Three years ago, the NFL opened its season by pitting the Detroit Lions against the Kansas City Chiefs . It was a matchup of two very different contenders: one freshly on the upswing in Detroit, which had just established itself as a potential force thanks to a late-year push under coach Dan Campbell; the other firmly entrenched as a powerhouse in Kansas City, which had just outdueled the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII for the second ring of Patrick Mahomes ' career.

Three years later, both Detroit and Kansas City remain NFL heavyweights. But they're once again in very different places. This time, the Lions are the unquestioned juggernauts, easily leading the league in points per game (34.8) a year after cruising to the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed. The Chiefs, meanwhile,

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