Basics
Kickoff: Thursday night, 8:20 p.m., GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
TV: WBAL Channel 11 (Baltimore), NBC nationally televised and more. Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), Melissa Stark (sideline)
Radio: WBAL (1090 AM/101.5 AM), 98 Rock (97.9 FM). Ravens crew: Gerry Sandusky (play-by-play), Rod Woodson (analyst). Sirius XM Radio Ch. 85 or 225, Westwood One Sports – Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Kurt Warner (analyst)
History
Kansas City leads the regular season all-time series, 7-4, and the postseason series is tied 1-1. Their last meeting was on Jan. 28 in the AFC Championship game, when the Chiefs won, 17-10, at M&T Bank Stadium en route to a Super Bowl victory. Lamar Jackson was 20-for-37 for 272 yards with one touchdown pass, one interception, and a lost fumble on a strip sack. Zay Flowers caught five passes for 115 yards and a touchdown but lost a key fumble in the fourth quarter.
Patrick Mahomes (30-of-39, 241 yards, one touchdown) led touchdown drives on the Chiefs' first two possessions and they never relinquished the lead after going ahead, 14-7. Travis Kelce had 11 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.
Stakes
Both teams are Super Bowl contenders and have superb track records in season openers. The Ravens have won seven of their last eight openers and have a 12-4 record in Week 1 under Head Coach John Harbaugh. Kansas City is 9-2 in season openers under Head Coach Andy Reid and had an eight-game winning streak in Week 1 until losing at home to the Detroit Lions last season. The Ravens have a challenging early-season schedule and would get a huge lift from opening with a victory.
Key Storylines
How will the Ravens look with their starting lineup in action?
Many of Baltimore's top players saw no preseason action, including Jackson, Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews, Flowers, Tyler Linderbaum, Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, Nnamdi Madubuike, and Marlon Humphrey. They'll be in the lineup Thursday night, and the players and coaches will get to measure themselves on the road against the back-to-back Super Bowl champions.
Will Henry put the hammer to the Chiefs?
Henry has averaged 112 yards with eight touchdowns in six career contests against Kansas City. That includes a 188-yard game and a 156-yard game in the 2019 playoffs. Henry said he watched the AFC Championship thinking he could have made a difference last year. He'll get that opportunity on Thursday night, in the debut of Jackson and Henry together in Baltimore's backfield.
How will Baltimore's new offensive line perform?
The Ravens will have three new starters up front joining Ronnie Stanley and Linderbaum. Andrew Vorhees (left guard), Daniel Faalele (right guard), and Patrick Mekari (right tackle) could get the starting nod, although rookie Roger Rosengarten (right tackle) could also play as a starter or part of a rotation. The revamped offensive line will be under pressure to handle a talented Chiefs' front seven led by defensive tackle Chris Jones and defensive end George Karlaftis, who both had 10.5 sacks in 2023. In a loud environment against a team that brings creative blitzes, Baltimore's new offensive line will get a baptism under fire.
RB Derrick Henry vs. Chiefs Defense
After months of holding back in practice, Derrick Henry can finally let loose. Kansas City's defense has a tough ask to stop Henry, who has averaged more than 100 rushing yards per game against the Chiefs in his career.
Ravens O-Line vs. DT Chris Jones
The Ravens have three new starters on the offensive line, and they will be tasked with guarding one of the best interior rushers in the NFL. Jones had 10.5 sacks last season and 15.5 the year before. He'll move all along the line and be a big first test for Baltimore's protection.
S Kyle Hamilton vs. TE Travis Kelce
One of the games' brightest young stars covering a first ballot Hall-of-Famer will be must-see TV. Kelce caught a touchdown against Hamilton in the AFC Championship last year, but Hamilton will have his shot to get back at him on Thursday.
CB Nate Wiggins vs. WR Xavier Worthy
The matchup of two first-round rookies will be speed vs. speed. Worthy set the Combine record, running the 40-yard dash in 4.21 seconds, and Wiggins was just behind him at 4.28 seconds. It's unknown how much each will play, but when they face off, expect some deep shots.
QB Lamar Jackson vs. QB Patrick Mahomes
While Jackson and Mahomes won't be guarding each other, how could a matchup of two multiple-time MVPs not make the cut? Mahomes has won back-to-back Super Bowls and Jackson is searching for his first. The hunt for Super Bowl LIX starts with them on Thursday.
Players to Watch
QB Lamar Jackson
Jackson is always in the spotlight, but a nationally televised battle against the Chiefs and opposite Mahomes will put the two-time MVP under the microscope to start the season. Jackson wants to improve his 1-4 career record against the Chiefs. Throughout the summer, Jackson has been a more vocal leader, knowing he sets the tone as the franchise player heading into his seventh season. The Ravens will need that leadership and a strong performance from Jackson to leave with a victory.
WR Zay Flowers
Flowers is the Ravens' top receiver, and even with his fumble in the AFC Championship game, he was the toughest cover (five catches, 115 yards, one touchdown) for the Chiefs. With his rookie season under his belt, Flowers believes he'll be a better receiver in 2024, and he'll be a player to watch in a rematch against the team that ended Baltimore's 2023 season.
S Kyle Hamilton
Hamilton's versatile skillset will be critical against the Chiefs, whether he's blitzing Mahomes, covering Kelce, or moving all over the defense in his efforts to disrupt Kansas City's offense. New Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr wants Hamilton to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award at some point in his career. If he's the top defensive player in this game, the buzz would begin.
