GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador (AP) — Men walk through a lush plantation between Ecuador ‘s balmy Pacific coast and its majestic Andes, lopping hundreds of bunches of green bananas from groaning plants twice their height.

Workers haul the bunches to an assembly line, where the bananas are washed, weighed and plastered with stickers for European buyers. Owner Franklin Torres is monitoring all activity on a recent morning to make sure the fruit meets international beauty standards — and ever more important, is packed for shipment free of cocaine.

Torres is hypervigilant because Ecuador is increasingly at the confluence of two global trades: bananas and cocaine.

The South American country is the world’s largest exporter of bananas, shipping about 6.5 million metric tons (7.2 tons) a year by sea. It is also wedged between the world’s largest cocaine producers, Peru and Colombia, and drug traffickers find containers filled with bananas the perfect vehicle to smuggle their product.

Drug traffickers’ infiltration of the industry that is responsible for about 30% of the world’s bananas has contributed to unprecedented violence across this once-peaceful nation. Shootings, homicides, kidnappings and extortions have become part of daily life, particularly in the Pacific port city and banana-shipping hub of Guayaquil.

“This is everyone’s responsibility: the person who transports it, the person who buys it, the person who consumes it,” vendor Dalia Chang, 59, a lifelong resident of Guayaquil, said of the cocaine trade. “They all share responsibility. They have ruined our country.”

The country, which is not a major cocaine producer, was especially rattled when a presidential candidate known for his tough stance on organized crime and corruption — Fernado Villavicencio — was fatally shot at the end of an Aug. 9 campaign rally. He had accused the Ecuadorian Los Choneros gang and its imprisoned leader, whom he linked to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, of threatening him and his campaign team days before the assassination.

In addition to its proximity to cocaine production, cartels from Mexico, Colombia and the Balkans have settled in Ecuador because it uses the U.S. dollar and has weak laws and institutions, along with a network of long-established gangs like Los Choneros that are eager for work.

Authorities say Ecuador also gained prominence in the global cocaine trade after political changes in Colombia last decade. Coca bush fields in Colombia have been moving closer to the border with Ecuador due to the breakup of criminal groups after the 2016 demobilization of the rebel group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, better-known by their Spanish acronym FARC.

A record 2,304 metric tons of cocaine was manufactured in 2021 around the world, mostly in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. That year, nearly a third of the cocaine seized by customs authorities in Western and Central Europe came from Ecuador, double the amount reported in 2018, according to a United Nations report citing data from the World Customs Organization. Large drug busts have become more frequent and within the past month, European authorities have made record-setting busts after inspecting containers carrying bananas from Ecuador.

Authorities on Aug. 25 announced Spain’s biggest cocaine haul yet: 9.5 metric tons hidden among cardboard boxes of bananas from Ecuador in a refrigerated container. Dutch officials also made their country’s largest-ever cocaine seizure last month — nearly 8 metric tons — in a container of Ecuadorian bananas. Authorities in Greece and Italy also announced seizures of cocaine hidden in Ecuadorian bananas this year.

Bananas headed to Europe are boxed at plantations, loaded into trucks that take them to massive warehouses in and around Guayaquil and transferred to maritime containers driven to an area port.

Then the ships head northeast to the Panama Canal, cross to the Caribbean Sea, and go east across the Atlantic.

Knowingly or not, banana growers, exporters, shipping corporations, port operators, private security companies, customs agents, agriculture officials, police, and buyers offer opportunities that drug traffickers have exploited.

Some traffickers have created front companies to mimic legitimate banana exporters, while others have acquired legitimate businesses, including plantations. They have found companies willing to be complicit in trafficking. They also have paid off, threatened or kidnapped truck drivers and other workers to help get cocaine into shipments.

Other traffickers have corrupted or intimidated police, customs agents, security guards and port workers to assist with — or ignore — tampering with containers at the ports.

