Why Chiefs' 'best football' might not be enough vs. Lions

Adam Schultz

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Why Chiefs' 'best football' might not be enough vs. Lions image

The Kansas City Chiefs welcome the 4-1 Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium in a game that Patrick Mahomes knows is going to take everything to go right to win.

With the Lions in supreme form and putting up points for fun, coupled with their defense playing some good football, the Chiefs know that it is going to take all three phases playing well to keep pace with Detroit.

Coming off a 31-28 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, where a whopping 13 penalties and a Mahomes interception crippled Kansas City, that can't happen against the Lions; otherwise, this will get ugly.

And don't worry, Mahomes knows what's at stake in Week 6.

“It's extremely important,” Mahomes said. “There's no way around it. This is a really good football team that we're going to play, they play extremely hard. They have a mentality, they're going to come in and win a football game. We have to match that intensity. We have to match that mentality, and knowing it's going to take our best football, everybody, offense, defense, and special teams.

"We got to go out there and prove it on Sunday. Come in with the mentality that we're going to find a way no matter how it looks, that we're going to find a way to get a win.”

More: Patrick Mahomes reveals why Chiefs no longer NFL's close game kings

Chiefs facing season-defining Lions clash?

Sitting at 2-3, it isn't panic stations, but more so in the grand scheme of the Super Bowl picture, if the Chiefs get curb-stomped by the Lions, at home, that will likely force many to re-think where Kansas City sits in the Super Bowl pecking order...if at all.

But win, and much like after the Baltimore Ravens game, the commentary around the franchise will be that they're back and Mahomes can lead this team to another potential Super Bowl run.

A lot is riding on this for the Chiefs, and yes, the offense has looked improved over the past two weeks, but that improvement will need to continue if they are to slay a dominant Lions team.

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Adam Schultz

Adam Schultz is a freelance writer at The Sporting News. An Australian journalist with years of experience covering the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL, Adam has interviewed several high-profile athletes in Australia for various sites and brings a unique view on the NFL.