BALTIMORE – The Baltimore Ravens’ first game of the season begins against the team that ended their career in a devastating fashion at the beginning of the year: the Kansas City Chiefs.

“That freaked people out,” said Michael Holt, a Ravens fan at M&T Bank Stadium.

On Thursday, fans watching from afar offered an optimistic outlook for the coming year.

“We have the fever and the motivation,” Holt said.

From Worthington’s, a new bar in the Canton neighborhood, a sea of ​​black and purple was immediately apparent.

“I expect a tough fight in the truest sense of the word, it’s going to be a tough game,” said Ed Mejia, another member of the Ravens Flock.

As the clock counts down in the final quarter, fans hope this game sets the tone for the rest of the season.

“Stay focused, just stay focused and let’s win this game,” Mejia said. “This is a big win. We need this.”

It’s quiet on the bench right now, but on September 15th the Ravens will host their first home game of the regular season against the Raiders.