Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs will raise their championship banner and begin their quest to become the first team to three-peat in the Super Bowl era.
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens owe them one.
The NFL season kicks off Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium with a rematch of the AFC championship game.
Despite leading the NFL with 13 wins last season, the Ravens fell short against the Chiefs, losing 17-10 at home. Jackson ended up winning the NFL MVP award for the second time in five years but it was bittersweet after another playoff disappointment.
“Any game I play in, I feel like it’s a revenge game,” Jackson said, refusing to add extra fuel to the season opener. “I’m not just going to look at this game like a revenge game. Anybody we play, no matter if we’ve beaten them or lost to them in previous years, I just want to win.”
The Chiefs are trying to avoid becoming the third straight Super Bowl champion to lose the NFL opener. The Rams lost to Buffalo in 2022 and Kansas City lost to Detroit last year.
The Chiefs are 3-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. The Ravens had nine wins by at least 14 points over teams with a winning record last season. They added star running back Derrick Henry but have three new starters on the offensive line.
Pro Picks likes the champions.
CHIEFS, 23-19
