Who is playing Thursday Night Football?

The Kansas City Chiefs are celebrating their place on top of the NFL's mountain. The Detroit Lions are trying their best to climb higher than they've been in a long time. When it comes to both teams' abilities to be where they want to be in 2023, a win on Thursday Night Football will go a long way toward establishing that hope.

It's Week 1 in the NFL and a new football season brings with it a few smaller "seasons" in terms of televised primetime schedules. It's a new season of Thursday Night Football as well, and the league has allowed the mid-week primetime slot to serve as the season's opening salvo in recent years.

This year, the Chiefs are unveiling their latest championship banner—the second in four seasons and third overall—on Thursday at Arrowhead while also beginning their title defense in the midst of some drama. The Chiefs are not only facing some key injuries on both sides of the ball, but Chris Jones, the team's best defensive player and pass rusher, has been holding out all through the preseason and will not be a factor.

Can the visiting Lions take advantage? The Lions won 9 games last year after winning only 3 the previous season, and Dan Campbell has made believers out of everyone in the Motor City. The Lions also had a loaded draft class with four picks in the first two rounds, and the foundation is clearly solid here for a talented roster front to back. The real question is whether Jared Goff is the one to lead them.

Can the Chiefs overcome distractions to lock down the Lions? Can Detroit ruin the season-opening festivities? It's going to be a great game and the ideal way to open the Thursday Night Football season.

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL // WEEK 1

Who: Detroit Lions vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Where: Arrowhead Stadium

Date: Thursday, September 7

Time: 7:20 p.m. C.T.