The Ravens’ 2024 season will kick off against the team that ended last year’s magical campaign, as they will travel to Kansas City to face the defending champion Chiefs on the nationally televised “Thursday Night Football” season opener.
The AFC Championship rematch will be on Thursday, Sept. 5 at Arrowhead Stadium. The first game of the 2024 NFL schedule was announced Monday on “The Today Show.”
The Ravens’ full schedule is expected to be released on Wednesday, along with the rest of the NFL, but now Baltimore can mark one huge game on the calendar. As if the Ravens needed any more motivation this offseason, the NFL provided it like a carrot at the end of a stick.
Led by two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, Baltimore was the AFC’s top seed in last year’s playoffs and seemed destined to reach the Super Bowl. That was until Patrick Mahomes and Co. came to M&T Bank Stadium and stunned the Ravens in a 17-10 victory in the AFC Championship.
Mahomes is 4-1 against Jackson and the Ravens during his career, including the playoffs. The Ravens will look to change that and make a Week 1 statement.
The Ravens have made some key additions this offseason, including signing running back Derrick Henry. Baltimore’s running backs had just six carries in last year’s conference title game, but that figures to change in Henry’s first game as a Raven.
Baltimore has also lost many key pieces from last year’s team in free agency, the coaching staff, and even the front office, leading many pundits and fans to believe the Ravens won’t be as strong as last season. Starting off against the defending champions will be an early test.
The Ravens are 12-4 in Week 1 under Head Coach John Harbaugh. They have won seven of their last eight Week 1 games, with the only loss coming in overtime in Las Vegas in 2021.