Lions-Chiefs Week 1 Odds, Stats And Picks To Kickoff 2023 NFL Season

The NFL kicks off its 104th season Thursday night from Arrowhead Stadium when the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs host the Detroit Lions. The betting lines have adjusted since Tuesday’s knee injury to Chiefs TE Travis Kelce, whose status to play will be a game time decision. Kansas City is down from a 6.5-point favorite on Tuesday to -4.5 with an over/under total of 53. 5 points at leading online sportsbooks.

The game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET and can be streamed on NBC/Peacock or NFL+.

The Chiefs have taken more than 60% of the bets and approx. 55% of the money (handle) despite the odds adjustment from an opening line of -7 to -4.5. And nearly 60% of the bets and money is supporting ‘over’ the total.

“We expect this to be the most bet NFL season in BetMGM’s history,” said Seamus Magee, Trading Team Lead at BetMGM. “The Chiefs are the favorites to win the Super Bowl and bettors are backing them to cover in the Week 1 opener.”

Picks, Prop and Future Bets

Travis Kelce has also been the most popular prop bet to score the first touchdown (+650) and anytime touchdown (-125) vs the Lions. That could change if he doesn’t play with bettors refunded wagers, and QB Patrick Mahomes (+130) another popular prop to pass for more than 2.5 touchdowns.

Mahomes is also one of the top 3 players bet to win Most Valuable Player (MVP) this season at +600 odds, while Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson tops all bets to win Defensive Player of the Year.

The Chiefs regular season win total is over/under 11.5 wins while the Lions are O/U 9.5 wins. Both teams are favorites to win their respective divisions with the Chiefs -180 to finish 1st in the AFC West, and the Lions +145, according to FanDuel Sportsbook division odds with options to bet these props throughout the season at adjusted odds.

Teams that rested their starters for the entire preseason are 6-13 SU and 7-12 ATS in Week 1 since the start of 2020, according to Dr. Bob Sports. The Lions did not use starters in the preseason while the Chiefs did put them on the field.

Lions-Chiefs Stats

Whether you’re betting the game, props or adding players to your fantasy football lineup, here are some stats and against the spread (ATS) notes from Sharp Football Analysis for Detroit at Kansas City Week 1 matchup.

• The Chiefs have won eight consecutive Week 1 games (6-2 ATS), the longest active streak in the league.
• Kansas City has averaged 36.4 points scored per game over that span, 37.8 per game with Patrick Mahomes as their starting quarterback.
• Games involving the Lions in 2022 averaged a league-high 51.8 combined points per game.
• Under head coach Dan Campbell, the Lions are tied for a league-best 23-11 record ATS (19-9 as an underdog).
• The Chiefs (36.9) and the Lions (36.0) were first and second in yardage gained per drive last season.
• The Chiefs led the NFL in points per drive last season (2.55).
• The Lions were third in the NFL in points per drive (2.40).
• Detroit allowed a league-high 2.32 points per drive in 2022.
• The Lions allowed a touchdown on a league-high 26.8% of opponent possessions while allowing a league-high 36.5 yards per drive.
• Detroit allowed a league-high 4.5 plays of 20 or more yards per game in 2022.
• The Chiefs averaged a league-high 4.9 plays of 20 or more yards per game in 2022.
• Detroit was 31st in yards allowed per pass attempt (7.9 Y/A) and dead last in yards allowed per completion (12.6 yards).
• The Lions have added new defensive players and revamped their linebacking corps after allowing a league-worst 6.2 yards per play last season.
• Chiefs star defensive lineman Chris Jones remains out as he wants more money and a new long-term contract. Jones led all interior defenders with 77 pressures last season, and when he was on the field a year ago, Kansas City pressured opposing quarterbacks on 35.5% of passing plays. That rate would have ranked fifth in the league over the full season. With Jones off the field, that rate dropped to 27.4%, which was 29th in the league.

The Chiefs are looking to become the third team to reach four Super Bowls in a five-year span, along with the 1990-93 Bills and the 2014-18 Patriots. Also, Playbook Sports notes that Kansas City coach Andy Reid is 6-0 SU/ATS in his career when his teams play a non-division opponent on Thursday’s.

More Lions-Chiefs matchup analysis, picks, props, NFL odds and betting options are available on FanDuel Research covering NFL news for each week during the 2023 season.

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