Welcome to Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season! Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore are tasked with taking on the might of defending two-time Super Bowl Champions Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes in their own backyard to kick-off 18 weeks of regular season action on the way to the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
And Paddy Power News will have Gatorade tanks full of tips every week of the season, starting with Andrew Cunneen‘s preview of the Ravens at Chiefs curtain-raiser, where he’s backing the visitors to turn over the hosts…
Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs
Moneyline: Baltimore Ravens
Total Points: Under 46.5
Travis Kelce: Under 58.5 Receiving Yards
Xavier Worthy: Over 43.5 Receiving Yards
- A Bet Builder with these selections pays at approximately 12/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD TO YOUR BETSLIP.
WHEN: Friday, September 6 – 1:20am
WHERE: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
TV: Sky Sports NFL
Moneyline – Baltimore Ravens
Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has been the driving force in Kansas City for three years now, and if you haven’t realised that, you haven’t been paying enough attention.
But the reason I’m picking Baltimore here isn’t to do with the Chiefs’ D – but moreso the Mahomes-led offense which really struggled in the first half of last year.
When you consider Mahomesian numbers, you don’t recall KC putting up fewer than 22 points in five of their first ten games last season.
Then, when you think about the fact that their big offseason acquisition in Hollywood Brown is missing this game, there just seems to be more outs for the Ravens than the reigning Super Bowl champs.
The Lamar Jackson-Derrick Henry backfield is going to take the league a long time to figure out, and for all that Spags might be the best defensive mind left in the NFL, I would not want to be the man having first crack off of this.
Total Points – Under 46.5 Points
A lot of the early-season offense for these teams will be run-first, gimmick-second.
Neither side with their current personnel are in a position to be dropback passing for 70% of this. It will produce a tight, defense-orientated clash as teams try and establish both the run and the extension of the run.
The strength of both of these defenses is how they take away the big targets. And speaking of which..
Travis Kelce – Under 58.5 Receiving Yards
Travis Kelce is going to be wheeled out as a bit-time player this year so the Chiefs can keep him fresh for the playoffs.
With limited snaps comes limited opportunity.
And that was on display at the tail-end of last year, too. It’s clear he can’t quite move as swiftly (heh heh) as he did before, and requiring his ability to come down with the ball in the big moment is paramount to them winning long-term.
SEATTLE, WA – DECEMBER 23: Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs tries to get past Bobby Wagner #54 (L) and Delano Hill #42 (R) of the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter of the game at CenturyLink Field on December 23, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
That’s before we even discuss Kyle Hamilton, who will be shadowing him on pretty much every snap. There’s no doubt that John Harbaugh sees him as the primary threat, and once he’s shut down, they feel they’ll have enough on the outside to shut the Chiefs’ deep passing game down.
So, the biggest problem is containing Isiah Pacheco, and maybe one big X factor…
Xavier Worthy – Over 44.5 Receiving Yards
Worthy is being brought on to try and be what Mecole Hardman never could. He’s undersized, lightning quick and will run sideline to sideline in a hurry.
Last year, nobody could beat Baltimore sideline to sideline because they have both Kyle Hamilton and Patrick Queen.
Queen is in Pittsburgh now, which leaves a gaping hole in the middle of the field to stretch one’s legs.
I say this every year, but post-Tyreek, the Chiefs have beaten teams horizontally, not vertically. And I think everyone’s going to see that blueprint here, even if I think this game will be uneventful and go to the Ravens.
Worthy’s early-season tape will keep defensive coordinators up at night when preparing for this unit.
Ravens @ Chiefs Bet Builder
Moneyline: Baltimore Ravens
Total Points: Under 46.5
Travis Kelce: Under 58.5 Receiving Yards
Xavier Worthy: Over 43.5 Receiving Yards
- A Bet Builder with these selections pays at approximately 12/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD TO YOUR BETSLIP.
*All odds and lines quoted are accurate at time of publication but are subject to change
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