Chiefs Patrick Mahomes stunned by the Lions! Super Bowl MVP throws pick-6 and fails in the opening game of the 2023 NFL season as Kansas City’s title defense against Jared Goff & Co. gets off to a dismal start.
- Mahomes completed just 21 of 39 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns on Thursday
- Lions rookie safety Brian Branch returned an interception for his first NFL TD
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Patrick Mahomes returned an interception for a touchdown and fumbled against the hungry, young Detroit Lions as the defending champion Chiefs lost their 2023 season opener 21-20 on Thursday night in Kansas City.
“We expected to win this game,” said Lions coach Dan Campbell. “We came here knowing what we had to do, knowing it wasn’t going to be easy, and that’s what we did. ‘We won.’
Mahomes & Co. fell behind early on Thursday at Arrowhead Stadium after Detroit’s Jared Goff found impressive second-year receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown for the first touchdown of the 2023 season.
But the defending champions stormed back in the second quarter as Mahomes hit Rashee Rice and Blake Bell with two touchdown passes.
Then it was rookie safety Brian Branch’s turn to introduce himself to the NFL with a pick-six and Mahomes reciprocated with a 50-yard offering for a touchdown to tie the game 14-14 early in the third quarter.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was defeated in the season opener
Jared Goff (16) led the Detroit Lions to a 21:20 victory over the reigning Super Bowl champions
Lions safety Brian Branch scored a pick 6 and scored his first career TD in his NFL debut
The defensive touchdown made Branch the first Lions player since Lem Barney in 1967 to return an interception for a touchdown in his NFL debut.
After two scores from Harrison Butker gave Kansas City a 20-14 lead, Detroit running back David Montgomery tied the score with an eight-yard touchdown run. Riley Patterson added the extra point for a 21-20 lead.
“I didn’t learn anything. “I got confirmation of what I already know: This is a resilient team,” Campbell said.
“We are designed to overcome a lot and we did that today against a very good opponent.”
The Lions tried to run out the clock when Goff deflected a fourth-down pass near midfield with 2:30 left, giving the Chiefs a chance.
But they made a mess: Kadarius Toney dropped a potential 20-yard gain, another 20-yard pass was called off for holding, and Skyy Moore also dropped a pass before Mahomes threw a fourth and 25 yards after a false start -Throw made downfield.
When it fell incomplete and Detroit took over, Montgomery ran for a first down, allowing the Lions to run out the clock.
Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown was responsible for the first points of the season
David Montgomery scored the game-winning touchdown on an eight-yard run
Mahomes finished the game with 226 passing yards and two touchdowns, although his receivers picked off a lot of passes.
He was also the Chiefs’ leading rusher, whose self-inflicted wounds proved too severe to overcome.
“Gotta get better,” Mahomes said.
That was the anticipation. The concern stemmed from the absence of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and fellow All-Pro Chris Jones, who is in the midst of a contract denial.
Defensive tackle was expected to miss the opener, but Kelce has only been a question since Tuesday when he hyperextended his knee in the final full practice session before matchday.