Drug trafficking has contributed to the number of violent deaths in Ecuador, which doubled from 2021 to 2022, when 4,600 died, the most ever recorded in a year. The country is on track to break the annual record again, with 3,568 violent deaths tallied in the first half of 2023.

In Guayaquil, where maritime shipping containers are part of the landscape, people live in fear these days. Pedestrians don’t dare take their phones out of their pockets. Convenience stores have floor-to-ceiling metal bars that prevent customers from entering from the sidewalk. Restaurants that survived the pandemic close early.

Along with the rise in homicides, the amount of cocaine seized at the country’s ports has increased, too, reaching 77.4 metric tons last year. That is more than three times the amount seized in 2020.

National Police Gen. Pablo Ramírez, Ecuador’s national director of anti-drug investigations, attributed the change to increased smuggling, not better enforcement.

Police data also show that of last year’s total, a record 47.5 metric tons of cocaine were found in shipments of bananas, even though the fruit’s exports dropped 6.4% compared to 2021.

No more than 30% of containers is currently inspected at Ecuadorian ports, a process done manually or with drug-sniffing dogs. President Guillermo Lasso’s government says it wants to use scanners on entire containers. Twelve of those machines were supposed to be operating already but Ramírez said that has not happened yet.

Ramírez said he expects all ports to have operational scanners by mid-2024. He said two ports have tested the scanners to smooth out internal procedures and train the people who will be working with the machines.

The operator of the largest port in Guayaquil, Contecon Guayaquil S.A., turned down Associated Press requests for an interview and access to the port to see existing security procedures. In response to written questions about the measures, spokeswoman Alexandra Pacheco said in a statement that the operator entered into an agreement with the National Police in 2022 to among other things “reinforce operations in the port.” She added that the operator plans to spend about $15 million on the scanners.

Jose Hidalgo, executive director of the Association of Banana Exporters of Ecuador, said the industry faces greater exposure to trafficking than other commodity exports because of the volume of containers that it uses.

“It is because of bananas that there are so many ports,” Hidalgo said. “It opens routes to other export products.”

He explained that exporters spend about $100 million annually on security measures, which include surveillance cameras at plantations, GPS monitoring of trucks and the identification of land routes that require police patrols to keep criminals away.

Nonetheless, some exporters have been accused of being complicit or directly involved in trafficking cocaine. The organization behind the record-setting cocaine bust in Spain, according to that country’s tax agency, operated through a banana exporting company in Machala, a city south of Guayaquil.

Hours after this story was published Monday, agriculture and customs officials in Ecuador announced in a statement that the administration had purged a government-run banana-export database. It annulled the profiles of export companies deemed to be fake or incomplete and revoked permits of plantations covering 16,000 hectares (39,537 acres) determined to be nonexistent.

Torres, the plantation owner, would like to see that type of troubled exporters kicked out of the industry. But there is no regulation that can be used to revoke a company’s banana-exporting permission when the business is tied repeatedly to drug trafficking.

“It bothers me so much,” Torres said. “My people work with bananas, they don’t work with drugs. It’s a flagship product, the best in the world, and to see it tainted like that is unfortunate.”

The Chris Eubank Jnr and Liam Smith show rolled into Manchester last week but although the eagerly anticipated rematch dominated headlines, it was the British and Commonwealth super middleweight title fight between Oldham’s Mark Heffron and Little Lever’s Jack Cullen that was the talk of the North West gym scene.

The strengths and frailties of each man are common knowledge and opinion on who would win was split.

Some thought Heffron’s power would be too much for Cullen. Others insisted Cullen would be able to frustrate Heffron and use his own aggression against him. Plenty assumed that ‘Little Lever’s Meat Cleaver’ would get dragged into a war. 

The only point of agreement was that the fight was unlikely to reach the halfway point. Cullen agreed.

Midway through the third round the 29 year old beat Heffron to the punch and landed a picture perfect left hook. Heffron made it to his feet but stumbled forward again, leaving referee Keiran McCann with no option but to stop the fight. Cullen (22-4-1, 10 KO’s) was the new champion.

