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Independent desk. Figures are traced to named sources and corrections are logged — see the editorial policy.
There’s little reason to believe that the Kansas City Chiefs don’t have the talent and experience to earn a berth to another Super Bowl and repeat as champions.
Of course, the Baltimore Ravens want something to say about that.
Oddsmakers agree that the Ravens should be in the conversation — so much so that Baltimore opened as a 3.5-point spread favorite.
Both teams enter the Monday Night Football showdown with perfect 2-0 records. Despite playing in front of empty stands, the Ravens having the home-field advantage seemingly gives them the edge.
In the eyes of oddsmakers, it likely didn’t help the Chiefs’ argument against being the underdogs when they barely escaped the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2, winning 23-20 in OT. The Ravens, on the other hand, were in complete control of their matchup against the Houston Texans, rolling them 33-16.
While the Chiefs had to rely on kicker Harrison Butker to pull them out of the fire last week, the Ravens did what they do best and let quarterback Lamar Jackson run wild. He picked up 204 yards and a touchdown through the air with nine different receivers snagging passes, and added 54 yards on the ground. The team, as a whole, rushed for 230 yards with four different runners getting a share of the plays.
Kansas City had plenty of positive play of their own. Patrick Mahomes threw for 302 yards and two scores while picking up 54 yards of his own on the ground. Unfortunately, he was the Chiefs’ leading rusher with four other ball carriers picking up just 71 yards on 16 attempts.
What’s the key to the game?
Offense gets the glory, but defense wins championships, they say. This particular game, though hardly for a championship banner, is going to come down to the defensive units.
The Ravens held Houston to 304 total yards, though they did give up 253 through the air along with a touchdown. They absolutely controlled the ground, however, allowing just 51 yards on 17 carries. Taking away an entire aspect of the Chiefs’ offense will go a long way in securing a home win for Baltimore.
The Chiefs allowed for 311 passing yards from rookie QB Justin Herbert, who connected with six different receivers in his 22 completions. But Kansas City did do a decent job of stopping the ground game, despite giving up 183 yards on the ground. The Chargers rushed 44 times in the contest, averaging just over four yards per carry. They’re going to need to buckle down on that well in Baltimore if they hope to prove the underdog label shouldn’t stick.
Who’s going to win?
This is a coin toss, really. The Ravens could put up the numbers they need to win the game if the Chiefs’ defense doesn’t step up and get to Jackson. Kansas City can also score plenty of points, which is what they’ll do if the Baltimore defense stumbles.
In the end, we have to agree with the odds board. However, we think the Ravens will cover the spread with a 27-21 victory.