’t necessarily take over the game, but you wouldn’t expect players making their professional debuts to do as much. Still, RB Jahmyr Gibbs (60 yards on nine touches), TE Sam LaPorta (5 catches, 39 yards) and DB Brian Branch (50-yard pick-six) all flashed the ability that projects them to be big-time contributors. And presumably Branch, who exited the game before the fourth quarter with cramping, will be OK for Week 2.

And one clear loser ...

Chiefs offense: The loss of Kelce (hyperextended knee) probably couldn’t be understated – and was far more penal than Jones’ absence – given his on-field mind meld with Mahomes. And it was clear that Kansas City’s disjointed attack – Kelce was hurt just days before the game, which was also the first since the departure of former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy – just didn’t have sufficient time to adapt on a night when it posted 316 yards and two TDs. In the previous five seasons, K.C. averaged 37.8 points but barely managed half that much against the Lions while failing to convert all seven of their third-down attempts after halftime. Not nearly good enough.

For more, read the full column.

RECAP: Chiefs fail prime-time test as Lions pull off upset

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Ready for prime time?

That’s a question better suited for the defending Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs about now than it is for the upstart Detroit Lions.

Sure, the Lions pulled off the upset at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night, stunning the Chiefs, 21-20, to send a statement as the NFL christened a new season.

Yet the devil is in the details.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid gambled and lost with some bizarre game-management decisions in crunch time.

Going for it on fourth-and-20?

Then on fourth-and-25?

Even as great as Patrick Mahomes is, this was expecting way too much. Especially when the Chiefshad all three timeouts remaining before the two-minute warning.

It was settled after Mahomes’ desperate heave for Skyy Moore was broken up, and the Lions ran for a first down and ran out the clock.

Arrowhead. Quiet.

Sure, the Chiefs were without a pair of all-pros, tight end Travis Kelce (knee injury) and defensive tackle Chris Jones (holdout).

But with so many dropped passes – that means you, Kadarius Toney – there just wasn’t enough to overcome the ultimate embarrassment on national TV. Mahomes threw a pick-six in the third quarter that was returned 50 yards for a touchdown by Brian Branch.

Truth is, the pick-six belonged to Toney, who muffed on the pass. He also dropped a would-be completion on the pass that preceded Reid’s weird game-management decisions.

Oh, my.

Yes, the Lions, favored to win the NFC North, are ready for the prime-time exposure coming this season.

But the surprise, at least now, is that the Chiefs are far from ready.

– Jarett Bell

FINAL: Lions win 21-20 in stunning upset as Chiefs run out of gas

The Detroit Lions announced their presence on a national stage, and the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs have been dealt a rare setback to start the season.

The Lions held firm in the second half on Thursday night to score a 21-20 upset of the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, as Detroit surged ahead with a fourth-quarter touchdown drive and then staved off Patrick Mahomes' attempts at another defining rally.

The defeat broke the Chiefs' string of eight consecutive wins in season openers and marked the first time Mahomes had ever been bested in Week 1.

After Detroit took the lead on an 8-yard David Montgomery touchdown run with more than seven minutes remaining, the Chiefs figured to have ample time to respond. But the Lions managed to force a three-and-out, and the Chiefs turned the ball over on downs on their final possession.

On a night when Travis Kelce's absence loomed large as drops and miscues doomed the offense late, Mahomes finished just with just 226 yards passing, two touchdowns and one interception (which was returned for a score by Lions rookie defensive back Brian Branch) on 21-of-39 passing.

Chiefs running out of chances after turning ball over on downs

Kansas City's miscues continue to pile up, and they might prove to be too much to overcome.

Kadarius Toney's latest drop on a deep pass and a holding penalty by Donovan Smith put the Chiefs in a hole Patrick Mahomes couldn't lift the offense out of. The quarterback threw two more incompletions before facing a fourth-and-25 that proved insurmountable, with Detroit taking the ball back with two minutes remaining.

Chiefs' defense come up big on fourth down

The Lions offense tried to sideline Patrick Mahomes but couldn't quite finish the job.

Faced with a fourth-and-2 from the Kansas City 45 with 2:33 remaining, Dan Campbell elected to go for it. But Jared Goff's pass was batted down, giving Mahomes an opportunity for another fourth-quarter rally.

Jared Goff's big play sets up Lions to capture lead vs. Chiefs

Down six midway through the fourth quarter, Jared Goff and the Lions put together their best scoring drive of the game.

Goff hit wide receiver Josh Reynolds for 18 yards on a crucial third down, and later connect with the wideout again for 33 yards to put Detroit in scoring position.

Running back David Montgomery ran up the middle for an 8-yard TD to cap off the impressive nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive.

Chiefs settle for another field goal

Points are points, but Kansas City still hasn't found the end zone in the second half.

