NFL Thursday night: Kelce injury, Jones holdout fans Chiefs-Lions upset talk. Now here is the truth
King Sport is back! This dawns the NFL’s 104th season, the 58th for the Miami Dolphins, and the 22nd for prime-time Thursday kickoffs.
It also marks our 33rd year (!) of NFL predictions in the Miami Herald. I began this endeavor in 1991, not sure why and not even sure I would be doing it again in ‘92, let alone still. But here we are and the Upset Bird, our pet raven and prognosticatory sidekick, is back with us. Say hi to everyone U.B. “Aaawwwk!” Anything else? No? (Taciturn, yet with an occasionally uncanny sense in tipping me to upset picks each week...)
To those who’ve followed our picks for many years, welcome back! To newbies, welcome aboard. We take our picks seriously but have fun doing ‘em. Enough preamble. Let’s kick it off.
NFL WEEK 1
GREG COTE’S THURSDAY PICK
LIONS (0-0) at CHIEFS (0-0)
Line: KC by 4 1/2.
Cote’s pick: KC, 34-24.
TV: 8:20 p.m., NBC.
We would rhapsodize over any Week 1 Thursday matchup because — football’s back! But this one has its own charm: Reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City hosting hype-anointed “it” team Detroit. The phoenix rise of the lowly Lions, if it’s real, would be historic stuff for a franchise that last won a playoff game in 1991 (the year we began our picks) and last played for an NFL title in 1957, when Bobby Layne was flingin’ the pigskin. An 8-2 finish last year with surprisingly strong defense sics the buzz on Motown. So does a Pro Bowl season from QB Jared Goff and of course Dan Campbell, an anachronism of the macho coach out to break kneecaps and outmanly the opponent. Here is why Detroit could actually win this game: K.C. was preparing Wednesday to play without star DT Chris Jones, a contractual holdout, and quite possibly without fantasy god TE Travis Kelce (knee), who might be limited even if he can go. The Chiefs cannot miss their best defender and Patrick Mahomes’ favorite target without, well, missing them. And Lions hope to get a real spark from rookie RB Jahmyr Gibbs. Now here is why K.C. will win anyway: Chiefs have a talent edge even sans Jones and Kelce. Arrowhead is a tough spot to play especially for an opponent not used to the big-game pressure of the national stage. Andy Reid is on an 8-0 run in openers. Oh, and I mentioned that Mahomes dude, right? He’s 5-0 and has averaged 38 points scored in Week 1. Detroit’s outright upset shot has a pulse, yes; it’s why the point spread shrank by a couple of points. But that’s also why Mahomes and Reid, at home, remain a safe(ish) bet to cover.
[Note: Betting line courtesy Caesars Sportsbook as of midday Wednesday. Picks for remainder of Week 1 games will appear online Thursday afternoon and in print Friday] .
