Week 1 Thursday night opener: pic.twitter.com/FCiE256Jfu
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 13, 2024
Ravens versus Chiefs is just about as juicy a matchup as the NFL has available. Now with a trio of Super Bowl rings, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the league's biggest star, but Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson may be right behind him. With a pair of MVPs each, the two quarterbacks have dominated the AFC since both debuted as starters in 2018.
Despite each team's recent success, the rivalry between the Chiefs and Ravens has been decidedly one-sided. Since Mahomes and Jackson took over as their team's respective starters, the Chiefs have beaten the Ravens in four of five games. Most recently, the Chiefs outlasted the Ravens on the road in last season's AFC Championship game, winning 17-10 despite failing to score a point in the second half.
This year's season opener could be a great opportunity for the Chiefs to declare themselves the AFC's king of the mountain as they pursue a third-straight Super Bowl championship, but they've earned the benefit of the doubt even in case of disaster: they lost last year's season-opener to the Detroit Lions 21-20.
As for the Ravens, a great start to the regular season will be a hollow victory until they taste postseason glory. They're 2-5 in the playoffs since 2018, and Jackson has been particularly underwhelming. Over his six starts, he has totalled six interceptions and six fumbles while leading his team to 20 or fewer points in all but one game.
In either case, the Week 1 opener should be massive in establishing the pecking order for the 2024 regular season. Either the Ravens or the Chiefs have finished as the AFC's top seed in each of the past six seasons. Whoever wins the NFL kickoff could very well be the king of the conference come January.
Photo Credit: © Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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