The Baltimore Ravens don’t have to wait long to get some revenge on the Kansas City Chiefs for their 17-10 loss in last season’s AFC Championship Game.
The Ravens and Chiefs open the 2024-25 season when they play at 8:20 p.m. ET on Thursday at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. While the quarterback clash between two-time MVPs Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes will grab most of the headlines, who wins the clash between two of the AFC’s elite franchises will be much more important.
Here are three things to watch for when Baltimore and Kansas City face off on Thursday night.
Putting pressure on Mahomes was no problem for Baltimore in last season’s playoff matchup, but taking him down consistently was another matter entirely.
The Ravens pressured the two-time MVP 15 times, hitting him five times and sacking him twice. Overall, Mahomes was pressured on 34.1 percent of his dropbacks, an impressive performance against a Kansas City offensive line that allowed 28 sacks, the second-fewest in the NFL last season.
One of the leading players for Baltimore was Jadeveon Clowney, who had four pressures and one sack. Clowney joined the Carolina Panthers as a free agent. Nnamdi Madubuike also had a strong performance with four pressures, a quarterback hit and a half sack.
Whoever steps in in Clowney’s absence could be a deciding factor for the Ravens against the Chiefs and for the 2024-25 season. Odafe Oweh, Tavius Robinson and David Ojabo are three young pass rushers that Baltimore will rely heavily on to apply pressure from the side.
If one of the three puts in a strong performance and constantly puts pressure on Mahomes, the Ravens’ chances against the two-time Super Bowl winner are good.
A solid Ravens offensive line struggled to hold up against the Chiefs in January, generating nine pressures and sacking Jackson four times, including a strip sack that led to a turnover deep in Baltimore territory.
Add in three new starters on the offensive line, and there’s reason to be concerned about how the Ravens’ front five players will fare against one of the league’s most potent defenses.
Kansas City was second in points allowed per game and second in sacks last season. Not only does the Chiefs defense generate pressure with their front four, but defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is known for his exotic blitzes and aggressive schemes to attack the quarterback.
Jackson was blitzed 17 times in last season’s AFC Championship Game, 46 percent of the time he dropped back to pass.
How the Ravens offensive line communicates in their first game together will be critical to Baltimore’s success on offense. If they don’t get on the same page, Jackson and Baltimore’s offense could end up looking eerily similar to what they did in the AFC Championship Game.
The Ravens will need a lot more receivers than just Zay Flowers if they want to beat the defending Super Bowl champions in their stadium.
Flowers had five catches for 115 yards and a touchdown against Kansas City. No other receiver had more than three catches for 22 receiving yards.
A healthy Mark Andrews will be a big help, and pairing him with Isaiah Likely can open up new opportunities for Jackson and the passing game. Andrews was in his first game back from a lower leg injury that required surgery in last season’s AFC Championship Game.
Kansas City will also be without one of its best cornerbacks of the last four seasons: L’Jarius Sneed, who the team traded to the Tennessee Titans in the offseason.
Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace are two receivers that could get good coverage due to the threat of Flowers, Andrews, and Likely. If either receiver can win their matchups, Baltimore could have opportunities to make big plays that can help Baltimore get to a 1-0 start to the season.
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