The Kansas City Chiefs will begin their Super Bowl title defense -- and a run for an unprecedented third straight Lombardi Trophy -- by hosting the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night. It's a five-star matchup that will serve as the 2024 NFL Kickoff Game.
Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson each took over as starting quarterbacks for their respective teams in 2018, with Kansas City and Baltimore meeting five times since then. Mahomes and the Chiefs have won four of those meetings, including last year's AFC Championship Game in Baltimore. That was a testy one even before kickoff, with Mahomes and Travis Kelce tossing aside Justin Tucker's helmet and kicking tee in pregame warmups. The Chiefs sacked Jackson four times and turned him over twice, with Mahomes and the offense doing just enough to advance to the Super Bowl with a 17-10 victory.
Jackson, last season's MVP, will be working behind a rebuilt offensive line this season, but Baltimore also has a new weapon in running back Derrick Henry. The former Titans back has enjoyed some monster games against the Chiefs in the past and figures to be a big part of the Ravens' attack this season.
Key Matchups
The Ravens' rebuilt offensive line will have its hands full against a Chiefs defensive line that features stars like Chris Jones and Frank Clark. The Ravens' ability to establish the run game early will be crucial in limiting the pressure on Lamar Jackson.
Ravens' Revenge
Baltimore lost, 17-10, in the last meeting between the teams that punched the Chiefs' ticket to another Super Bowl, but Baltimore is using its bitterness over that defeat to fuel its 2024 season. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have continued to stay in the offseason headlines for various reasons; will they be ready to rumble when the new season kicks off?
Lamar Jackson's Journey
Jackson turns 28 in January, his birthday falling a few days after the end of the regular season and a few days before the start of the NFL playoffs. With two MVP awards and three Pro Bowl selections on his resume, with wins in 58 of the 77 regular-season games he’s started since entering the NFL, Jackson is in the unenviable position of having nothing really to prove over the next four months of the regular season.
Jackson and the 2024 Ravens will be ultimately judged by what they do if they make the playoffs. They are just 2-4 in playoff games with Jackson as their quarterback. Their postseason issues, which were on full display during the team’s home AFC championship loss to the Chiefs in January, have been numerous. However, Jackson has absorbed an abundance of blame with nine turnovers in those six contests — and Baltimore’s much-ballyhooed offense averaging just over 10 points per game in the losses.
Lamar Jackson: The Leader
As he thought this offseason about ways to help his team get to another level, Jackson first reflected on his play. He felt he got “fat” last year and lacked the elite explosiveness that had long been his trademark. He’s lost weight and is as lean as he’s been in years, prompting Roquan Smith to say recently that Jackson looks like he did when he was at Louisville and winning the Heisman Trophy.
Jackson also thought more about his role as a leader and felt like he needed to be more vocal. Part of that is being more open with teammates on what he expects. Jackson acknowledged that he’s struggled to get on teammates in the past because he didn’t want them to think he’s lost faith in them. There’s also an element of being more conversational with offensive coordinator Todd Monken and the rest of the coaching staff about what he likes and doesn’t like.
Beyond the Field
Fiercely protective of his and his family’s privacy, Jackson describes himself as a homebody who enjoys hanging out with loved ones, doting on his daughter, watching cartoons and listening to music. The author of a children’s book — “I Dream, You Dream, Let Us Dream!” — that encourages kids to dream big, Jackson and his Forever Dreamers Foundation hosts an annual event in Pompano Beach called “Fun Day with LJ” that caters to kids.
Jackson would like to have a similar event for children in Baltimore, but he worries about safety concerns because his presence draws such a crowd. He joked that every time he goes out in public, an impromptu autograph show or photo shoot commences. He learned long ago that it’s impossible to please everyone.
The Future is Now
Jackson’s confidence in himself and uber competitiveness are probably the best explanations as to why he has always been so reluctant to talk about other quarterbacks and embrace comparisons with past NFL stars.
But there’s also the matter of him not wanting to add to a narrative out there that he believes is overblown. Sure, Jackson enjoyed and admired watching other players, including Michael Vick, Donovan McNabb and Reggie Bush. But he didn’t grow up with the idea of being the next anybody.
All he’s ever wanted to be is the best Lamar Jackson. He’s well on his way, but Jackson understands there are still quite a few chapters that need to be written.
The Countdown Begins
As the game played out on a screen in the quarterback room this summer, Jackson grew increasingly agitated. He has what some Ravens have described as a photographic memory, so Jackson didn’t need to be reminded of some of the low moments from Baltimore’s 17-10 loss to the Chiefs in the AFC championship. This, however, was teaching tape for quarterbacks coach Tee Martin — and there was something to be gained from watching it.
Jackson laid out all the Ravens’ miscues: poor passes, costly turnovers, botched assignments, penalties. Jackson felt the Ravens put too much pressure on themselves and didn’t react well to adversity, spending too much time dwelling on what had already happened.
The 2024 season opener is a clash of titans, a showdown between two of the NFL's brightest stars, and a chance for Lamar Jackson to rewrite his story. Can he finally conquer Mahomes and the Chiefs and reach the pinnacle of his career? The NFL world will be watching.