“These are the fights that I’ve always wanted. When me and my dad were watching the boxing, this is the title he wanted me to fight for. He said, ‘One day, kid, you’ll fight for that.’ Well, I fought for it and won it,” Cullen told VIP TV.

Cullen fought his way up from the small hall circuit where his crash, bang, wallop style earned him a large following and the English title. That same give-and-take approach has made him must see television but it also exposes his vulnerabilities. 

He has notched impressive victories over John Docherty and Avni Yildirim but Felix Cash and Kevin Sadjo were able to draw him into a fight and stop him whilst the excellent Diego Pacheco was simply too much and inflicted a painful fourth round defeat in March.

Cullen trains in Chorley with the Jennings brothers – former British welterweight champion, Michael, and Dave – who took on the frustrating job of trying to convince him that he will be better served by utilizing his physical advantages and under rated boxing ability rather than ignoring them. The aim has never been to turn Cullen into a 6ft 3in version of Willie Pep but to show him that his best route to success lies in rationing the chaos until the perfect moment presents itself. Their patience looks to have paid off. 

“Michael said that if I stuck to the gameplan it’d be an easy night,” he continued. “If I didn’t stick to the plan, I’d have a hard night. I caught him in the second round and just kept boxing. Normally, I’m an idiot who goes jumping in.

“I’ve had nights like this before, going in as an underdog. I was a big underdog for this one. Those big fights got me ready for this. My ‘0’ went a long time ago. A lot of boxers think they can’t lose that ‘0’. If they do, that’s them done. That’s not the case at all. As long as you dig deep and keep training, it just goes to show [what you can do].”

Beating Heffron and claiming the British and Commonwealth titles will breathe new life into Cullen’s career.

The Pacheco defeat seemed to have shown the extent of his capabilities but if the lessons of the past few months have truly sunk in, Cullen’s next foray into European or fringe world class might just play out much differently. Cullen isn’t the type to call out names but he would love to give Sadjo a first hand look at the new, improved ‘Meat Cleaver’.

“Pacheco is going to be a world champion. He’s gonna be at the top of the tree in no time. I’ve only been beaten by the best. I got beat by Felix Cash, I got beaten in the European title fight [by Sadjo]. That was my own fault. That was me being stupid.

“I’d love that rematch. That’d be a lovely one. First of all I want to defend the British title and we’ll go from there.”

A Bridgeton man charged with aggravated assault is now jailed for manslaughter after the victim died. Julio Morales-Amilcar, 24, allegedly threw a large rock at the victim during a fight. He then punched and kicked 35-year-old Clemente Vazquez-Pacheco after the man was already on the ground, according to the charges. Vazquez-Pacheco, also of Bridgeton, was…

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Adrian Korol, who shares the following press release from RAE and LRA 36 [note that this article has been machine-translated into English]:

New Short Wave Transmitter for LRA 36 Radio Nacional Arcangel San Gabriel

The Minister of Defense, Jorge Taiana, together with the Joint Antarctic Commander, Brigadier General Edgar Calandín, the President of Radio and Television Argentina SE (RTA), Licencida Rosario Lufrano, and the Executive Director of Radio Nacional, Alejandro Pont Lezica, participated in the act where this Monday (4-09) a short wave transmitter was donated for the radio LRA 36 “Arcángel San Gabriel”, located at the Esperanza Antarctic Base.

This incorporation -which occurs within the framework of a new collaboration between the Joint Antarctic Command (COCOANTAR) and the state company RTA- will allow the station to significantly improve the coverage and quality of the Antarctic station’s signal, maintain its international reach and fulfill the objective of disseminating the work of the Armed Forces and scientific personnel who work in the Antarctic bases of our country.

“This is an act of generosity, of solidarity with all Argentines, it is also an act of patriotism, because it will make it possible for all of us to listen to radio broadcasts from Antarctica,” said Taiana.