While Noah Gray's 24-yard catch helped spark another scoring drive, the Chiefs were unable to convert a second-and-1 and third-and-2 from the Lions' 21-yard line.

Harrison Butker stepped in to boot a 39-yard field goal to push the lead to 20-14.

Noah Gray doing best to replace Travis Kelce

Fans at Arrowhead Stadium didn't let the moment on Noah Gray's big, 24-yard catch-and-run at the end of the third quarter pass without paying homage to the All-Pro tight end who was missing.

Gray, a third-year tight end from Duke, certainly looked like Travis Kelce as he broke an open-field tackle attempt by Kerby Joseph and scampered for another 20 yards.

To that, the fans chanted: "Kelce! Kelce! Kelce!"

Guess you might call Gray quite the Kelce impersonator.

Cameron Sutton's penalty costs Lions in big way, but Lions hold tight on defense

The first Detroit penalty of the night proved to be a massive one.

On first-and-10 from the Kansas City 34, Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton dropped back in coverage against wide receiver Justin Watson before running into him before the ball arrived. The play resulted in a clear pass interference call for 41 yards.

But with the ball at the Lions' 17-yard line, Patrick Mahomes threw two incompletions, and the Chiefs settled for a 35-yard Harrison Butker field goal and a 17-14 lead.

Brian Branch's pick-six of Patrick Mahomes pulls Lions even with Chiefs

Welcome to the NFL, Brian Branch.

The rookie out of Alabama intercepted Mahomes. Branch caught a pass that deflected off of Kadarius Toney’s hands and returned it 50 yards to the end zone. Branch’s pick-six tied the contest, 14-14.

It’s just the third pick-six of Mahomes' career.

HALFTIME: Chiefs 14, Lions 7

Even without two of their biggest stars, the Chiefs are proving tough to stifle.

While Detroit racked up 188 yards and 11 first downs in the first half, Patrick Mahomes' big plays - both as a passer and runner - vaulted the Chiefs to a 14-7 halftime lead over the Lions.

And though Mahomes didn't connect on the kind of big plays that seemed far easier to come by with Travis Kelce in the lineup, he still boasts 147 yards and two touchdowns on 12-of-17 passing in the first half.

Can the Lions find a way to rattle the reigning MVP in the second half? So far, they only have two quarterback hits against him.

Mahomes' big plays spark Chiefs to another score, first lead over Lions

Operating in the two-minute drill, the Chiefs went on a six play, 82-yard touchdown drive late in the first half to take their first lead of the game.

On third-and-17 with a little over a minute remaining in the second quarter, Mahomes found wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a 34-yard reception. Mahomes completed a 26-yard pass to WR Justin Watson on the next play to put the Chiefs inside the 5-yard line. The series was capped off when Mahomes passed to tight end Blake Bell for a four-yard touchdown to make the score 14-7.

Chiefs' pass rush wakes up

With Chris Jones in a suite, Kansas City's front four finally found a little juice.

Facing a third-and-5 from near midfield with three minutes left in the second quarter, Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna took down Jared Goff as the quarterback climbed the pocket, marking the team's first sack of the night.

Lions fumble away red-zone opportunity

What looked to be another promising drive for Detroit came to an abrupt end.

On a third-and-10 from the Chiefs' 17-yard line, Jared Goff found Marvin Jones Jr. on a quick hit - but Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie forced a fumble, which was then recovered by safety Bryan Cook.

The fumble was the first in Jones' 11 NFL seasons.

On the following possession, however, the Lions forced a three-and-out.

Chiefs respond with more Mahomes magic for a score

The Chiefs answered Detroit’s touchdown drive with a TD of their own. The possession was highlighted by Patrick Mahomes’ ability to extend plays and scrambling skills.

Mahomes scrambled for 16 yards to get the Chiefs in a first and goal situation. Three plays later, Mahomes found rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice for a one-yard touchdown.

Lions score first with TD to Amon-Ra St. Brown

After a three-and-out on the opening possession, the Detroit Lions found their footing.

Jared Goff and Co. engineered an 18-play, 91-yard touchdown drive that was capped by a 6-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

The drive was sparked in part by a bold call on fourth-and-2, when Detroit called for a fake punt and converted the attempt.

Chris Jones is at Arrowhead Stadium ... but not to play

Chiefs star defensive tackle Chris Jones is in attendance to witness Thursday's season opener. According the NFL Network, Jones is in a suite at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium to watch the Chiefs raise their banner before the team takes on the Lions.

Perhaps Jones and Chiefs executives can bridge the gap in their contract negotiations during the game.

Could the Lions actually be .... good?

Detroit has waited a long time for a Lions team of this quality.

The last playoff win was in the 1991 season, and there's been plenty of futility along the way. This year's Lions team could be poised to end all that, but coach Dan Campbell doesn't want his team distracted by the hype.

"I told them from Day 1, when we first arrived in camp," Campbell told USA TODAY Sports, " ‘Man, don’t buy into all the noise that’s out there and all these predictions. Don’t listen to that.’

