Five things that stood out about the Chiefs’ win vs. Lions on SNF
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chiefs won 30-17 vs Lions on SNF; offense regained form for third straight week.
- Patrick Mahomes delivered top-tier play, driving offense and scoring drives.
- Team sits 3-3, a game behind Chargers and Broncos, but momentum builds.
The record is going to show the Chiefs are tied for the worst six-game start in the Patrick Mahomes Era.
That might encapsulate the first month-plus of the 2025 season, but it’s going to miss the present-day story.
The Chiefs’ offense has reached its old form in three straight weeks, the latest producing a 30-17 win against the Lions in prime-time at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Chiefs are 3-3, a game behind the Chargers and Broncos in the AFC West. But they’re moving in the right direction, and once more, that’s not commentary solely on the record.
Here are five observations from immediately after the game:
1. Patrick Mahomes, the MVP
We’re watching Patrick Mahomes at his very best.
Because we’re watching a much friendlier environment to get him there.
The Chiefs are running the ball more effectively, even without running it more frequently. They’re protecting Mahomes more consistently ... for the most part. They’re going for it on fourth downs to give him extra opportunities.
They’re intentionally moving the pocket as part of play designs. They’re avoiding penalties that put them behind the sticks. His best friend is making plays.
In a nutshell: They’re turning quarterbacking for the Kansas City Chiefs into a far easier assignment than it unfolded in the initial few weeks.
And this guy playing in a friendly environment?
The Chiefs’ offense is in old-school form — in Patrick Mahomes-the-MVP form.
Mahomes has rolled in three straight weeks, even if last Monday’s result in Jacksonville didn’t technically show it. He threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns.
The Chiefs didn’t punt until deep into the third quarter — their sixth offensive drive.
2. Aggressive Andy
Here’s a description I’ve rarely used for Andy Reid: aggressive.
A few weeks ago, replying to a question from The Star’s Pete Sweeney, the Chiefs’ head coach said he hasn’t altered his fourth-down decision-making.
Uh, yes, he has.
For the better.
Reid is leaving his offense on the field far more frequently, and while Harrison Butker’s slump or the opposition’s aggression might have something to do with it, the point is Reid is arriving at the right decisions. Even if it doesn’t always produce the right result.
The Chiefs converted 2 of 3 fourth downs in the opening half, turning one of them into their first touchdown. It kickstarted the aforementioned offensive night. Reid elected to try for fourth-and-3 from inside the 10-yard line. Mahomes found Xavier Worthy for a 6-yard touchdown.
There will be, and should be, some attention on just how good the Chiefs have been on fourth downs this season. They are 11 for 13.
There should be far more on the decision that comes first.
The Chiefs are keeping the best player on the football field more frequently. That tends to be a good thing.
3. The pass rush. Finally.
The Lions have a terrific offense.
The Lions have a terrific offensive line.
They run the ball well. They pass the ball well.
The key? Don’t give them the option of tricking you into which one they’re trying.
The pass rush generated nothing — nothing — for three-plus quarters. It’s why Jared Goff completed 22 of his initial 25 throws. He had plenty of time to operate on two touchdown throws — and plenty of time to pick and choose to target linebacker Nick Bolton in coverage.
Once the Chiefs got a double-digit lead, that changed.
Once. And once made the difference.
Chris Jones broke through the line on third-and-10 and forced Goff to step right into the arms of Charles Omenihu. The sack all but sealed the win. It’s amazing what even a little pressure can do, yeah?
4. The Josh Simmons absence
A surging offensive line played without one of the reasons behind that surge.
Josh Simmons missed the game at left tackle for personal reasons, giving Jaylon Moore his first start with the Chiefs.
Some $15 million per year is a lot to pay a Plan B, but a year after they needed a Plan B, Plan C and Plan D, they understandably played it safer.
They needed the safety net on Sunday.
The switch from Simmons to Moore wasn’t completely seamless, but the floor didn’t bottom out. Moore had his hands full with the statistical best pass rusher in the game in Aidan Hutchinson, who led the league in pressures through five weeks.
He didn’t wreck the game.
Mahomes doesn’t require elite play at tackle. He requires competent play. He got that much, and I’ve already mentioned the result.
Moore was actually the Chiefs’ most expensive offseason acquisition, on a two-year, $30 million contract. The second highest-priced free agent, cornerback Kristian Fulton, was among the team’s inactive players despite being listed as a full participant in practice all week.
5. The Harrison Butker yips
It’s more than a slump.
It’s a problem.
Harrison Butker missed his sixth kick of the year — three field goals and three extra points. He’s missed a kick in every game except one. And in that one, he might’ve had the largest influence of the game. A kickoff out of bounds gave Jacksonville a head start on its game-winning touchdown drive a week ago.
Butker opened with a missed extra point on Sunday. As his name was announced for the ensuing kickoff, he was greeted with something he doesn’t often receive:
Boos.
After he made the next try, the crowd replied with the proverbial Bronx cheer.
It’s become a mental battle, and we’ve seen kickers lose those in the past. Butker needs a win, or at least a one-week reprieve.
This story was originally published October 12, 2025 at 10:20 PM with the headline "Five things that stood out about the Chiefs’ win vs. Lions on SNF."