The Baltimore Ravens and the defending champion Kansas Chiefs will kick off the NFL regular season on Thursday night, and the Ravens will be near full strength.
Baltimore also made four moves leading up to the kickoff.
Rookie running back Rasheen Ali was placed on injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the team signed linebacker Josh Ross to the active roster.
In addition, the Ravens activated defensive back Ka’dar Hollman and veteran running back John Kelly from the practice squad.
Ali (neck) and outside linebacker Adisa Isaac (hamstring) were the only players on the Ravens’ injury report this week.
Ali was listed as the Ravens’ third running back behind Derrick Henry and Justice Hill. Kelly will now take over that role.
Isaac has dealt with the hamstring injury throughout parts of training camp. The Ravens like his potential and Isaac could be a factor later in the season.
Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown has been ruled out with a shoulder injury. The Ravens originally selected Brown with the 25th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. He had 195 catches for 2,361 yards and 21 touchdowns in his three seasons in Baltimore.
The absence of Brown means rookie first-round Xavier Worthy, who ran a 4.21-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, could get more targets.
Ravens inactive players: No surprised with the players on the 53-man roster that are not active — wide receiver Devontez Walker, center Nick Samac, offensive lineman Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, linebacker Adisa Isaac (hamstring), defensive end Brent Urban, cornerback T.J. Tampa, and safety Beau Brade.
Henry’s much-anticipated debut: Running back Derrick Henry will make his Ravens debut to much fanfare. The team already had the league’s No. 1 rushing attack last season and Henry should make that ground attack even more dominant. Henry has also had some of his best games against the Chiefs as a member of the Tennessee Titans. He has run for 672 yards with eight touchdowns in six games, including the playoffs, against the Chiefs. In addition, Henry has thrown for three of his five career touchdown passes against Kansas City, so look for the trick play.
Stopping Mahomes: If the Ravens can contain Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, they will have a solid opportunity to win. Mahomes, however, has played some of his best games against the Ravens, going 4-1 against them. Mahomes has completed 72.8 percent of his passes and averaged 344 passing yards in those five outings with a 13-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Ravens’ new defensive coordinator Zachary Orr faces a big challenge, but he has the talent to keep the pressure on Mahomes.
Jackson needs support from the new offensive line: The Ravens have three new starters on the offensive line, so quarterback Lamar 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.
