- Kansas City is a 3-point home favorite over Baltimore in the AFC Championship Game rematch
- Patrick Mahomes is +450 chalk to win his third NFL regular season MVP while reigning two-time winner Lamar Jackson is at +2000
- Thursday night’s season opener kicks off from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO at 8:20 pm ET
Looking to become the first team in NFL history to three-peat as Super Bowl champions, the Chiefs host Baltimore on Thursday night. Kansas City boasts a 9-2 record in season openers under Andy Reid while Lamar Jackson is just 1-4 versus Kansas City in his career.
Which AFC powerhouse will come out on top in Week 1? Before we examine the odds, check out the top betting sites for NFL football and the Best Super Bowl 59 Betting Sites 2024.
Chiefs vs Ravens
AFC Championship rematch
Kansas City handed the Ravens a 17-10 defeat in last year’s AFC title game, holding Baltimore to just three points in the final three quarters. Baltimore was heavily criticized for only handing it off to their running backs eight times in the loss. Enter free-agent acquisition Derrick Henry, who piled up 1,167 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns in 2023 behind Tennessee’s porous offensive line.
The Chiefs lost cornerback L’Jarius Sneed in free agency, but their offense is expected to improve with the addition of University of Texas speedster Xavier Worthy.
DERRICK HENRY IS OFFICIALLY A RAVEN.
LET’S GET TO WORK. pic.twitter.com/yjJo3CKo2J
— 𝗥𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝙇𝙄𝙑𝙀 (@LIVERavenNation) March 14, 2024
Injuries to monitor
Many are projecting Patrick Mahomes to rebound from a mediocre regular season that saw him toss a career-high 14 interceptions. But, the passing game will be without Marquise Brown in week 1 after Hollywood injured his shoulder on the first play of the preseason. Veteran back Samaje Perine is expected to suit up on Thursday, however, after signing with the Chiefs last week.
Baltimore’s longtime offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris passed away on Sunday. The Ravens also have a new defensive coordinator this season after Zach Orr replaced new Seahawks head coach Mike McDaniel.
Kansas City vs Baltimore
The Chiefs open their title defense as a 3-point home favorite. Not only is KC 9-2 in season openers under Andy Reid. Patrick Mahomes is 4-1 versus Baltimore all-time, with a 15-4 career record in September.
Kansas City vs Baltimore has an over-under of 46 points. The two clubs were first and second in the league in scoring plays allowed per game on defense in 2023, and combined for just 27 points in the AFC Championship Game.
BIG ME ⏰ pic.twitter.com/vwQMOEig9A
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) June 14, 2024
Can Lamar pull through?
Lamar Jackson is coming off his second MVP season, but the pressure is squarely on his shoulders in 2024 following another disappointing playoff exit. To get off to a strong start on Thursday, he’ll have to overcome a Steve Spagnuolo defense that blitzed him 43.5% of the time in the AFC Championship.
Best Bet
While the addition of Derrick Henry is huge, the Ravens’ defense could struggle without Mike McDonald. On a mission to three-peat, we like Mahomes and the Chiefs to cover (-3) on Thursday night with the UNDER 46 points.
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