The Ravens and Chiefs should provide another hard-fought battle when they meet in the NFL regular-season opener on Thursday.
Here are the key matchups:
Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton vs. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce
Hamilton will be tasked with guarding one of the Chiefs’ key playmakers. In last season’s AFC Championship Game, Kelce caught 11 passes for 116 yards with a touchdown, and several of those were against Hamilton. The Ravens will need to do a better job with tighter coverage and limiting Kelce’s yards after the catch. However, the Ravens could miss Hamilton’s versatility with other parts of the defense if his main focus is covering Kelce.
“It’s just a patience thing. It’s the same with anybody, it’s just being patient [and] trusting your game,” Hamilton said. “[It’s] nothing really crazy, but I’m excited to play against everybody on that team. I think our defense, as a whole, is prepared and excited to go into Arrowhead [Stadium] and have a good game.”
Ravens running back Derrick Henry vs. Chiefs defensive line
The Ravens ran the ball just 16 times in the AFC championsh, and only six of those carries were by running backs. Henry is likely to get a bigger workload on Thursday night. Henry has run for 672 yards with eight touchdowns in six games, including the playoffs, against the Chiefs. Henry is looking forward to the prime-time matchup.
“They are a great team [and] have been a great team for a while now,” Henry said. “Their defense is solid. I think they are solid from top to bottom, have willing tacklers, [and] they are disruptive, so you just have to bring your A-game when you’re going up against those guys. I’ve been fortunate enough to have success when we’ve played them.”
Chiefs quarterback Partick Mahomes vs. Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike
Mahomes is dangerous because of his improvisational skills. He had a workman-like performance in the AFC vhampionship, going 30-for-39 for 241 yards with a touchdown (100.5 rating). He was sacked by Madubuike and Michael Pierce, who were each credited with a half-sack. Madubuike, who changed his name from Justin to Nnamdi this offseason, led the Ravens with 13 1/2 sacks last season and his ability to contain Mahomes will be vital for the Ravens to emerge with a win.
“He is his own guy in terms of the way he plays,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said about Mahomes. “How quick the ball comes out on the ones on the get-it-outs and how long he’ll take – as long as necessary – to try to find a completion or a scramble run on the ones that aren’t out fast. So, that’s his skill; he’s great at it. Their offensive line [as well as] their passing game, everything is built around his skillset that way. They’ve done a great job of that and that’s one of the biggest reasons that they’re as successful as they are.”
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and the offensive line vs. Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and the defensive line
The Ravens have three new starters on the offensive line, so Jackson could be under pressure for much of the night. Jackson completed 20 of 37 passes for 272 yards with a touchdown and interception (75.5 rating) in the AFC championship. He was sacked four times. The Chiefs blitzed Jackson on 43.5 percent of his dropbacks, and the elusive quarterback was sacked four times. Kansas City used six- and seven-man pressures led by Jones. Jackson will have to release the ball quickly to avoid the pocket from collapsing.
“There were all types of things that went on in the [AFC championship] game that could have worked for us and went our way [like] getting the ball out,” Jackson said. “[There were] certain things that went on. We missed certain things throughout that game. There were all types of things, I just can’t pinpoint them blitzing us, because we picked them up here and there. [There were] all types of things we could’ve done better in that game.”
