The Kansas City Chiefs will be in for a tough challenge when they host the red-hot Detroit Lions for a high-flying Sunday Night Football matchup. Lions head coach Dan Campbell is 1-0 against the Chiefs to begin his career, and Detroit is riding some strong momentum right now.
That's especially true for the offense. New offensive coordinator John Morton has made the fans forget all about Ben Johnson in no time, and the Lions are currently putting up a league-leading 34.8 points per game. Notably, that's why Morton feels quite comfortable and confident about dealing with anything the Chiefs can throw at them.
Even though history gives Kansas City plenty of reasons to believe in itself each week, Morton's latest words should worry head coach Andy Reid & Co.
Chiefs Coaches Can't Ignore Lions OC John Morton's Challenge
"We're gonna pound it. 10-man box, it don't matter. We're gonna keep doing it until they stop it," Morton said on Thursday, via The Detroit News' Nolan Bianchi.
Outside of Chris Jones, the Chiefs' defensive line hasn't always lived up to the task this season, and the Lions have one of the toughest, biggest, and most physical offensive lines in all of football. Penei Sewell might be the best player in the league in his position, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo must have something ready for him.
Although the Chiefs don't stack the box too often (18.6%/23rd, per Pride of Detroit), they might have no choice due to the Lions' strong rushing attack.
The Lions alternate between running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, both of whom have eclipsed the 300-yard, four-touchdown mark in just five games. As such, Spagnuolo might have to dial back on his aggressive blitzing style and focus on trying to hold them back instead. Still, a change in focus won't make shutting down Detroit's offense any easier.
Veteran quarterback Jared Goff has been very good since he was traded to Detroit, but he hasn't always delivered in big moments and high-stakes situations. Of course, stacking the box would also leave the Chiefs vulnerable against big-play specialists like Jameson Williams or Amon-Ra St. Brown, but it might be better to dare Goff to beat them than to let them run the football at will and dictate the tempo of this game.
The Lions have one of the most talented offenses in the game, and focusing on one thing will inevitably lead to other issues. It will be a challenge, but the Chiefs can't afford to drop another game this early in the schedule, especially at home.