Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs Prediction For 9/5/2024

The Baltimore Ravens will take on the Kansas City Chiefs on September 5, 2024, at 8:20 pm ET. The opening betting odds have the Ravens as 3-point underdogs. Currently, 67% of spread bets favor the Ravens, while 33% favor the Chiefs. The total of 47 has seen 18% of bets on the under and 82% on the over. This matchup promises to be an exciting game with both teams looking to secure a victory. Here is our breakdown and best bet for this Ravens vs Chiefs contest to kick off the 2024 NFL season.

Can Ravens Avenge AFC Title Game Loss?

Last season, the Baltimore Ravens earned the top seed in the AFC going into the postseason by posting the conference's best record. But they were cut down at home in the AFC Championship Game by the same Kansas City Chiefs that they will face to open their season on Thursday night. With a new acquisition at running back and the electric Lamar Jackson, Baltimore will still feel confident that they can get a win in this NFL kickoff game.

The question for the Ravens going into this contest is how much Derrick Henry has left in the tank. Henry was not brought back by the Tennessee Titans last year despite being one of the best running backs in the recent history of the league over the course of his career. That could spell a decline in his time with the Ravens, though the Ravens offense should still be plenty explosive no matter how Henry performs out of the backfield.

Chiefs Hoping For Better Season Opener Than Last Year

For the second straight year, the Kansas City Chiefs are opening the NFL season with a Thursday night home game after winning the Super Bowl the year before. Last season, the Chiefs lost on this stage in Week 1 to the Detroit Lions thanks in large part to some mistakes on the offensive side of the ball. This year, the Chiefs will look to remedy those mistakes in order to open their season with a 1-0 record.

Containing Lamar Jackson is going to be the key to this game for the Chiefs. Kansas City did a decent job of that for the most part in last year's AFC Championship Game, forcing Jackson to beat them as a passer, which he did not do. If the Chiefs can contain Jackson effectively again in this matchup between the top-two teams in the AFC from a season ago, Kansas City could once again get the better of Jackson and the Ravens.

Ravens vs Chiefs Best Bet

Lamar Jackson has won just one time in five meetings with the Kansas City Chiefs over the course of his career. Look for the Chiefs to have Jackson's number once again in this contest and for the Chiefs to start the season with a win, covering the number at Arrowhead Stadium in the process.

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