NBC Sports announcer Mike Tirico said Thursday night that the Detroit Lions' season-opening win over the Kansas City Chiefs has an "asterisk."
No offense to Mike Tirico, but this is a ridiculous thing to say after a team wins
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 8, 2023
We have teams with 10 guys on IR every year in the NFL (in later weeks of a season), you never hear someone try to take a win away by saying "Asterisks" - guys didn't playpic.twitter.com/21nZVz7aIu
Though Tirico did go on to praise Detroit's effort against the defending Super Bowl champions, pointing out their strong finish to the 2022 season, claiming that the Week 1 victory has an "asterisk" is simply wild.
Kansas City was indeed playing without All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones and All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce, but the Lions were still taking on reigning regular-season and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and one of the best head coaches in the league in Andy Reid. The Chiefs' home field advantage is one of the strongest in the NFL as well, as Arrowhead Stadium is one of the most hostile environments for a road team to play in.
Some bold play calls on special teams and fourth downs by head coach Dan Campbell, standout performances by the Lions rookie class and a solid effort by the team's offensive line and defense were all key parts of the 21-20 upset. Sure, the output (or lack thereof) from Kelce's supporting cast on offense played into the final outcome, but Tirico and other analysts shouldn't use that to undercut what was, in truth, a huge win for a Detroit franchise in desperate need of success.
The Lions will look to stay unbeaten in Week 2, when they host the Seattle Seahawks at 1 p.m. ET on Sept. 17.
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