The Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs will square off in Week 6 of the 2025 season on “Sunday Night Football.”
“Got a lot of respect for what Coach (Andy) Reid has done,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said on Wednesday. “(Defensive Coordinator Steve) Spagnuolo, man; outstanding defensive coordinator. They’ve been intact, that staff, these players have been intact for a long time. They’ve got a really good system; they’re good at it. They’ve evolved to the point now that they’ve kind of seen everything; they kind of do everything. They’re very good at it, very disciplined.”
Let’s take a closer look at the Chiefs’ coaching staff, the scheme that they run, and some scouting notes from previously viewed games.
**NFL coaching seasons:** 34 seasons
**Head coaching seasons:** 27 seasons; 14 with Eagles (1999-2012), 13 with Chiefs (2013-present)
**Super Bowls**: Six appearances, winning three of five Chiefs (**2020**, 2021, **2023**, **2024**, 2025)
**Coaching traits**: Culture builder - Championship mentality - Player developer - Play designer
**Influences:** Mike Holmgren, LaVell Edwards, Bill Walsh, Sherman Lewis
**Playcaller**: Yes
**NFL coaching seasons**: 18 seasons
**Offensive coordinator seasons**: 5th, all with Chiefs (2016-17, 2023-present)
**Head coach**: Chicago Bears (2018-21)
**Influences:** Andy Reid, Marty Mornhinweg, Doug Pederson, Pat Shurmur, Brad Childress, James Urban
**Key Staff**: Mark Deleone, running backs coach (former Lions LB coach, 2021)
**Passing game**: Pro Spread
**Running scheme**: Inside Zone
**Staples of scheme**:
* Personnel: 11 (49.2%, 23rd), 12 (31.8%, 8th), 13 (5.4%, 11th), 21 (4.1%, 10th)
* Core West Coast concepts: Play-action (27.7%, 8th), pre-snap motion, and bunch formations
* Lean on Mahomes’ mobility to extend plays and contribute in the run game
* Shotgun orientated
* Spread defenses out with speed WRs and flexible TEs
* Quick-hitting passing attack; crossers, flats, and curls - YAC
* Not afraid to test defenses deep with WR speed
* Screens act as an extension of the run game
* Run game uses power-based RBs to complement a QB who can scramble
* Expect a Ravens-type game plan for Mahomes from the Lions
* Lots of eye candy (pre-snap movement)
* Top 10 in 12 personnel use; designed for disguise with Travis Kelce shifting
* Lions can handle confusing pre-snap looks because they live in Base personnel
* Speed, speed, speed at wide receiver
* 3 WRs with sub-4.3 speed: Xavier Worthy (4.21), Hollywood Brown (4.27), Tyquan Thornton (4.28)
* Screens go all over the field, to both RBs and WRs
* Speed WRs are mainly used for YAC and but will test with deep shots
* 665 YAC is the fourth most in the NFL
* Run game gets downhill in a hurry
* Mahomes leads the team with 190 rushing yards; RBs Isiah Pacheco has 164, and Kareem Hunt has 163
* Chiefs are committing 8.4 penalties per game, 22nd most (13 in Week 5)
* RT Jawaan Taylor is the most penalized player in the NFL
**Dan Campbell on the Chiefs’ offense**:
> “Offense starts with the quarterback, man, they’ve got speed on the perimeter. This back is a violent runner and he’s got juice. This is a good offensive line.”
**NFL coaching seasons:** 33 seasons
**Defensive coordinator seasons:** 13 seasons; Giants (2007-8, 2015-17), Saints (2012), Chiefs (2019-present)
**Head coach**: Rams 2009-11, interim HC 2017
**Influences:** Jim Johnson, John Harbaugh, Dean Pees, Joe Vitt, Ron Rivera, Leslie Frazier, Sean McDermott
**Key Staff**: Joe Cullen, defensive line coach (Lions DL coach 2006-08)
**Base**: 4-2, Bump-and-Run
**Coverage**: Balanced, but zone-leaning coverages
**Staples of scheme**:
* Zone Coverage: 66%, mainly Cover 2 (22%) and Cover 3 (23%)
* Man coverage: Cover 1 (15%), Cover-0 (11%, highest rate in the NFL)
* Aggressive but balanced front with an adaptable back-seven
* DL gets upfield in a hurry
* Consistent 4-man front - rotate eight DL
* Will use 3rd SAM LB - not too far off how the Lions use Derrick Barnes
* Top 10 blitz rate (30.6%) - especially on 3rd down
* A lot of subpackage looks (five defensive backs) in the secondary
* Pressure is slow to come (average time to pressure: 2.71 seconds, 24th) …
* … but zone coverage behind DL helps them get home (pressure rate: 37.2%, 10th)
* DL’s aggression can be used against them
* Chris Jones moves all over the defensive line, works from 3- to 7-technique
* Chiefs don’t stack the box much (18.6%, 23rd) - leaves them vulnerable against the run
* SAM LB (Leo Chenal) lined up with DL as a spy in obvious passing situations
* Blitzed a bunch vs. Jaguars, including CBs - didn’t get home much, leaving safeties vulnerable
* Use safety-types in the slot
**Dan Campbell on the Chiefs’ defense**
> “They’ve got (DL Chris Jones) 95 there in the middle, he’s disruptive. I think (LB Nick) Bolton is an outstanding linebacker. Key diagnose, he’s all over the field, smart as hell. (CB Trent) McDuffie’s a good player, (S Bryan) Cook’s a good safety. I mean, they’ve got a number of guys. (DE George Karlaftis) 56 can get on you. So, it’s a big challenge.”
See More:
* [Detroit Lions Analysis](/detroit-lions-analysis)
* [Detroit Lions game preview](/detroit-lions-game-preview)