Chiefs face must-win game against red-hot Lions

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are accustomed to playing in high-profile games that could ultimately define their entire season. They aren't 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 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. Those high-profile playoff games that have come to define their seasons in the past? Well, the Chiefs need to worry about getting to the playoffs first. "This is extremely important. There's no way around it," said Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who will be navigating one more game before wide receiver Rashee Rice returns from his six-game suspension. "This is a really good football team. They play extremely hard. We have to match their intensity. We have to match that mentality." 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. There is also this reason to hope: So many of the Chiefs' 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. "This is a big-time opponent," Lions coach Dan Campbell insisted. "These guys know how to win." The Lions are learning to do that themselves. 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's top scoring offense, the sixth-best offense overall, and they have a top-10 defense as well. With a win over the Chiefs on Sunday night, they would improve to 5-1 for the third consecutive season. "This is another one of those, 'This is why you do it. This is why you're in it,'" Campbell said. "Man, we love this stuff." Bad omen Mahomes has led the Chiefs in rushing in three of their first five games — the three they've 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. "However we win football games, I don't care how that looks," Mahomes said. "It doesn't look like that's helping us right now. If the other guys get running and we start winning football games, I'll take that." As Goff goes Jared Goff may not be the most heralded quarterback but he's 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. Silver linings While much of the focus of the Chiefs' loss to Jacksonville was on their mistakes — the penalties, blown assignments and the goal-line pick Mahomes threw — 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. "We're building something special here, and together, every week," Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco said. Can you cover? Detroit's 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. "This train doesn't stop," Campbell. "We really were kind of going to let him get his legs under him, but we had to get him going." Look who's back 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. "He is a complete football player. He does it all," Campbell said. "And he's disruptive, he's violent, he's high-motor, he's crafty, he's explosive, he's tough, he's competitive. And he does it all. He does it all." ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL