The Kansas City Chiefs have one tough opponent standing in their way in Week 6 in the Detroit Lions. The Lions have won four straight games, whereas the Chiefs’ momentum came to a screeching halt after losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5.

The Chiefs, whether some believe it or not, have a ton riding on this game, both positively and negatively. Week 6 could be a turning point in the season for the Chiefs, whether they win or lose, and it all rides on the way they play as well as the official outcome of the game.

The Positive Outcome and What it Means

The positive outcome for the Chiefs is knocking off the hottest team in football in front of their home fans at Arrowhead Stadium, but that’s a given. Winning this game is important to the Chiefs for several different reasons.

Firstly

Should the Chiefs win this game, skeptics might finally take a step back from saying the Chiefs are in trouble by knocking off an early Super Bowl favorite. Additionally, it would provide extra confidence to the locker room in Kansas City, especially after a tough defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars, after they were leading 14-0.

Secondly

Winning this game against the Lions would be a huge momentum builder going into the latter half of the first half of the season. The AFC West division has a first-place tie between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Denver Broncos with a 3-2 record, and a Chiefs victory would put them right back in it.

Both the Chargers and Broncos arguably have easier opponents than the Chiefs this week (Chargers vs the Dolphins, Broncos vs the Jets). A win over Detroit would be impressive and could light a fire under a franchise awaiting the return of their star wide receiver in Week 7, Rashee Rice.

The Negative Outcomes and What It Means

While the positives are promising and not too outlandish, the negatives are also a reality that has to be discussed.

Firstly

Should the Chiefs lose and lose badly to the Lions, it would push their momentum right back to where it sat when they were 0-2 to begin the season. While the Chiefs were able to claw back to an even record, one defeat was a gut punch to the momentum they seemed to be building.

Secondly

If the Chargers and Broncos get the victories over teams that collectively have one win and nine losses through five weeks of the season, and the Chiefs lose, the uphill battle would feel even steeper to get back in the division, regardless of whether it’s still early in the campaign.