The TitanX Exchange2024 NFL season begins Thursday with an electric matchup with two of the league’s best quarterbacks, and two of the best teams from a season ago.
Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will host Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night at Aarowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
It will be a rematch of the AFC championship game between both clubsearlier this year, which the Chiefs won 17-10 on Jan. 28.
The Chiefs have won two straight Super Bowls, and vying for an elusive three-peat during the 2024 season. They have won three of the last five Super Bowls behind a core of Mahomes, star tight end and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce, and coach Andy Reid.
The Ravens, led by Jackson and longtime coach John Harbaugh, will begin their season hoping to avoid another loss to the Chiefs. They’ve lost five of their last six matchups, and haven’t won at Kansas City since 2012.
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The Ravens and Chiefs will kickoff at 8:20 p.m. ET, and the game will be available on NBC, Peacock and Fubo.
The Chiefs are the moneyline favorite (-155), while the Ravens are +130 underdogs. The over/under is set at 46.5 points with a three-point spread, according to BETMGM.
The Chiefs prevailed in a defensive slugfest in the AFC championship game: Kelce caught 11 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown from Mahomes, while running back Isiah Pacheco scored a touchdown in the second quarter to propel Kansas City to victory in Baltimore.
Thursday’s matchup will also be between two-time NFL MVPs.
Mahomes won league MVP in 2018 and 2022, while Jackson won in 2019 and 2023. Aaron Rodgers (2020 and 2021) is the only other player to win MVP since Mahomes and Jackson have.
Mahomes is also 4-1 vs. Jackson, including the playoffs, during their careers.
New Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry could be a difference maker in this matchup.
The Ravens only ran the ball eight times (outside of eight carries by Jackson) during the AFC title game last season.
Henry, who finished the last two seasons as the NFL’s second-leading rusher, could become a vital part to the Ravens offense this season.
Here are the USA TODAY Sports staff’s predictions for Thursday’s opener:
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