Suh: Lions' D-Line Key to Upsetting Chiefs

Exploring how the Lions can defeat the Chiefs Week 1.

The Detroit Lions are beginning the 2023 season in the national spotlight. 

It'll be a tough first test, as they'll square off with the Kansas City Chiefs in primetime on Thursday, Sept. 7. The season will start with high expectations, and a Week 1 victory would ignite the hype surrounding Detroit heading into the season. 

With the schedule officially released and the opener just under four months away, analysis has already begun for the opener. Ndamukong Suh, who played five seasons with the Lions, broke down the keys to the game for the NFL Network. 

Among his keys for Detroit is the play of the same position group he played for during his stint with the team — the defensive line. He believes that the unit may hold the key for the Lions pulling off a Week 1 stunner. 

"Really, what it's gonna come down to, in my opinion, is the defensive line,"  Suh said. "They're going to have to affect this quarterback, stop the run, being able to get after the pass rusher and allow their linebackers to be able to back up and help with Travis Kelce in the middle of the field, because he is going to be a big issue for them."

The Lions' defense was much improved at the end of the season. Among the bright spots were EDGE rushers Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston, who both enjoyed standout rookie seasons. 

During the segment, NFL Network draft analyst Bucky Brooks added that the Lions will have to match wits with Kansas City's high-powered offense, led by Patrick Mahomes. 

"At the end of the day, this always turns into a track meet when you're dealing with the Kansas City Chiefs," Brooks stated. "If you're offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, you have to get with Jared Goff and find a way to make this a shootout. We've got to get up, we need, at minimum, 30 points for this game to be our game. Whatever your best play calls are in terms of tempo, pace, rhythm, we have to have all those things dialed up. This is a game that Jared Goff and that offense has to lead the way, and you hope that Aaron Glenn's defense can play well." 

Fellow analyst Brian Baldinger implored the Lions to run the ball behind Penei Sewell and to use it to set up the play-action passing game. Additionally, he encouraged head coach Dan Campbell to be aggressive on fourth downs, in order to keep the ball out of Mahomes' hands.