For the minister, “it is important for all Argentines to have in their heads and in their hearts that there is a part of our territory that is there, and that there are Argentines doing their work with great effort for a year on that continent.” , he claimed.

For his part, Lufrano said: “We have always said that our National Radio and Public TV should be broadcast by land, by sea, by air, and we are complying. It was an honor to be able to take these teams to the ARA “Almirante Irízar” icebreaker so that they could listen to all our programming, listen to our radio and watch our public television”.

In his turn, Brigadier General Calandín expressed: “For us it is a joy, an enormous satisfaction, to be able to show in this simple and emotional ceremony everything that Radio Nacional and the Ministry of Defense have done to contribute to the sovereign exercise of the antartida”.
And he pointed out: “This transmitter will allow us to arrive in a reliable way with everything that Argentine culture means in the Argentine sovereign exercise in Antarctica, it is a transcendental fact for us.”

During the act, the presence of Javier Gratz stood out, who is the donor of the transmitter equipment in a personal capacity, who informed that it is manufactured entirely in Argentina.

The donation was preceded by technical survey work carried out at the Esperanza Joint Antarctic Base by Alejandro Petrecca (Head of the National Radio Transmitter Plant in Pacheco) and Engineer Alejandro Alvarez, and driven by the relationship they maintain with RAE (Radio Difusión Argentina Abroad) entina.

The act was transmitted by AM 870 in duplex with the network of federal stations. The director of Radio Nacional, Alejandro Pont Lezica; the director of Rae, Adrián Korol; Marcelo Ayala (who traveled to Antarctica to make the federal panorama at the beginning of this year) and the conductors Mario Giorgi and Federica Pais.

LRA36 began its transmissions on October 20, 1979 and since then it has been operating uninterruptedly from the Esperanza Base in Argentine Antarctica. It is one of the most sought after stations by shortwave listening fans from all over the world, and its signal has been received in places as far away as Alasa, Iceland, Japan, most European countries, and Latin America.

It is the only public station that transmits from Antarctica in Short Wave, a characteristic that, added to the fact that it is operated by personnel from the Joint Antarctic Command, makes it unique in relation to the other National Radio stations, such as RAE.

During 2022, for the first time, the entire LRA36 team was made up entirely of women, a characteristic that is also repeated this year and, as anticipated on the spot, will be maintained in 2024.

Various areas of Radio Nacional, teachers from the National University of Quilmes, RAE and the Antarctic Joint Command participate in the training of those who make up the radio and the general coordination under the coordination of Mr. Juan Carlos Benavente.

Being a station with international scope, the objective of its programming is to disseminate Argentine culture, but above all the work of our Armed Forces in the Antarctic bases, scientific research work and, fundamentally, the support of the historical claim of sovereignty Argentina on the Antarctic territory.

The transmitter will have a power of 10 kW and it is expected to be working effectively during the 2024 Antarctic Campaign.

A bill that has sailed through the legislative process and is headed to the state Senate floor is a clever attempt to invent an alternative narrative for the perpetually floundering Los Angeles County Probation Department. Assembly Bill 695 would create a grant program that once funded would provide state money to L.A. County — and only L.A. County — for juvenile justice infrastructure.

The creative story line being used is that crumbling juvenile halls created dangerous conditions for youths and staff. Facilities were supposedly so outdated that state regulators had to step in and declare them unsuitable to house youths. The county Board of Supervisors wouldn’t act, so two county labor unions — the probation officers and the probation managers — took the initiative and drafted a bill to make state money available for replacement facilities and desperately needed refurbishment. Should the bill pass, grants will be made, new facilities will be built, and the Probation Department’s troubles will be over.

Closing facilities and transferring troubled youths to other buildings will not change the irresponsible management that is endangering and killing people.

May 14, 2023

This version of events is the unions’ self-serving fantasy, but it was sufficiently compelling that freshman Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco (D-Downey) sponsored the bill and three of the five L.A. County supervisors — Hilda Solis, Janice Hahn and Kathryn Barger — support it.

