Who will win the NFL’s opening game on Thursday Night between the Chiefs and Ravens?
The NFL season kicks off on Thursday Night with the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Baltimore Ravens in a re-match of last season’s AFC Championship game. With the Chiefs looking to begin their three-peat campaign, it is the perfect way to begin the 2024 NFL season.
Despite coming off of two Super Bowls, the Chiefs have somehow managed to get better in the offseason. They traded up for wide receiver Xavier Worthy to add an explosive weapon to the offense and also re-signed defensive linemen Chris Jones. The Chiefs lost to the Detroit Lions in last season’s opener, but will be looking to get a big win over an AFC rival team.
On the other side, the Baltimore Ravens will have some questions to answer defensively as they lost defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason. Additionally, they will have some questions to answer along the offensive line. The offense did add running back Derrick Henry which gives an already good running game one of the best running backs in the NFL.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook the Chiefs will enter the game as a three point favorite over the Ravens. Mahomes is 2-1 against Lamar Jackson, including 1-1 in the regular season. Mahomes’ only loss came in a 36-35 defeat in 2021. This is going to be a very tight game, but with it being in Kansas City, the Chiefs will certainly have the edge. The Ravens may also take some time to adjust defensively with the departure of Macdonald. It’s unlikely they hold the Chiefs offense to 17 points like they did in the AFC Championship Game. Kansas City should win this game and win by more than a field goal.
The Pick: Kansas City (-3)
