Patrick Mahomes didn’t start the season very well, but it did not take him long to get his form back. Over the past couple of games, he’s been back to his old self. And knowing what damage an in-form Mahomes can cause, the Lions’ HC Dan Campbell has already warned his defense of the ultimate threat they will be facing this Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

Campbell couldn’t help but shake his head when talking about Mahomes’ ability to turn nothing into something. “He scrambles. He’s not through. He’s up, running. And he ends up getting the first down. And it’s annoying, but that’s what this guy does,” the Lions’ HC said.

Yes, watching a locked-in Mahomes can be ridiculous. In last week’s 31–28 loss to the Jaguars, he was the Chiefs’ best rusher, too. Six carries, 60 yards, and a touchdown. That nine-yard score was vintage Mahomes.

In just a few weeks, he’s already picked up three rushing touchdowns and is averaging 38 rushing yards a game. That’s not exactly something defensive coordinators like to see on film. Campbell’s got every reason to be concerned. But he’s also got a clear plan for his defense. He has one simple philosophy to contain Patrick Mahomes: rush integrity.

“Well, look, discipline, you know, with all these guys that you talk about, you have to have rush integrity,” Campbell added. “They’re mobile in the pocket, man. They can scramble. Eyes downfield, all of that, man. Rush integrity. Close your lanes in. Do not lunge at the guy. You wrap him up. You got to pull him down. And then stay alive in the coverage.”

It sounds like football 101, but perfecting rush integrity does not come easy. Rush integrity means every defensive lineman has to play their gap perfectly, maintain leverage, and resist the temptation to freelance for a big play. The second a defensive tackle gets too wide or an edge rusher loses contain, Mahomes will see daylight.

That’s exactly what Campbell’s trying to drill into his defense this week. Keep those rush lanes tight, trust your teammates, and force Mahomes into your help instead of giving him open space to work with. Simple on paper. But polishing that integrity is hard.

And even if Detroit nails that part of the game plan, there’s still a huge problem: their secondary is falling apart.

Dan Campbell faces an injury headache

The Lions are limping into this matchup against Mahomes without a lot of their key defensive backs. Both starting corners, D.J. Reed (on IR) and Terrion Arnold (shoulder), are expected to miss the game. That alone would make life tough, but it gets worse for HC Campbell.

Brian Branch has been battling an ankle injury and needed an MRI earlier this week. The good news, according to the Lions head coach, is that it’s not as serious as they feared, and Branch actually has a decent shot to play. But Kerby Joseph’s status isn’t nearly as optimistic. The team’s leader in interceptions hasn’t practiced all week due to a lingering knee issue that’s bothered him all season.

Campbell’s taking a cautious approach: “Just trying to be smart with them right now, and see where they both go,” he said about the safeties. And then there’s veteran Avonte Maddox, who was supposed to hold down the nickel corner spot and provide some insurance at safety. He went down this week with a hamstring injury that Campbell called a “game-time decision,” but, well, it doesn’t sound too positive.

So, the Lions are heading into this one pretty banged up, and Dan Campbell’s trying to patch things together however he can. Facing Patrick Mahomes is hard enough when you’re at full strength. Doing it with a secondary held together by duct tape? It’s going to take a lot more than a good pass rush to stop him.