Baltimore Ravens looking to make a statement against Chiefs in opener: "It's going to be a clash"

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens aren't looking at their season-opener as payback for their loss in last year's AFC Championship Game. Instead, the Kansas City Chiefs are in the way of their ultimate goal -- a playoff berth and Super Bowl title.

The Ravens open the 2024 season on Thursday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City against the Chiefs, the team that ended the Ravens' season last year one win shy of the Super Bowl.

"Each and every guy's goal should be to make the Super Bowl but there's a process in place and you have to respect the process. It starts with week one," said Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith. "Kansas City is in our way for what we want to do. It's going to be a clash and may the best man win, but I like us."

Smith said spoiling the Chiefs' Super Bowl celebration on national television would be a great way to start the new season.

"What way to have a bigger show than when the whole world is watching you, regardless of what happened last year, so I am very excited to put a show on in front of the entire world," Smith said.

One win from Super Bowl

The Ravens lost 17-10 to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game in Baltimore last January before Kansas City went on to win its second consecutive Super Bowl.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson threw an interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter. A quarter earlier, wide receiver Zay Flowers made a big play to the 10-yard line but committed a taunting penalty.

Moments later, Flowers fumbled near the goal line.

Running game addressed

The biggest criticism from the AFC Championship Game was abandoning the running game. The Ravens only had 16 rushing attempts, with 16 of them from Jackson.

This offseason, they signed one of the best running backs in the game -- Derrick Henry, who will make his Ravens debut on Thursday.

"It's who they lost to to get to the big one," Henry said. "I'm sure that's in the back of their minds. We are going to come out and play Ravens' style of football and executive so we can get W."

Henry is a four-time Pro Bowl running back with 9.502 career rushing yards and 90 touchdowns -- all with the Tennessee Titans. 

Jackson vs. Mahomes

Jackson is coming off his second MVP season while Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes won his third Super Bowl MVP last February.

Last season, Jackson passed for 3,678 yards with 24 touchdowns to seven interceptions, while leading the Ravens with 821 rushing yards. Mahomes threw for 4,183 yards with 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

"I'm going to approach it like any other game," Jackson said. "It's the start of the season so we have to make a great impression."

Hostile Arrowhead Stadium

The Ravens' opener in Kansas City means they will play in a hostile environment, arguably the toughest place to play in the NFL. 

But the players say they won't be intimidated.

"At the end of the day, it's just football, I've been playing it since I was 5 years old," Henry said. "The atmosphere and it being the first game at night, coming off a Super Bowl, the environment is going to be loud, it's going to be hostile, and that's what you want."

"It's like any other environment," Jackson said. "I just have to stay poised, stay locked in, listen to the calls, walk to the line when I make the checks to let the line know what I'm doing."

The 2024 Ravens

The Ravens will be starting three new offensive linemen after losing Kevin Zeitler, John Simpson and Morgan Moses. The only two returning starters are tackle Ronnie Stanley and center Tyler Linderbaum.

Patrick Mekari, Daniel Faalele, Roger Rosengarten, Ben Cleveland, Andrew Vorhees and Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu are vying for the other spots on the line.

"I'm very confident in our guys," Jackson said. "They have been busting their behind each and every practice. I believe they are ready."

The Ravens are also looking forward to big seasons from tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely and wide receivers Flowers, Nelson Agholor and Rashod Bateman.

Defensively, the Ravens lost Patrick Queen, Geno Stone and Jadeveon Clowney.

However, returning on defense are Justin Madadiuke, Kyle Van Noy, Kyle Hamilton, Marcus Williams, Marlon Humphrey, Trenton Simpson, Roquan Smith and Odafe Oweh.

"First and foremost, I think just eliminating the run and making the guys one-dimensional," Smith said. "Once you make a team one-dimensional, knowing exactly what they will do, it gives us a chance as a defense to pin our ears back and do what we like to do."

The 2024 Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are the household names on the Chiefs' roster. However, you don't win multiple championships without loads of talent.

Defensive tackle Chris Jones is the leader on defense, along with safety Justin Reid and cornerback Trent McDuffie. On offense, the Chiefs drafted the fastest wide receiver in the draft Xavier Worthy to pair with Rashee Rice. Isiah Pacheco had 935 rushing yards with seven touchdowns last season.

The Chiefs went 11-6 in the 2023 regular season before beating Miami, Buffalo, Baltimore and San Francisco in the postseason.