The actual story is a lot more troubling. It’s too long and aggravating to recount in full, but it’s important to know the recent highlights, beginning when probation officers refused to report to work, creating a staffing crisis at the juvenile halls.

In just its first month of operation since reopening, L.A. County’s Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall has seen a brawl and a chaotic escape attempt.

Aug. 27, 2023

Dishonesty was endemic. Probation workers who did come to work faked written certification that they had checked on juveniles in their rooms every 15 minutes as required by law. Their supervisors faked certification that they reviewed videos that were supposed to prove the checks took place. Inadequate staffing meant no daytime activities for juveniles except TV and video games, and nighttime lockdowns that compelled juveniles to relieve themselves in their rooms because they would not be let out to use toilets.

The Los Angeles County Probation Department has a history of sitting on state funds meant to be distributed to youth development programs, undermining its core purpose.

Aug. 6, 2023

There were several fentanyl overdoses, and one teenager died. There were fights and beatings. The two juvenile halls were finally stripped of their certification to operate, and the county reopened a shuttered third juvenile hall and transferred most of the young wards there. Then a gun was found inside, and there were a riot and an escape, and continuing failure of officers to report to work.

More money for better buildings won’t solve these problems. It’s true that Central Juvenile Hall, now finally closed for good, is more than a century old, but the problem was never the hardware — the buildings, the equipment, the vehicles. The problem is the software — the people and their willingness to do the jobs for which they are paid. And a Probation Department culture that makes crisis a daily routine.

Los Angeles County juvenile halls have been cited for unconstitutionally poor conditions for decades. It’s too late to save them.

April 14, 2023

A decade ago, L.A. County used a state grant to remake Camp Vernon Kilpatrick, formerly a grim barracks in the Malibu hills that was famous for its sports programs. With more than $50 million in state money, L.A. County turned the grounds into Campus Kilpatrick, an impressive modern facility with a “homelike environment” and a design intended to foster intensive therapy and mentoring.

The new approach was dubbed the “L.A. Model” of juvenile rehabilitation. But it never materialized because the department staff didn’t fully sign on to the program. The grant bought great buildings that were essentially failures.

The common denominator is the board’s micromanagement. Less meddling may well have been part of an effective prescription had it come forward in recent years.

May 2, 2023

AB 695 would do the same, providing grants for more revamped probation hardware without improving the software. It’s as if the Probation Department were an airline whose flight crews don’t show up for work, and their union proposes to solve the problem of canceled flights by getting the taxpayers to buy the airline more jets.

Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Holly Mitchell, to their credit, oppose the bill. In a letter to the Senate Public Safety Committee, they correctly note that the Probation Department caseload has dropped so precipitously that only six of 19 juvenile halls and camps remain open. The county hasn’t sufficiently downsized the payroll to account for the diminished task, yet the department still can’t get enough people to come to work.

L.A. County does need a juvenile justice bill, but one that would authorize rehabilitation services within its new Department of Youth Development, so that it can lawfully take on work that the Probation Department has shown itself to be inept at handling. The fact that the supervisors have not yet found an author to carry such a bill raises a question as to whether they are serious about their “care first” vision of juvenile justice. If so, they should get themselves a real bill that would do the job and urge the Senate to reject AB 695.

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The 2023 NFL season kicks off Thursday with a matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs (-4.5, 52.5) and Detroit Lions from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. The Chiefs are coming off their second Super Bowl championship in the past four seasons, while the Lions were the league’s most improved team in 2022, finishing 9-8 after going 3-13-1 in 2021.

What can we expect from a betting standpoint for Thursday night’s game? How do you factor in Travis Kelce‘s hyperextended knee and the possibility that he misses the game?

Betting analysts Tyler Fulghum, Anita Marks, Erin Dolan, Eric Moody and Seth Walder are here to provide their thoughts heading into this one.

Note: Lines from Caesars Sportsbook unless otherwise indicated.