"Because it’s all the same noise in a positive way that we were getting negatively when we were 1-6 last year: ‘We weren’t good enough. Your coach sucks. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. The quarterback can’t.’ We have to block that stuff out. That’s not reality. The reality is not what they’re saying now, and the reality wasn’t what they were saying when we were 1-6. We’re in the gray, man. Just live in the moment."

Read more in Jarrett Bell's column about this rare moment for the Lions and their fanbase.

Inactives for Lions, Chiefs released

Tight end Travis Kelce (knee) is officially inactive, the Chiefs announced. Noah Gray is expected to start for Kansas City at tight end. TE Blake Bell will also receive snaps.

CB Darius Rush, CB Nic Jones, DE BJ Thompson, OL Wanya Morris, T Lucas Niang and DT Neil Farrell are also inactive, the Chiefs announced.

Not among the inactives: DT Chris Jones, who could continue his holdout.

The Lions will be without cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (knee). DL Romeo Okwara, DL Isaiah Buggs, DL Brodric Martin and CB Steven Gilmore will join Moseley on Detroit’s inactive list.

Who steps up for Chiefs after Travis Kelce injury?

With Travis Kelce officially inactive for Thursday's game against the Lions, the Chiefs could have a problem in their receiving corps. In a largely unproven collection of pass catchers, no one player from last year had more than 56 catches or 687 yards. But here are three candidates who could be in line for more looks:

WR Skyy Moore: A second-round pick in 2022, Moore already seemed like a strong bet for a heavier workload after his summer performance was lauded by both Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. He only played in 27% of the team's snaps last year and only had more than four targets in two games, but the 5-10, 195-pounder could feature prominently into Thursday night's plan.

TE Noah Gray: Next man up at tight end? No one will confuse the 2021 fifth-round pick out of Duke with Kelce, but there's still room for Gray to play a substantial role in the passing attack, particularly as Mahomes looks to keep the offense on schedule without its most prominent weapon.

WR Kadarius Toney: There are high expectations for Toney this season after the departures of Tyreek Hill and JuJu Smith-Schuster in consectuive offseasons. He’s a versatile receiver who is explosive with the football, though he missed substantial time after having surgery for a torn meniscus. The Chiefs acquired Toney from the Giants last October, and he recorded 14 receptions, 171 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns in seven regular-season games for Kansas City.

What time does Lions vs. Chiefs start on Thursday night?

Tonight’s kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.

Travis Kelce injury update

The Chiefs tight end is officially inactive for Thursday's game after he hyperextended his knee during practice on Tuesday, the team announced.

Lions vs. Chiefs predictions

Tyler Dragon: Chiefs 26, Lions 18

Defending Super Bowl champions historically have sluggish starts in season openers. And the Chiefs are expected to be without their best defensive player in Chris Jones. But Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, a young receiving corps and a scrappy defense should be enough to defeat the upstart Lions in front of a raucous Arrowhead crowd.

Lorenzo Reyes: Chiefs 27, Lions 23

The Lions, for the first time in forever, have a little bit of hype behind them. I expect they will compete with improved offensive weapons and a culture of expectation, but I have a hard time seeing them take this one, on the road, against the defending champs. I do think Detroit keeps it under a touchdown, however.

Lions vs. Chiefs betting odds

The Kansas City Chiefs are among the best bets for NFL Week 1 in their opening game against the visiting Detroit Lions. The defending Super Bowl champions are favored by 6.5 points, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. One of the best mobile sports betting apps, BetMGM is among those offering the top NFL betting promos in 2023.

According to the top NFL betting apps, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has some of the best NFL MVP betting odds after winning the award last season. The Chiefs also boast some of the best early Super Bowl betting odds.

The Lions, meanwhile, are one of the most popular NFL future bets after their impressive 2022 season. How far can Dan Campbell lead Detroit this season?

There is also plenty of interest around NFL prop bets when it comes to other forms of NFL wagering. One of the most popular NFL parlay bets is combining this game with the best Sunday Night Football odds and/or Monday Night Football odds.

Whether you’re still learning how to bet on sports or a seasoned sharp, USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with the best online sportsbooks and sports betting sites. Our NFL betting guide can help you get started.

Is 'Thursday Night Football' still on Amazon Prime?

Tonight’s prime-time kickoff game between the Lions and Chiefs is on NBC, but "Thursday Night Football" will exclusively be on Amazon Prime Video beginning Week 2.

'Thursday Night Football' theme song

Fans will have to wait a little longer for the popular "Thursday Night Football" theme song since the season opener isn’t on Amazon Prime Video. The "Thursday Night Football" on Amazon Prime Video anthem is titled “Prime Video Sports Theme by Pinar Toprak."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chiefs Lions highlights: Detroit upsets Kansas City in NFL opener