Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season is set to start with a bang when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Detroit Lions on Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium. Both teams have plenty to prove over the course of their coming campaigns, and after successful preseasons, each is poised for success.
The Lions are of particular interest in 2023 as they face high expectations for the first time in what feels like forever. Detroit seems like a brand new football team with Dan Campbell at the helm as head coach, and after putting together an impressive 2022 campaign, the Lions are among the most intriguing teams in the NFL.
Buy Chiefs TicketsWe sat down with Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire this week to talk about Detroit’s development and got some insight from behind enemy lines ahead of the highly anticipated Week 1 matchup in Kansas City.
Check out Risdon’s expert responses to our questions about the Lions below:
Q: How legit is Dan Campbell, and how did he make the Lions winners?
A: Campbell is authentic. It seems simple, but just being the emotionally intense, empathetic and enthusiastic former player that he is, it really resonates with his players. It also works with his assistant coaches, most of whom are recognizable former NFL players themselves.
He and GM Brad Holmes have done a very good job of identifying players who fit their preferred mentality and football character, and it’s working. Took a little time, but it looks like it’s going to pay off nicely.
Q: What is Jared Goff's ceiling in Campbell's system, and is the team capable of hanging with the big dogs with Goff at QB?
A: I think we saw Goff’s ceiling in the final 10 games of 2022. That’s a pretty high ceiling, a Pro Bowler who brings in the NFL’s longest streak without throwing an interception (342 passes). The key for Goff is to continue to avoid mistakes without sacrificing any aggression. He did that extremely well in the 8-2 finish. Not sure he can do any better, but I’m pretty confident he can stay at that level or darn close to it.
Q: Why in the world isn't Jahmyr Gibbs listed as Detroit's starting RB after being drafted at 12? Buyer's remorse?
A: David Montgomery is the starter and he’s expected to get a lot more carries than Gibbs, and that’s nothing against the speedy rookie. Montgomery has been great all summer and is hungry to prove that he’s an elite runner behind what might be the NFL’s best run-blocking O-line.
Gibbs figures to get a lot of receptions; he might lead the Lions in targets while Jameson Williams is suspended. As far a actual handoffs, don’t buy the fantasy analyst hype on Gibbs. I expect about a 65-35 split in carries favoring Montgomery, and it could go even higher than that if Montgomery runs the way he did in joint practices against the Giants and Jaguars.
Q: Is this game the Lions' litmus test for viability in the playoffs? Why or why not?
A: That’s a tough question. It’s the opener, on the road against the NFL’s best team over the last few years. Detroit’s starters didn’t play at all in the preseason, so there might be a little rust, too. When the line was over a touchdown in favor of the Chiefs, that sort of precluded any Lions loss from being seen in much of a negative light unless it was a blowout. Now, with Kelce very iffy and Jones not playing and the line as low as 3.5 points, it has become a more winnable game. Good teams capture those winnable games. If the Lions want to meet the hype, they do probably need to win now instead of just covering the spread.
Q: Who are the fastest-rising stars on Detroit's defense?
A: The big guy to watch is DT Alim McNeill. He moved from the nose to the 3-tech, slimmed down and was often unblockable in camp. His initial burst belies his size. The trio of new DBs: C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Cam Sutton and rookie Brian Branch, are all massive upgrades over the guys they’re replacing in the secondary. Don’t forget about Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up Aidan Hutchinson, who got a little leaner but also a little stronger in the offseason after an impactful first year.
Q: Is there any good barbecue in Detroit?
A: Detroit is not a great barbecue haven. There are some good spots though. I’m a fan of Slow’s, and AB’s out near Canton is really good. I’m a big believer that the sides are important and that’s one area where Detroit doesn’t match up well with places like Kansas City or Texas or the Carolina BBQ belt.
