Kansas City Chiefs vs Baltimore Ravens Match Preview - NFL
As the NFL season kicks off, we have an electrifying Game Day 1 ahead with some jaw-dropping matchups lined up. The season opens with a bang on Thursday night, featuring a much-anticipated rematch of the January playoffs, as highlighted in our Chiefs vs. Ravens tip. The reigning champions are set to kick off the season, hoping for a better start than last year’s disappointing home loss to the Detroit Lions, where they fell 20-21. They are facing a similarly challenging opponent in 2024.
The Ravens have seemingly taken a slight dip in strength compared to last season, at least on paper. They lost key players like Clowney, Queen, Darby, Edwards, and Dobbins without fully replacing them. Despite acquiring coveted free agent Derrick Henry, they enter Kansas City as the underdogs. The Chiefs, on the other hand, appear to have improved from the previous season. Therefore, our prediction for the Kansas City vs. Baltimore matchup is a home victory for the Chiefs. It is expected to be a game that starts slow but could see a surge of points towards the end.
Kansas City Chiefs – Statistics & Current Form
The Kansas City Chiefs enter the season as back-to-back champions and are once again favored to win. Why? Because they have not only maintained their strength but have even bolstered their ranks. This is especially true for their wide receiver lineup, which has been augmented with the addition of Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy, both of whom are incredibly fast. However, Brown is questionable for the first game, potentially increasing the workload for rookie Worthy.
Super Bowl Bet on Chiefs Possible
At this time, it’s already possible to place bets on the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl again. The 49ers are in a similar position in the NFC, with odds currently ranging from 6.00 to 7.00, which could decrease as the season progresses. We also see them as favorites in their matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. This is largely because they have fewer roster changes compared to the Ravens. The Ravens might need more time for new players like Henry to integrate fully into the team.
Likely Slow Start
At the onset of the season, we anticipate a relatively slow beginning with a stronger emphasis on the running game. It’s doubtful that more than 7.5 points will be scored in the first quarter. However, later in the game, the strong performance of the quarterbacks could lead to an exciting finish. For the Kansas City vs Baltimore game, betting on the fourth quarter to be the highest-scoring one might seem a bit unusual for season openers, but it offers great value with odds going up to 3.00.
Baltimore Ravens – Statistics & Current Form
The Baltimore Ravens approach the season as one of the favored teams. The key will be translating their regular season power into playoff success. It’s almost certain they will make it to the playoffs. To achieve this, they signed Derrick Henry during the summer. The 30-year-old running back has amassed nearly 10,000 rushing yards in his career, over 2,000 of which were in 2020.
Does Henry fit into the Ravens’ system?
With this acquisition, the Ravens have bolstered their running back position, creating a potent ground duo with Lamar Jackson. However, will this make their offensive playstyle too predictable? They still possess one of the weakest wide receiver groups in the entire NFL with Flowers, Bateman, and Agholor.From these players, a noticeable performance improvement is anticipated, particularly from Zay Flowers. Interestingly, the Ravens might score more rushing touchdowns than passing touchdowns this season, which would be quite unusual.
Key Facts – Kansas City Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens Tip
- The Kansas City Chiefs have won the last two Super Bowls
- Baltimore has acquired one of the strongest running backs in Derrick Henry during the off-season
- In the January playoffs, the Chiefs won the matchup 17-10
