Pop open a drink, order some wings, eat a hearty lunch, and if you’re in Buffalo, grab some blue cheese. The NFL is back.
After spending the past seven months wandering a football desert dotted with phantoms of preseason games, the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs will open the regular season by hosting the Baltimore Ravens in a rematch of the AFC title game.
While Patrick Mahomes’ quest for a rare three-peat begins in earnest tonight, Lamar Jackson is looking for his second win against Kansas City. The two have each won two league MVP trophies, but the rivalry is lopsided. Jackson is 1-4 all-time against Mahomes’ Chiefs, including a 17-10 loss in last year’s playoffs, in which he completed 20 of 37 attempts for 272 yards, one touchdown, one interception and was sacked four times.
This time around, the quarterback will be taking to the field with some new supporting cast members, including Ravens running back Derrick Henry and speedy Chiefs rookie receiver Xavier Worthy, and some old faces will be returning, including tight ends Swifty-in-Chief Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews.
Whatever the outcome tonight, don’t read too much into it. A year ago, the Chiefs, seeking back-to-back Super Bowl titles, lost their season opener, 21-20, to the Detroit Lions on Thursday night at Arrowhead.
Five months later, the Chiefs were covered in confetti and the Lions were at home suffering a heartbreaking loss in the NFC Finals.