The Chiefs (-4.5, 52.5) get the home opener against a Lions team that finished last season strong. With the status of both Travis Kelce (hyperextended knee) and Chris Jones (contract) up in the air, do you anticipate this game being a high-scoring affair?

Marks: I like the UNDER here at 52.5. The possible loss of Kelce is huge for a Kansas City offense that is already lacking a No. 1 wide receiver. Kelce is a touchdown machine, and without him, it will be more difficult to find the end zone. The Lions’ defense has improved this offseason with the addition of Moseley, Sutton and Gardener-Johnson in the secondary, along with drafting Jack Campbell at linebacker. Over their last 10 games of the 2021 season, the Lions held five opponents to fewer than 20 points. Opening games do not typically hit the over.

Fulghum: I still like the OVER in this game despite the potential loss of Kelce. He is still the best pass-catcher in this Chiefs offense, but Mahomes at home is still Mahomes at home and we’re now getting a smaller number to clear. Let’s not forget this Detroit defense was one of the worst in the NFL last season, and although the Lions have made some upgrades on paper, I need to see it to believe it. Without Jones on the Kansas City defense, Jared Goff and the Lions offense should have an easier time moving the ball efficiently, so I fully expect both offenses to operate at a crisp pace, put the ball in the air to test the opposing defense and score points in this game.

The Lions finished last season as one of the hottest teams in the NFL and narrowly missed the playoffs. They enter 2023 as the favorites to win the NFC North (+140). Are you buying the Lions hype this season?

Walder: I’m somewhat wary. Clearly, the offense worked last year (it ranked fourth in EPA per play), and a lot of credit goes to offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who is back. But the receiving core is questionable after Amon-Ra St. Brown, the offensive line is overrated in terms of pass protection and the defense is improved but still doesn’t look great on paper. I’m still picking them to reach the playoffs, but based on the current odds if I’m betting on a team to win that division it’s the Packers.

Fulghum: I’m cautiously optimistic but certainly not confident buying the Lions as the division favorite. The NFC North is still wide open. Minnesota will regress from last season, but that was still a 13-win team. The Packers lost Aaron Rodgers and are now turning to the very unproven Jordan Love, but they have the most built-up equity as a franchise in this division by miles. And then there’s the Bears, who aren’t going to lose 14 games like a season ago. The Lions are going to be better. The question is, by how much? I’d much rather bet on one of the three other teams than Detroit to win this division and get a better ROI.

Dolan: The Lions gained hype because they finished 8-2 down the stretch and made some good offseason additions. I am not bought in on them, however. In case you forgot, the Lions ranked dead last in yards allowed per game last season. The Lions made some additions to the defensive side of the ball, including C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Cam Sutton and Emmanuel Moseley, but I am not sold on them to win the division at +140. The Vikings to win the division at 3-1 is more enticing.

Patrick Mahomes enters his seventh NFL season looking to repeat as regular-season MVP. He has a season total prop of 37.5 passing touchdowns. How are you approaching Mahomes this season, either for tonight or looking at his futures?

Walder: It might be a boring bet, but I like Mahomes at +600 to win MVP. He’s clearly the best quarterback in the league right now and if he has the best numbers, he’ll probably win. Narratively, it’s there for him still: The team lacks receivers and now Kelce might miss time. If Mahomes can still lead the Chiefs to success — and I think he will — that will only bolster his case.

Fulghum: I agree with everything Seth wrote. He nailed it regarding how to approach Mahomes this season. As far as Thursday night’s opener against the Lions, I’m not betting against Mahomes. He’s at home. Andy Reid has had all preseason to prepare for this game — even the loss of Kelce. I trust they’ll live up to their end of the bargain offensively, even given the extenuating circumstances.

Mahomes reached 300 yards passing in 10 of 17 games last season, including one stretch when he did so for six games in a row. He has a passing yards prop of 298.5 in the opener against the Lions. Is this a number where you’re looking to bet the over most of the time, or does the potential absence of Kelce change your thinking?

