Chiefs Got Lucky in These 3 Areas Sunday

In addition to illegal shift, dropped pass, these snaps changed Sunday’s game.

Oct 12, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) leaps over Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Winning covers a multitude of faults. Take nothing away from Kansas City for an impressive 13-point win over the NFL’s hottest team, but three areas on Sunday night showed the Chiefs still have plenty of work to do.

Pass rush didn’t get home

Dan Skipper wasn’t even on the Lions’ season-opening roster. And on Sunday night, he was their third-string left tackle. But Charles Omenihu got Kansas City’s only sack, and Jared Goff had way too much time to throw.

Oct 12, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA;Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) reacts after catching a touchdown pass against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Goff completed his first seven passes, including a 22-yard touchdown to Jameson Williams with an eternity of time. Without the illegal-shift penalty to strip Detroit of its first touchdown, the Lions would’ve been up 14-6 late in the first half, by the time Goff dirted a pass for his first incompletion.

Not much changed in the second half, even after the Chiefs took a 20-10 lead and made the Lions one-dimensional.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) makes a catch for a touchdown against Kansas City Chiefs safety Chamarri Conner (27) during the second half at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Goff came out of the locker room and completed another 14 consecutive passes, including a touchdown to Sam LaPorta. And late in the third quarter, with Chris Jones out of the game, Bryan Cook saved a touchdown by tripping up David Montgomery on a 23-yard screen.

The quarterback finished 23 of 29 for 203 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. And his offensive line nearly won the game.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) talks to guard Graham Glasgow (60) before a snap against Kansas City Chiefs during the second half at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mahomes averts disaster, three times

Jaylon Moore had a great night as an emergency starter in place of Josh Simmons. But Moore’s lone first-half pressure nearly hurt the Chiefs. Early in the second quarter, Patrick Mahomes magically dodged Aidan Hutchinson, and the quarterback stepped up to hit Hollywood Brown for 20 yards. A big sack there, or even a turnover, would’ve really hurt the Chiefs, who trailed 10-6.

The relentless Hutchinson did get to Mahomes on the same drive seven snaps later, with the Chiefs at the Lions’ 26-yard line. Hutchinson beat Noah Gray, sacked the quarterback and stripped the ball – his fifth straight game with a sack and forced fumble -- but Mahomes valiantly beat Hutchinson and Jack Campbell to recover his own fumble.

Detroit Lions linebacker Al-Quadin Muhammad (96) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during the second half at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

And midway through the third quarter, Mahomes scrambled for 6 yards before painfully pin-balling off Alex Anzalone and Trevor Nowaske. The Chiefs were grateful he wasn’t seriously injured.

“There’s just times where something doesn’t look right,” Andy Reid said Monday, “or maybe there’s a pressure here or there, and he’s going to take off and go and I get that. It’s important that he does like he did last night. He got down on the ground and not take the big hits with the exception on one run there.”

Oct 12, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) makes a throw against the Detroit Lions during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Miscommunications in passing game

At a significant juncture late in the first half, Kansas City got lucky after three straight incompletions. Xavier Worthy appeared to run the wrong route, and Mahomes missed him by at least 15 yards. On the ensuing snap, Mahomes and Travis Kelce weren’t on the same page.

Then, on third-and-10 from Detroit’s 32-yard line, officials flagged Rock Ya-Sin for a questionable pass interference on another pass intended for Kelce.

Oct 12, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) fumbles the ball against the Detroit Lions during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

But credit the Chiefs, a good team that capitalizes on those opportunities. Two plays later, after a 17-yard completion moved Kansas City to the 1-yard line, Mahomes ran in for the go-ahead touchdown.

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