The Detroit Lions, touted as NFL contenders after decades of playoff futility, stunned the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs 21-20 on the road on Thursday to kick off the 2023 season.

Detroit quarterback Jared Goff threw for 253 yards and a touchdown, rookie defensive back Brian Branch returned an interception 50 yards for a score and Detroit¡¯s defense came up with a huge stop late to end Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes¡¯s perfect record in season-opening games.

¡°It was a long, hard game,¡± Goff said. ¡°We probably didn¡¯t play our best, but we¡¯re built for this, we really are ¡ª playing the four-quarter game like this.¡±

David Montgomery had 21 carries for 74 yards for Detroit, including the go-ahead touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.

The Lions haven¡¯t won a playoff game since 1991, and last played for an NFL title back in 1957.

An 8-2 run over their last 10 games last season had many thinking this is the year Goff and Co. can turn things around.

Goff, however, wasn¡¯t getting ahead of himself when asked what the win meant for the long-struggling Lions.

¡°It means we¡¯re 1-0,¡± he said.

Mahomes, who had been 5-0 in openers, threw for 226 yards with two touchdowns. He was also the Chiefs¡¯ leading rusher with 45 yards on six carries.

But the Chiefs clearly missed star tight end Travis Kelce, who was out with a knee injury. Kadarius Toney struggled unsuccessfully to fill the void, with one of his missed catches bouncing into the hands of Branch who returned it for a TD in his NFL debut.

Goff connected with Amon-Ra St. Brown on a nine-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter.

The Chiefs answered with Mahomes¡¯ short scoring pass to rookie Rashee Rice and took a 14-7 lead less than a minute before halftime when the quarterback found Blake Bell for a score.

Branch¡¯s pick-six tied it up again in the third quarter.

After two field goals from Harrison Butker put the Chiefs up 20-14, Montgomery¡¯s scoring run capped a 75-yard Detroit drive.

Kansas City had a last chance when the Lions turned the ball over on downs near midfield with 2:30 remaining. But a dropped pass by Toney was followed by two penalties and Mahomes¡¯ last-gasp fourth-down throw was incomplete.

¡°Our defense stepped up today and held us in this game,¡± Goff said.