Moody: You should still bet the over on Mahomes’ passing yards prop. Since becoming the starter in 2018, he has averaged 303.3 passing yards per game. With Kelce off the field, Mahomes’ quarterback rating and yards per pass attempt are lower, but his completion percentage remains the same. The Lions’ defense allowed 245.8 passing yards per game last season, third most in the league. There are still several receivers Mahomes can throw to, including Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney and running back Jerick McKinnon. Noah Gray could play a bigger role if Kelce is out. There’s no doubt head coach Andy Reid will make the right adjustments. It will be difficult for the Lions to contain the Chiefs’ passing game.

Is there anything else you are playing in this game?

Dolan: Jerick McKinnon Anytime TD +160. He set personal best in targets, receptions and receiving yards last season with the Chiefs. That included nine receiving touchdowns and one rushing score. The Chiefs need to put up points if they want to stay in this game, and Mahomes will lean on a player he has good chemistry with in McKinnon. Plus, this is the highest total on the board for Week 1.

Walder: Cameron Sutton OVER 2.5 solo tackles (+130 at DraftKings). I’m going off my new tackles model, which pegs him at 3.4 solos for this game, but I also think Kelce’s injury plays a role here. With the superstar TE possibly out, Mahomes likely will have to throw outside more, and that’s where Sutton will be.

Fulghum: Skyy Moore OVER 45.5 receiving yards (-129). There is no doubt in my mind that the biggest beneficiary of Kelce’s absence will be Moore. Moore was already third in the pecking order behind Kelce and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in terms of predicted snap rate this season, but if Kelce misses time, he’ll bump up to first or second, and more importantly he’ll operate in those short and intermediate areas of the field that Kelce would have occupied. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Moore get seven-plus targets Thursday night.

Marks: Jahmyr Gibbs OVER 3.5 receptions and OVER 29.5 receiving yards (DraftKings). I am all-in on Gibbs. In college, he was used in almost 80% of passing plays, averaging 10 yards per target — hence, why he was drafted in the first round. Lions OC Johnson has said, “Gibbs will be utilized in a variety of ways that will be surprising.” Kansas City’s defense was last in defending RBs last season vs. the pass; it allowed 112 receptions to running backs, and those backs averaged over 47 yards per game.

Marks: David Montgomery Anytime TD. Montgomery takes over the role of Jamaal Williams, who scored 17 rushing touchdowns for the Lions last season. The Bears used Montgomery as their goal line back, and he should be even better than Williams. Kansas City will likely be without Jones, making its interior defense line weak against the run.

Moody: Isiah Pacheco OVER 49.5 rushing yards per game. This prop immediately caught my eye after learning about Kelce’s hyperextended knee. Over the past five seasons, the Chiefs have relied more on their running game when Kelce isn’t on the field. As a rookie, Pacheco led the Chiefs with 830 rushing yards and added 197 yards in the playoffs behind an offensive line that was fifth in run block win rate. Pacheco also ranked 14th in the league with 2.91 rushing yards per carry before contact. This season, Pacheco could shine even brighter behind a Chiefs offensive line with two new tackles. It’s also important to note that the Lions allowed 146.5 rushing yards per game last season.

Moody: Jared Goff OVER 35.5 pass attempts. Goff threw for 4,438 yards and 29 touchdowns last season under first-year offensive coordinator Johnson, who returned to the team after emerging as a head-coaching candidate late last season. Johnson and Goff should be even more calibrated this year. Goff averaged 34.5 pass attempts per game in 2022 and should exceed that number trying to keep up with the high-octane Chiefs offense. Expect the Lions QB to rely heavily on wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs on Thursday night.

Marks: Skyy Moore OVER 44.5 receiving yards. If Kelce is inactive, Moore has the potential to lead the Chiefs in targets. He is masterful at creating separation and will be running out of the slot the majority of the time. The Lions were weak last season vs. slot receivers, allowing 11 yards per target, a 76% catch rate and a 6% touchdown rate.