Patrick Mahomes Tips His Hat to Lions’ Defense
The Detroit Lions closed last season with a respectable 9-8 record, under the wings of head coach Dan Campbell and the rest of the crew. As they gear up to face quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the upcoming NFL season opener, Mahomes himself has taken notice of the Detroit defense.
“The obvious thing is they play hard the entire game,” said Mahomes during a press conference. “No matter if it’s a good play or bad play, they’re gonna come back that next snap and play extremely hard. Then they do a lot of great stuff scheme-wise. They had a lot of young guys playing last year.”
Hutchinson: The Name to Remember
Specifically, Mahomes gave a nod to one of the standout rookies on the Lions’ roster: Aidan Hutchinson. Describing his evolution over the last season, Mahomes stated,
“You can see at the beginning of the year, he played hard. He was trying to figure everything out. But as the season went on, he really kind of started to come into his own… He’s a great football player. [He] has the physical talent, but [he’s] also a smart football player. I mean, he had three interceptions last year — so you know he can do a little bit of everything. We have to account for him every snap because he’s a game-changing type of player.”
Indeed Hutchinson is emerging as a versatile, game-changing player for Detroit.
Cornerbacks to Watch: Sutton and Gardner-Johnson
Mahomes also touched on the Lions’ two major free-agent cornerback acquisitions: Cameron Sutton from the Pittsburgh Steelers and C.J. Gardner-Johnson from the Philadelphia Eagles. Mahomes, who has faced Gardner-Johnson in previous match-ups, lauded the Lions’ new talent.
“Obviously, I played [Gardner-Johnson] a couple of times; he’s a great football player,” Mahomes reminded his listeners. “So they’ve added talent — with young guys and veterans — and they play hard, and they got better [than] even last year. So we know it’s gonna be a heck of a football game. If we don’t play our best football, we’re not going to go out there and win.”
Expect a Nail-Biter
“It’s gonna be a fight,” Mahomes predicted, echoing the sentiments of both teams.
“I’ve said that to all the guys: ‘This team is coming in and they expect to win — and we expect to win.’ So that’s when you get the great football games.”
Both the Chiefs and the Lions are marching into this opener with something to prove. And if Mahomes’ cautionary praise for Detroit’s defense is any indication, it’s that this season opener could be one for the books.
TL;DR (too long didn’t read)
- Patrick Mahomes lauds Detroit Lions’ defense as tough and versatile ahead of the season opener.
- Mahomes singles out Aidan Hutchinson as a game-changing player and notes key additions to the Lions’ defensive backfield.
- Mahomes is confident but acknowledges that the Lions are a force to be reckoned with in their upcoming game.
Bottom Line: A Pivotal Opener
The Lions are marching into this NFL season with strong momentum and a defense that’s even caught the eye of superstar Patrick Mahomes. While it’s still too early to tell how the season will pan out, one thing is clear: don’t underestimate the Detroit Lions this year.
