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Lions rookie S Brian Branch turns thoughts to Mahomes, K.C. Chiefs

ALLEN PARK — While the final preseason game is Friday at Carolina, forgive the Detroit Lions if they’re overlooking that game. Of course, it’s key for evaluations and could help determine who earns a roster spot.

Still the clock is ticking until the regular season opener at the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday, Sept. 7.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the gang are coming off a Super Bowl season, their second in four years. The Lions haven’t won a playoff game since 1993 – but that was the old Lions. This talented new bunch is looking to make a statement.

“I’ve been thinking about Mahomes since last week. I think I’m going to start watching film on them this week, just to see what their tendencies are,’’ rookie safety Brian Branch said on Wednesday. “They’ve got a great quarterback, we also go against a great quarterback here (Jared Goff(. I feel he’s prepared us, we’ll see.’’

Branch, second-round pick out of Alabama, feels he’s improved and learned much since the start of training camp and the OTAs. He had an interception on Wednesday, the last day of training camp. During Tuesday’s full contact inter squad practice he made a handful of huge plays.

Branch said playing for the Crimson Tide helped prepare him for the NFL.

“Alabama has prepared me tremendously. Being at a school like that you’re not necessarily a pro but a ‘baby pro’ in a way you have to learn to do things on your own when coaches aren’t around,’’ Branch said. “Being used to that, I feel like it’s helped me take this to the next level.’’

Explosive running back Jahmyr Gibbs, his former teammate at Alabama, could give the Chiefs’ defense a few problems.

“Jahmyr is my dog. The stuff you are just now seeing I’ve been seeing at Alabama,’’ Branch said. “It’s not new to me, I know what he’s capable of doing. I expect big things from Jahmyr.’’

UP NEXT: The Lions play their final preseason game at the Carolina Panthers at 8 p.m. on Friday. Final roster cuts are due at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29.

2023 Lions schedule features 5 nationally televised games

Season starts at Chiefs, the defending Super Bowl champs

Amazing what winning will do to give an NFL team a schedule with five nationally televised games.

After winning eight of their last 10 games last season and barely missing the playoffs, the NFL has taken notice of the Detroit Lions. After one nationally televised game in 2022 (on Thanksgiving), the Lions will have at least five in 2023 starting with the opener at the Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 7.

While the NFL had several other solid potential matchups for the Chiefs’ opener, they chose the Lions.

“We really like that narrative around that team, the culture they’re building there, the way they finished that season 8 wins out of their last 9 or 10 games. The last time we saw them on national television was the last game, Game 272 of the regular season, and they were beating the Packers in Lambeau to keep Aaron Rodgers out of the playoffs,’’ NFL vice president of broadcast Onnie Bose told the Dan Patrick Show on Thursday.

“We really like that there’s a lot of energy there and we feel really good about starting the season with that energy against the Super Bowl champs,’’ Bose added.

The last time the Lions played at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium was on Dec. 14, 2003. The Chiefs won 45-17.

The Lions will play in one Monday night game at home to the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 30. They’ll travel to Dallas for a Saturday night game on Dec. 30.

Detroit will head to Green Bay for a Thursday night game on Sept. 28. And then they will welcome the Packers to Ford Field for Thanksgiving. The Lions were 2-0 against the Packers last season including the season-ending win that kept the Packers out of the playoffs.

The Lions enter the season as favorites in the NFC North after a 5-1 mark in the division in 2022.

Times and dates for two home games against Denver in Week 15 and the Vikings in Week 18 have not been determined.

Detroit Lions 2023 schedule:

— Week 1: Thursday, Sept. 7 at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)

— Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 17 vs. Seattle Seahawks, 1 p.m. (FOX)

— Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 24 vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. (FOX)

— Week 4: Thursday, Sept. 28 at Green Bay Packers, 8:15 p.m. (Amazon Prime)

— Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 8 vs. Carolina Panthers, 1 p.m. (FOX)

— Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 15 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m. (FOX)

— Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 22 at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. (FOX)

— Week 8: Monday, Oct. 30 vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)

— Week 9: BYE WEEK

— Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 12 at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)

— Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 19 vs. Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. (FOX)

— Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 23 vs. Green Bay Packers, 12:30 p.m. (FOX)

— Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 3 at New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m. (FOX)

— Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 10 at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. (FOX)

— Week 15: TBD, vs. Denver Broncos, TBD (TBD)

— Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 24 at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m. (FOX)

— Week 17: Saturday, Dec. 30 at Dallas Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)

— Week 18: TBD, vs. Minnesota Vikings, TBD (TBD)

Detroit Lions: Jarrad Davis’ 5 thoughts on defensive play in first 4 games

Improvement is all about the details

ALLEN PARK — At the quarter pole mark of the NFL season, the Detroit Lions have extra time to reflect. It’s their bye week. Their next game is Monday, Oct. 14, at Green Bay.

Coming off a tough 34-30 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Lions are 2-1-1. The loss showed they can hang with one of the elite NFL teams.

Five thoughts from Lions’ middle linebacker Jarrad Davis on Monday:

1. Davis says they understand a few things about themselves after four games. “We’re definitely a team that’s going to fight no matter what. It doesn’t matter what people say about us, what people feel about us, we’re definitely going to fight no matter what the circumstance is,’’ Davis said. “We know what we have, in a sense we’re kind of like a newly seeded plant, we’re starting to blossom a little bit but we’ve got to keep watering, got to keep giving ourselves that light, we’ve got to keep making sure we pay attention to the things that are going to make us grow and get better and ultimately come out and perform to the best of our ability and do exactly what we know we can do on Sundays.’’

2. Details, he repeatedly said details are key to improving in the final 12 games. “Just improve on the details of the game, how we’re calling plays, how we’re getting lined up, what we’re communicating pre-snap and everything like that, also post-snap just making sure we’re always talking out there and we’re always aware of what’s going on around us,’’ Davis said.

3. On Sunday, the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes gained 15 yards running up the middle on a fourth-and-8 play late in the game. It was a key moment in the loss. “It’s definitely tough, it’s like the old saying just one play doesn’t define the game. We had multiple opportunities after that play to get them off the field and we still let those guys get down there to the 1-yard line, it comes down to making sure we take care of the details,’’ Davis said.

4. Davis also discussed what they could do to improve on a play like that. “We’ve just got to make sure we keep the quarterback in the pocket and also as a defense, got to make sure that we get back, get our heads back, the crowd kind of tells you what’s going on with their energy but we’ve got to be aware of what’s going around us, and make sure we can get back and make a tackle before he gets a first down. It’s a collective effort across the board making sure we’re always aware of what’s going on and what the situation is,’’ Davis said. The Lions’ defense is ranked 27th in the NFL, allowing 405.5 yards per game.

5. The players will get a few days off to rest before getting to work next week, preparing to play the Packers at Lambeau Field. “The opponent we’re playing the following week after this bye week, they’re playing this week and we’re not so we have to find a way to get the edge while also taking care of our bodies and getting our time off when we can,’’ Davis said. The Packers (3-1) play at the Cowboys (3-1) on Sunday.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)