{"id":35142,"date":"2025-10-10T23:08:49","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T23:08:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=35142"},"modified":"2025-10-10T23:08:49","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T23:08:49","slug":"chiefs-face-must-win-game-against-red-hot-lions-to-avoid-2-4-start-in-season-beset-by-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=35142","title":{"rendered":"Chiefs face must-win game against red-hot Lions to avoid 2-4 start in season beset by mistakes"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Chiefs<\/p>\n

\n

KANSAS CITY, Mo. \u2014 The Kansas City Chiefs are accustomed to playing in high-profile games that could ultimately define their entire season.<\/p>\n

They aren\u2019t used to playing them in Week 6.<\/p>\n

Yet the Chiefs find themselves in a precarious position after losing three of their first five games. They have the streaking Detroit Lions coming into Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday night, and another loss on the heels of their penalty-filled disaster last Monday night in Jacksonville would leave them trying to dig out of a 2-4 hole the rest of the way.<\/p>\n

Those high-profile playoff games that have come to define their seasons in the past?<\/p>\n

Well, the Chiefs need to worry about getting to the playoffs first.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is extremely important. There\u2019s no way around it,\u201d said Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who will be navigating one more game before wide receiver Rashee Rice returns from his six-game suspension. \u201cThis is a really good football team. They play extremely hard. We have to match their intensity. We have to match that mentality.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is hope for Kansas City, of course. The Chiefs started 2-4 as recently as 2021 and still made the AFC title game, where they lost to the Cincinnati Bengals. That also was the last time their season ended short of the Super Bowl.<\/p>\n

There is also this reason to hope: So many of the Chiefs\u2019 shortcomings have been of their own making. Last week, it was the 99-yard pick-six that turned the momentum of their game against the Jaguars, to say nothing of 13 penalties for 109 yards.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a big-time opponent,\u201d Lions coach Dan Campbell insisted. \u201cThese guys know how to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Lions are learning to do that themselves.<\/p>\n

After their season-opening loss in Green Bay, the Lions have ripped off four consecutive wins in convincing fashion. The latest was a 37-24 victory over the Bengals that was never really close; it was 28-3 at the end of the third quarter. The Lions have the NFL\u2019s top scoring offense, the sixth-best offense overall, and they have a top-10 defense as well.<\/p>\n

With a win over the Chiefs on Sunday night, they would improve to 5-1 for the third consecutive season.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is another one of those, \u2018This is why you do it. This is why you\u2019re in it,’\u201d Campbell said. \u201cMan, we love this stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bad omen<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mahomes has led the Chiefs in rushing in three of their first five games \u2014 the three they\u2019ve lost. He had 60 yards on just six tries last week against Jacksonville, including a 9-yard touchdown run that gave the Chiefs an early 14-0 advantage.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever we win football games, I don\u2019t care how that looks,\u201d Mahomes said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t look like that\u2019s helping us right now. If the other guys get running and we start winning football games, I\u2019ll take that.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Goff goes<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jared Goff may not be the most heralded quarterback but he\u2019s been very good for Detroit. He has the freedom to change calls at the line, and often does, and is a big reason why the Lions have scored the most points (174) and have the most TDs (22) through five games in franchise history. Goff has completed 70% or more of his passes in six road games in a row, tying a league record.<\/p>\n

Silver linings<\/strong><\/p>\n

While much of the focus of the Chiefs\u2019 loss to Jacksonville was on their mistakes \u2014 the penalties, blown assignments and the goal-line pick Mahomes threw \u2014 there was reason for optimism. The Chiefs put up 476 yards of total offense, could have scored five touchdowns if not for the interception, and they were able to keep the Jaguars defense off balance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re building something special here, and together, every week,\u201d Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco said.<\/p>\n

Can you cover?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Detroit\u2019s secondary has been hit hard by injuries, losing both starting cornerbacks and a backup. The Lions were forced to sign 30-year-old cornerback Tre Flowers last week, then had to put him in the lineup just days later at Cincinnati.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis train doesn\u2019t stop,\u201d Campbell. \u201cWe really were kind of going to let him get his legs under him, but we had to get him going.\u201d<\/p>\n

Look who\u2019s back<\/strong><\/p>\n

Edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, coming off a season-ending leg injury a year ago, is among NFL leaders with five sacks, 12 QB hits and three forced fumbles. He has a quarterback hit in 20 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the league, and he has a sack in four straight games to match a franchise record.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is a complete football player. He does it all,\u201d Campbell said. \u201cAnd he\u2019s disruptive, he\u2019s violent, he\u2019s high-motor, he\u2019s crafty, he\u2019s explosive, he\u2019s tough, he\u2019s competitive. And he does it all. He does it all.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KANSAS CITY, Mo. \u2014 The Kansas City Chiefs are accustomed to playing in high-profile games that could ultimately define their entire season. They aren\u2019t used to playing them in Week 6. Yet the Chiefs find themselves in a precarious position after losing three of their first five games. They have the streaking Detroit Lions coming [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":35143,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[88,2216,2214,2215],"class_list":["post-35142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kansas-city-chiefs","tag-chiefs","tag-chiefs-face-must-win-game-against-red-hot-lions-to-avoid-2-4-start-in-season-beset-by-mistakes","tag-chiefs-face-must-win-game-against-red-hot-lions-to-avoid-2-4-start-in-season-beset-by-mistakesprofessional-sports","tag-chiefs-face-must-win-game-against-red-hot-lions-to-avoid-2-4-start-in-season-beset-by-mistakessports"],"yoast_head":"\nChiefs face must-win game against red-hot Lions to avoid 2-4 start in season beset by mistakes - Breaking News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/breakingnews.azontree.com\/?p=35142\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Chiefs face must-win game against red-hot Lions to avoid 2-4 start in season beset by mistakes - Breaking News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"KANSAS CITY, Mo. \u2014 The Kansas City Chiefs are accustomed to playing in high-profile games that could ultimately define their entire season. 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