The Lions went into Arrowhead wounded, and limped out with a loss. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs took advantage of a compromised secondary and beat the Lions 30-17 on Sunday Night Football, snapping Detroit's four-game winning streak.
Mahomes threw three touchdowns and ran for another, while Kansas City's defense held the Lions to just seven points in the second half.
The game flipped late in the first half on a rare Amon-Ra St. Brown drop on fourth down that gave the Chiefs the ball near midfield trailing by three. They converted that into a touchdown, then scored again on the opening drive of the second half to turn a 10-6 deficit into a 20-10 lead.
The Lions fought on defense, but were exposed in the backend without starting corners D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold and with safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph playing through injuries. They were also missing depth defensive back Avonte Maddox.
Detroit's offense was cooking out of the gate. It looked like the Lions took a 7-0 lead on the first drive of the game when David Montgomery threw a touchdown to Jared Goff on a trick play near the goal line on fourth down, but it was called back for illegal motion on Goff, forcing the Lions to take a field goal.
The Chiefs answered with an eight-play, 70-yard touchdown drive capped off by Mahomes hitting Xavier Worthy on fourth down from six yards out after Amik Robertson lost Worthy in coverage.
The Lions retook the lead with a touchdown on their next drive when Goff hit Jameson Williams streaking over the middle for 22 yards, but it was tough sledding from there.
Their lone highlight in the second half was a one-handed touchdown catch by Sam LaPorta in the back of the end zone that made it a 20-17 game early jin the fourth quarter. But again Mahomes and the Chiefs answered with a touchdown, as Kansas City pulled away.