The lengthy offseason is lastly over.
The 2024 NFL season begins Thursday with a bang, a rematch of the 2023 AFC Championship Recreation between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock).
Listed below are three issues to know earlier than the opening kick:
Early battle for AFC supremacy | The Chiefs (+325) and Ravens (+500) rank first and second in preseason odds to win the AFC (h/t ESPN Wager), making this an early battle for bragging rights within the convention.
Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes | The winners of 4 of the previous six MVP awards, Jackson and Mahomes are arguably the 2 finest quarterbacks within the NFL. Nevertheless, you would not know that based mostly on their head-to-head matchups.
Mahomes and the Chiefs have a 4-1 benefit (together with postseason), and the two-time Tremendous Bowl MVP is 147-of-202 (72.3 %) for 1,720 yards, 13 touchdowns, and two interceptions towards Baltimore.
In opposition to the Chiefs, Jackson has struggled, going 88-of-158 (55.7 %) for 1,022 yards, 5 touchdowns and three interceptions.
‘Battle’ of the podcasts | The Kelce brothers (Travis and Jason) mammoth $100M Amazon deal has supplied Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey with extra motivation forward of the Thursday night time opener.
Retired former Eagles offensive lineman Jason Kelce and Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce just lately signed a profitable three-year distribution cope with Amazon’s Wondery podcast community for his or her “New Heights” podcast, and Humphrey took discover. (h/t New York Put up)
Throughout the latest episode of his “Punch Line” podcast, the 2019 first-team All-Professional defensive again joked in regards to the duo monopolizing the NFL athletes’ podcasting house.
“He has acquired to pay for what he has completed… How he has tried to remove us,” Humphrey mentioned.
“[Thursday] it will be pod versus pod, and we are going to see what heights are larger,” the four-time Professional Bowler added.
Kelce has 38 receptions, 478 yards receiving and three touchdowns within the 5 earlier conferences towards Baltimore, together with the playoffs. Based on
Professional
Soccer
Focus
information, he has by no means drawn Humphrey in protection when focused.
Overlook the potential future playoff-seeding implications or quarterback battle. Humphrey versus Kelce is the matchup we wish to see.
