NFL action is finally here. After a long offseason, the NFL Kickoff Game is on Thursday, Sept. 7. The Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions will start the NFL season off. Two of the best offenses in the league square off in what is sure to be a high-scoring and action-packed first game. This article will explain everything that you need to know before the season opener kicks off.

When and where is the NFL season opener?

The Kansas City Chiefs start their championship defense in the NFL's first game of the season. The Chiefs take on the Detroit Lions at 8:20 p.m. ET/5:20 p.m. PT on Thursday, Sept. 7.

It is a home game for the defending champions at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs are 6.5-point favorites to start off the 2023 season the way they ended 2022.

How to watch the Chiefs vs. Lions?

NBC will have television broadcasting rights for the NFL's opening game. The game can also be streamed on fuboTV.

Date: Thursday, Sept. 7 | Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: Arrowhead Stadium — Kansas City, Missouri
TV channel: NBC | Live stream: Fubo (try for free)
Odds: Chiefs -3.5 | O/U: 52.5

Chiefs storylines

The Chiefs and Lions will kick off the 104th NFL season. Both teams have high expectations for their years. The Chiefs are still fresh off a Super Bowl victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. While some teams struggle with Super Bowl hangovers, the Chiefs have been here before and are sure to come out hot to start the season.

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are expected to continue crafting one of the greatest offensive dynasties in league history. The best players at their respective positions, the duo are entering their sixth season together with Mahomes as the full-time starter. They already have two Super Bowl wins as a pairing, and they are the odds-on favorites to take home the Lombardi Trophy once again. But that journey starts in the game against the Lions.

For the Chiefs, the biggest story on the field may be who ISN'T on the field. Star defensive lineman Chris Jones is in the midst of a contract holdout. One of the best defensive players in the league, Jones, has been holding out during training camp in the hopes of a new contract. He has threatened to hold out until midseason.

The Chiefs have always been better on the offensive end in the Mahomes era, but Jones has held them afloat defensively. If the defensive tackle does not come back from his holdout soon, the Chiefs' defense might struggle mightily.

Lions storylines

The Lions had a resurgence of a season last year, finishing fourth in the league in touchdowns, but they still fell short of the playoffs. The team turned a corner and won eight of their last 10 games. Now, they have improved on both sides of the ball.

The team added C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency, a defensive back that was tied for the league lead in interceptions last year (6) and was a crucial piece to the Eagles' success in their run to the Super Bowl. They also added more offensive weapons to an already stacked unit. David Montgomery was signed in free agency, and Jahmyr Gibbs was drafted in the first round. Both running backs have big shoes to fill as the Lions lost Jamaal Williams in free agency, a player that led the NFL in rushing touchdowns last year with 17.

Jared Goff looked like a legitimate franchise piece last year. The quarterback threw for 4,438 yards and 29 touchdowns. He will have to have another big year to prove last season wasn't a fluke.

The Chiefs won't be alone in terms of star players missing their first game. The Lions will also be without Jameson Williams, as the young receiver was suspended six games for breaking the NFL's gambling policy. Stanley Berryhill, Quintez Cephus, and C.J. Moore were other Lions suspended for gambling.

While the Lions were fourth in touchdowns last season, the Chiefs led the NFL in scoring, meaning the season opener is likely to be a shootout. Both teams are capable, and perhaps likely, of putting up high-scoring totals.

History of the NFL opening game

The first game of the NFL season has been called the NFL Kickoff Game since 2002. Since 2004, the official start to the regular season is almost always played by the defending Super Bowl champions on their home field on Thursday night. There have been three exceptions to these rules.

1) In 2012, the New York Giants played the Dallas Cowboys on a Wednesday in order to avoid conflict with the last day of the Democratic National Convention.

2) In 2013, the defending champion Baltimore Ravens were forced to play the game on the road rather than at home because of a scheduling conflict with the Baltimore Orioles.

3) And in 2019, although the New England Patriots were defending champions, the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears played in the NFL Kickoff Game. This was because it was the NFL's 100th anniversary season, and the Packers and Bears are the league's oldest and biggest rivalry.

The New England Patriots have appeared in the opening game the most times, with four appearances. The Chiefs have been in the Kickoff Game twice before, winning both games, while this is Detroit's first appearance in the game.

The NFL Kickoff Game is one of the most highly anticipated sporting events of the year, and the Chiefs vs. Lions game is sure to give us a classic. Defending Super Bowl champions are 13-4 in the game; will the Chiefs continue that trend?