The NFL continues to view the Ravens as must-see TV. For the second straight year, Baltimore has five primetime games on its schedule, equaling the franchise record set in 2011 and matched last season.
For the first time, the Ravens will open the season with back-to-back weeks in primetime. They begin Week 1 on ESPN's Monday Night Football when they visit the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 13, followed by the Sept. 19 home opener on NBC's Sunday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Ravens' three other primetime games are Week 5 (Oct. 11), when they host the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night; Week 10 (Nov. 11), when they visit the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night; and Week 12 (Nov. 28) , when they host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday night.
Having made the playoffs the past three seasons and led by 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson, the Ravens are clearly a team the league wants to showcase. Jackson has already had some memorable primetime performances, like his Monday night game in Cleveland last year when he returned from cramps to throw a fourth-down touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
It was not surprising that the Week 2 Ravens-Chiefs matchup was placed in primetime, a game featuring Jackson and the 2018 MVP, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. It's one of the season's most-anticipated games, and one of three Baltimore home games scheduled for primetime.
It is possible that more Ravens games will be flexed into primetime down the stretch. Baltimore doesn't play rival Pittsburgh in primetime, but the teams are scheduled to square off in Week 18 to close out the regular season. The league's latest TV deal allows teams to play a maximum of seven primetime games.
In addition to the five primetime games, the Ravens also have three 4:25 p.m. kickoffs, which are games broadcasted to a wider audience. They'll be against in Week 4 in Denver, Week 13 in Pittsburgh and Week 17 versus the Los Angeles Rams.
