With the Ravens trying to get back on track at Kansas City on Sunday afternoon, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. The Ravens haven’t lost three out of four in a season with a healthy Lamar Jackson since 2020. Kansas City hasn’t started 1-3 in a decade. While both teams have concerns they’ll probably figure out to some degree as 2025 progresses, you never want to be in an early-season hole.
2. Baltimore has failed to rush for 100 yards in back-to-back games for the first time since Joe Flacco was the quarterback. It’s very tough to complain about an offense leading the NFL in scoring, but its high-variance nature has made sustaining drives more difficult, which isn’t helping a porous defense.
3. Kansas City hasn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher since Jackson eclipsed the century mark in last year’s opener, which was also the last time Jackson ran for 100. Given some of the protection issues we’ve seen the last two weeks, you’d like to see the two-time MVP be more aggressive running.
4. Speaking of rushing attacks, the Chiefs haven’t gotten much going on the ground through three games beyond Patrick Mahomes scrambles. Detroit running on you is one thing, but there’s no excuse for the Ravens to let Kansas City pound the rock, regardless of Baltimore’s defensive line injuries.
5. After doing next to nothing to make Jared Goff uncomfortable, saying the Ravens need to harass Mahomes is an understatement, but that’s easier said than done without Nnamdi Madubuike. Perhaps Kyle Van Noy will play on a limited snap count, but you’re mostly counting on less experienced rushers.
6. Odafe Oweh is in a contract year and making $13.25 million, and this defense needs him to make a greater impact with other trench players sidelined or limited by injuries. He isn’t playing as much in early-down run situations, so he needs to make the most of his pass-rushing snaps.
8
7. The returning Xavier Worthy gives Kansas City’s passing game dangerous speed, so it’ll be interesting to see how Mahomes and Andy Reid try to get him the football. For all the Ravens’ defensive woes, Nate Wiggins and Chidobe Awuzie have held up well playing outside coverage.
8. After playing every snap against Detroit, Ronnie Stanley missed two days of practice with an ankle issue, which is always unsettling when considering his injury history. You assume he’ll play, but he wasn’t moving great during the open portion of Friday’s practice. This offensive line needs Stanley at his best.
9. For all the talk about how bad the Chiefs have been offensively, they have still scored on 48.1% of their drives, which is good for fifth in the NFL. The Ravens rank third with a score on 54.5% of their drives. Red-zone defense will loom large in this one.
10. Running backs at any level will tell you how a sudden fumbling issue messes with you mentally, so it’ll be interesting to see if Derrick Henry does anything differently Sunday. For what it’s worth, he shed his trademark arm sleeves during practices this week.
11. Some Ravens fans indeed forget how good they’ve had it for 25 years, but Kyle Hamilton pointing that out as the defense ranks last or close to last in multiple categories wasn’t the time. When you’ve been this bad defensively, just wear it. Clapping back at fans is rarely wise.
812. Baltimore last won in Kansas City in 2012 when Justin Tucker bested Ryan Succop in a 9-6 battle of field goals. I have no meaningful recollection of that one as I covered Game 1 of the Division Series at Camden Yards that evening. Sunday should be be far more entertaining.
Prediction: It’s still only September with 13 more games to go, which is why this is hardly a must-win situation for either team. But it’s fair to call this an “under the hood” clash with neither the Ravens nor Chiefs off to the kind of start they envisioned. A 1-3 start looks and feels ugly, but no other team in the AFC North is capable of running away with this division. However, a loss could find the Chiefs three games behind the division-leading Los Angeles Chargers, who look like they’re threatening to graduate to the legitimate contender tier in the AFC.
I fully expect the Ravens to figure out much of what ails them as we move deeper into the season and the schedule softens. But I’m surprised to see how many pundits are still giving them the benefit of the doubt this week while being quick to bury the team that has three Super Bowl titles and five AFC championships over the last six years, especially with this one being played at Arrowhead and Baltimore coming off a short week. That’s not to say the Ravens winning would surprise me by any stretch since Jackson is playing at a high level and they have the more talented roster overall, but Kansas City is the healthier, smarter, and more trustworthy team. Steve Spagnulo’s defense will do its typical solid job against Jackson and the Ravens offense and Mahomes will find just enough plays to help the Chiefs win 26-23.
