Kansas City Chiefs at Detroit Lions: Key matchups to watch for Week 4 game in Motown

Once is a fluke, but twice or more is a habit.

That is the approach the Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) must take Sunday at the Detroit Lions (2-0-1) at Ford Field because the Lions’ two-game winning streak hasn’t come by accident given their opponents.

The Lions are riding high after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles, two playoff teams in 2018, so Detroit shouldn’t be taken lightly.

The Chiefs aren’t slouches, of course, and are widely regarded as one of the NFL’s elite teams. And Sunday’s matchup features two of the league’s remaining eight undefeated clubs, signaling fans will be treated a quality game.

Only one team can win, though, and the Chiefs enter the contest favored by 6.5 points despite being on the road. The odds makers believe Kansas City will have no problem securing a victory, but it might not be that easy.

Here are key areas to monitor for the Chiefs:

Chiefs defense against Lions offense

The Chiefs defense remains a work in progress, but head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said there unit is making progress and growing with each week.

Kansas City’s defense, which enters the contest ranked 24th in the league in total defense, faces a stiff test against a quality offense led by veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Stafford has weapons around him with wide receivers Marvin Jones, Kenny Golladay and Danny Amendola, running back Kerryon Johnson and tight ends Jesse James and rookie T.J. Hockenson.

“As a group, we think this is the toughest we’re going to go against,” Spagnuolo said Thursday. “I’ve got a great deal of respect for Danny Amendola inside. We had him in St. Louis — I’ve always loved him — I think he’s a great player in any role he plays.

“And you got two outside guys that can run with a quarterback, by the way, who has been in the league a long time, and he can throw. He can make all the throws, and he’s got a strong arm. They present a huge challenge.”

High praise from the defensive coordinator, especially when considering the Chiefs faced the league’s No. 1 offense in Week 3.

Spagnuolo, though, has a point because the Lions present offensive weapons across the board.

With Stafford leading the charge, the Lions rank 11th in passing (269 yards per game) and 15th in scoring (22.3 points per game).

Jones also comes off a game where he totaled six catches for 101 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. Golladay had his turn with a big game in Week 2 when he produced eight catches for 117 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets.

Amendola, though, did not practice Wednesday and Thursday while dealing with a chest injury, so his availability for Sunday’s game remains in the air.

Frank Clark vs. Lions offensive line

The Lions have done a good job of protecting Stafford and have allowed three sacks on the young season.

But if there’s a breakout game coming for Clark, it might very well be against the Lions.

Unlike the first three quarterbacks the Chiefs faced, Stafford isn’t widely regarded as the most mobile signal-caller in the league.

The Lions quarterback is a classic pocket passer, and Clark and the rest of the Chiefs edge rushers likely won’t get worn out chasing after a scrambling-style passer as the game progresses.

Clark will likely command more than his fair share of double-team blocks, much like he did in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens, but the going gets easier should he beat the blocking scheme.

Additionally, the more attention that is paid to Clark, the door only opens wider for Chris Jones, Derrick Nnadi, Alex Okafor, Emmanuel Ogbah and Tanoh Kpassagnon to get after Stafford.

Patrick Mahomes and Co. vs. banged up Lions secondary

The Lions picked a bad week for cornerbacks Darius Slay (hamstring) and Rashaan Melvin (knee) to deal with injuries.

Both players were limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and a less than 100 percent pass defense won’t bode well for a Lions defense facing the league’s top passing offense.

Slay’s availability is critical for the Lions given his status as one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks. The 2017 All-Pro selection and two-time Pro Bowler can’t cover all the Chiefs wide receivers by himself, of course, but his presence on the field will only help.

If Slay is not on the field, it’s basically full-go for Mahomes to enjoy yet another stellar game to add to his growing resume.

Then again, isn’t it basically a green light for Mahomes and his group of pass catchers on any given week?

Limiting mistakes vs. opportunistic Lions defense

Taking care of the football appeared to be the theme of the week when Reid and Mahomes addressed the media on Wednesday, and for good reason.

In their two wins, the Lions forced four turnovers and have five takeaways on the season, a total tied for ninth best in the league.

“They have made a living off of turnovers on defense,” Reid said.

“I think that’s a big thing they capitalize on,” Mahomes said. “So, we’re going to try to protect the ball and move it down the field.”

So far, so good for Mahomes, who hasn’t thrown an interception to go along with his league-leading 10 touchdowns passes through three games.

The Chiefs signal-caller already does a good job of protecting the football, but the focus is heightened against a Lions defensive unit that thrives on forcing turnovers.

This story was originally published September 27, 2019 at 5:00 AM.