Crack open a drink, order some wings, and stock up on ranch-style ground beef (or blue cheese if you're in Buffalo)—the NFL is back.
After wandering through a football wilderness dotted with mirages of preseason games for the past seven months, the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will host the Baltimore Ravens in a rematch of the AFC title game to kick off the regular season.
While Patrick Mahomes’ bid for a rare three-peat starts off strong tonight, Lamar Jackson is looking for what would be just his second win against Kansas City. Though both have a pair of league MVP trophies, the rivalry between them is lopsided. Jackson is 1-4 all-time against the Mahomes-led Chiefs, including last year’s 17-10 playoff loss in which Jackson completed 20 of 37 attempts for 272 yards with one touchdown and one interception and was sacked four times.
This time around, the quarterback enters the game with new members of the supporting cast, including Ravens running back Derrick Henry and speedy Chiefs rookie receiver Xavier Worthy. Some familiar faces return, too, including a pair of tight ends: Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews.
Don't be fooled into reading too much into tonight's results, no matter how they turn out. A year ago, the defending Super Bowl Chiefs lost 21-20 to the Detroit Lions in Thursday night's opener at Arrowhead.
Five months later, the Chiefs were covered in confetti and the Lions were at home after a heartbreaking exit in the NFC title game.
