Terrion Arnold pushes back against Mahomes buzz as Lions stagger into Arrowhead

The growing list of injuries for the Detroit Lions has many Kansas City Chiefs fans and NFL commentators predicting that Patrick Mahomes and his squad could dominate Sunday Night Football in Week 6. Terrion Arnold isn’t buying into that talk.

Arnold, one of several Lions defenders expected to miss Week 6’s matchup in Kansas City, took to social media to share his thoughts on all the Mahomes praise. The starting cornerback is sidelined with a shoulder injury that’s anticipated to keep him out for a while.

Fans of professional wrestling—and others—will appreciate Arnold’s post:

I n the meme, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell stands behind a laughing Mahomes as a menacing shadow—a nod to Wrestlemania 36 in 2020, when The Undertaker shocked A.J. Styles, who believed he’d defeated and buried his opponent.

Although Arnold will be watching from the sideline this week, his confidence is somewhat understandable. Detroit is scorching hot right now. They’ve strung together four straight victories and averaged more than 40 points per game during that span. The offense ranks first in the league in scoring, while the defense is eighth in total yards allowed. They’re performing like legitimate contenders.

Still, skeptics can look at Detroit’s early-season opponents and question how battle-tested they truly are. Few would describe a stretch facing the Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Bengals as especially intimidating.

Arnold is also banking on the “next man up” approach working at several spots. The Lions will start their third left tackle after losing Taylor Decker and Giovanni Manu to injury. In the secondary, Arnold joins Avonte Maddox and D.J. Reed on the sidelines, while Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph—both starting safeties—are listed as game-time decisions. And that’s just part of the issue.

The Chiefs, meanwhile, enter Week 6 mostly healthy and hungry after a disappointing 2-3 start to the year. With the Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders coming up, they can’t afford another loss at home. Mahomes and company are also regaining rhythm thanks to the return of Xavier Worthy.

While Detroit remains a tough challenge, limping into Arrowhead under the lights against a team desperate to correct last week’s errors should temper Arnold’s boldness. In the end, only the game will reveal who’s really getting buried in Week 6.