Chiefs dominate Detroit Lions to move back to .500

It’s been an uncharacteristic start to the 2025 season for the Chiefs. The Chiefs got their first win against a winning football team with the Lions win.

Here’s what happened:

Inactives

Josh Simmons is the only Chiefs player who will not take the field. He’s out on a “not injury related – personal” designation.

All others listed on the Chiefs’ injury report were full participants all week in practice and carry no injury designations.

The Tigers, on the other hand, are dealing with a handful of injuries. Linebacker Zach Cunningham, running back Sione Vaki and defensive tackle Alim McNeil are all out.

Avonte Maddox, Giovanni Manu, Brian Branch, Kalif Raymond, Kerby Joseph and Taylor Decker are all questionable.

First Quarter

• Detroit won the toss, opting to receive the ball first. Kansas City will begin on defense as usual and receive the second-half kickoff.
• Lions begin driving the ball down the field into Chiefs’ territory behind a couple of connections between Jared Goff and Jameson Williams.
• Jahmyr Gibbs pushes the ball past the 10-yard line for the first 1st and goal of the game.
• On 3rd and goal, Gibbs is stopped by the Chiefs’ four-man front. The Lions choose to keep their offense on the field with under a yard to go, however.
• After a timeout from Detroit, running back David Montgomery throws the ball to QB Jared Goff for what was believed to be a touchdown, but ultimately ended up being flagged for illegal formation. Lions then kick a field goal to put themselves up 3-0.
• Patrick Mahomes finds Travis Kelce early in the Chiefs’ first drive for a nice pickup and then JuJu Smith-Schuster immediately after for another big gain.
• The Chiefs are forced into a 4th down situation and opt to go for it as well. Mahomes connects with Xavier Worthy for a touchdown. Harrison Butker misses the extra point. Chiefs up 6-3. The pass makes Mahomes the fastest QB to reach 300 combined touchdown passes in NFL history.
• Goff and tight end Sam LaPorta round out the first quarter with a 26-yard throw and catch.

Second Quarter

• On third and short, Jameson Williams catches a pass from Goff and takes it to the endzone for Detroit’s first touchdown. It was a 71-yard drive from the Lions. 9-6 Lions with just under 13 to go in the half.
• Mahomes avoids a sack and delivers the ball to a wide-open Hollywood Brown for a big game to put the ball at midfield early in the second drive.
• Kareem Hunt bails the Chiefs out of a 4th down situation with a one-yard run.
• Aiden Hutchinson knocks the ball out of Mahomes’ hands on second down, but Mahomes falls back on the ball and the Chiefs maintain possession.
• The Chiefs go for it on 4th down and one. KC fails to convert and Detroit gets the ball back with the lead and seven minutes to go in the half.
• Detroit continues to assert its dominance in the run game well into the second quarter before going for it again on 4th and two.
• Goff fails to connect with Amon Ra St. Brown and the Chiefs take possession with 2:41 to play in the half.
• Mahomes and Brown connect again for an 11-yard gain just before the two-minute warning.
• The Lions get called for pass interference on TE Travis Kelce and it sets up a Chiefs first down inside the 20.
• Once again, Kelce is targeted and takes the ball to the one-yard line for first and goal, Chiefs. 40 seconds remain in the half.
• Mahomes runs the ball in for a touchdown. Butker drills the extra point and the Chiefs lead 13-10 with 37 seconds left.
• The Lions are forced off the field with no timeouts remaining and will punt to KC with just 17 seconds left.

Third Quarter

• The Chiefs receive the ball first to start the second half and quickly pick up a couple of first downs using Isiah Pacheco and Noah Grey.
• Kareem Hunt tumbles down after a pass from Mahomes for a Chiefs first and goal.
• Hollywood Brown takes the jet sweep into the endzone for another Chiefs TD. Chiefs lead 20-10 after a successful extra point kick.
• Drue Trainquill comes up big with a tackle on Jahmyr Gibbs to force a third and long on the Lions.
• Bryan Cook makes a big tackle to force fourth and long, Lions will punt, still down two scores.
• Mahomes’ third-down run comes up short and the Chiefs will punt the ball for the first time of the game.

Fourth Quarter

• David Montgomery takes a screen pass for a big game on the Lions’ next series.
• Sam LaPorta caps a long Lions drive with a spectacular toe-tapping touchdown catch. Chiefs still in front, 20-17.
• Hollywood Brown snags a three-yard touchdown pass on third and goal to put the Chiefs back up by two scores. Chiefs lead 27-17.
• Mahomes takes a sack on third down just outside the ten-yard line. Harrison Butker drives in a field goal. Chiefs up 30-17 with 2:26 to go.
• The Chiefs take over on downs after a Jared Goff incompletion with under two minutes to go.
• The Chiefs move to 3-3 with a final score of 30-17.
• As the players were meeting on the field as the game clock drew to a close, an altercation took place between several players.
• The altercation appeared to have started when Branch, a Lions player, could be seen hitting JuJu Smith-Schuster in the face.

Up Next

The Chiefs will head to Las Vegas to take on their division rival, the Raiders. That game is on Sunday, October 19 at 12 p.m.