Here’s why we should keep eyes on Chiefs’ Jawaan Taylor, Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Lions used opening upset of Chiefs at Arrowhead to launch 2023 turnaround.
- Detroit has surged to a 31-8 record since 2023 and back-to-back playoff seasons.
- Sunday matchup centers on pass rush and coverage battles plus Raymond’s return status.
The Lions won three NFL championships in the 1950s, but the Super Bowl era has been unkind to the Detroit franchise: Two NFC Championship Game appearances in 59 years is as close as the Lions have come to the ultimate game.
But look at them now. The Lions are the NFL’s hottest team, with a four-game winning streak, and own the NFL’s best record at 31-8 since the start of the 2023 season. They’re coming off consecutive playoff seasons for the first time since the mid-1990s.
Coach Dan Campbell’s team showed progress in his second year. The Lions didn’t reach the playoffs in 2022 for the sixth straight season but finished 9-8 — a 5 1/2-game improvement over the previous year.
A victory to open the 2023 season issued a statement that the Lions were to be taken seriously. It came against the Chiefs at Arrowhead.
On a banner night for the Chiefs, celebrating their Super Bowl LVII victory over the Philadelphia Eagles the previous season, they owned a six-point lead early in the fourth quarter. After the Lions took a 21-20 lead, the Chiefs had two possessions. Surely, Patrick Mahomes would pull out another comeback victory.
But the Chiefs didn’t pick up a first down on either one, collecting 15 yards worth of penalties on the second one to seal the loss. Notably, neither Chris Jones (contract holdout) nor Travis Kelce (hyperextended knee) was able to play that day.
Later in the season, the teams appeared to be on a Super Bowl collision course, with the Lions reaching the NFC title game. But they fell to the San Francisco 49ers, the team the Chiefs defeated in Super Bowl LVIII.
This time, it’s the Chiefs — 2-3 after last week’s loss at Jacksonville — who are in need of a statement victory. A win would help rekindle optimism about the direction of their season.
Mahomes called Sunday’s showdown “extremely important. There’s no way around that. They have the mentality that they’re going to come in and win the game, so we have to match that.”
Here’s what to watch when the Chiefs and Lions clash on “Sunday Night Football” (Channel 41) at 7:20 p.m.
Chiefs player to watch: right tackle Jawaan Taylor
Taylor’s battle against Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is an important matchup. Hutchinson lines up on both sides of the defensive line, so rookie Josh Simmons also figures to see plenty of No. 97.
Taylor tamped down his penalty problem against the Jaguars. And some big plays have returned to the Chiefs’ offense in part because Mahomes has had more time to throw behind an improved offensive line.
But they’re facing a solid pass-rushing team in the Lions, who rank second in the NFL with 16 sacks.
Lions player to watch: wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown
The three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro is off to another fast start, with an NFL-best six touchdown receptions among his 35 catches to date this year.
Amon-Ra lines up mostly in the slot, so the coverage assignment likely will go to Trent McDuffie, who logged a big interception against the Jaguars. That means rookie Nohl Williams should get more snaps on the outside after seeing his playing time reduced last week.
Special teams player to watch: Lions returner Kalif Raymond
The ninth-year pro is a punt-return marvel. He’s had a punt return for a touchdown in three of the past four seasons, and he’s already got one this season, too.
He suffered an injured neck in the first quarter of last week’s victory over Cincinnati and has missed practice time this past week, but the Lions were optimistic the two-time second-team All-Pro returner would be good to go on Sunday.
“If he’s in there, he’s very dangerous,” Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub said of Raymond.
This story was originally published October 10, 2025 at 12:53 PM.