Let's talk about the Ravens (2024 Kickoff Edition)

[Bl00dyBizkitz]

We're past the 53 man cut-down, both our rosters are for the most part set in stone. It's time to talk real football.

Ravens lost a few players on defense this offseason, but acquired Henry. LJ has been talking big about how much weight he's lost this offseason to be faster than ever, I suppose. Don't know much about their draft, but the Ravens traditionally draft well so I'll assume the same this year.

We're likely down Hollywood Brown, but no other major injuries.

What say you, CP?

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by Pablo

I can’t wait to read the first Pete thread of the year. Win or lose he’s gonna make one crying about something and he’s gonna get shit on

Fire the tackling coach!

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by Pablo

I can’t wait to read the first Pete thread of the year. Win or lose he’s gonna make one crying about something and he’s gonna get shit on

I can’t wait for someone to say that we’re wasting Mahomes’s prime

[Rainbarrel]

Where the game is played has changed as well. Warm, good chance of rain and a bee you tee full sea of red

[New World Order]

Their d-line doesn’t look…great

[duncan_idaho]

Chiefs OL should be a better unit in this one, too.

Thuney didn’t play in the AFC Championship and Suamataia is a good bet to provide Smith’s level of play (especially when you consider the things he can do in the screen game and as a movement player that Smith just could not).

Clubber Lang prescription coming in.

[tooge]

Little worried about this one. Ravens are a running team of course. Jones and Bolton have been out most of the preseason. Hopefully just precautions.

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by tooge

Little worried about this one. Ravens are a running team of course. Jones and Bolton have been out most of the preseason. Hopefully just precautions.

A running team with a new and unexperienced O line. Gonna take them awhile to figure it out, if they ever do.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by UChieffyBugger

What's interesting is the players missing from the team that finished the AFC championship are Sneed, Smith, MVS and Allegretti.

Players missing from the Ravens are Queen, Stone, Clowney, OBJ, Moses, Simpson, Cook, Edwards, Duverney, Darby, Phillips, Zeitler, Rock Ya sin

Then you have the fact that they've changed their defensive staff and have a rookie DC. Also sadly they had to replace their OL coach who passed away. So there are a lot of changes from the team we played in January both in players and staff. And when you look at who they replaced those players with only Henry looks like a definitive upgrade although Wiggins does look good too tbh.

And when you couple that with the Ravens not playing a single snap since January that means this team with so many new faces haven't had the chance to gain in game chemistry yet.

Wow! Wasn’t aware that they had that much turnover since last year. So far Sneed is the only significant loss for KC (although Allegretti was great depth). Gonna be an interesting game for sure. Great analysis.

[Direckshun]

I really think the Chiefs have this game, with one wildcard factor.

I think both teams usually come out very hot, the Chiefs and the Ravens. Both are very well coached, and both have MVP QBs.

The difference is, I think the Chiefs D will make life harder on Lamar than the Ravens D will have on Mahomes. Spags usually has a good gameplan for Lamar, and the Ravens simply don't have a great OL anymore, or enough weapons to consistently punish the Chiefs other than Lamar going ham on everybody, which he usually doesn't do to us.

I trust Reid/Mahomes to get us to 24 points or so, even with the tackles struggling against a tough Ravens passrush. Kingsley is going to get baptized by fire, I think. But Mahomes and Reid can make that work, so long as Taylor holds down RT -- which I think he will.

The one wildcard here is Derrick Henry. The biggest reason I think the Ravens are going to merely be a very good team this year rather than a super good team is because I don't think Henry is going to be the massive plus that's being expected of him. He's not running behind a good OL and he's 31.

However, he could still very much be the Derrick Henry Of Old for Week 1. And I fully believe that he's simply not going to be at that level come the playoffs, he could still beat the tar out of this Chiefs run defense if Pennel and Jones don't come ready to play.

If this were December/January, I'd take the Chiefs 9 times out of 10. That's how confident I am that we will be the better team at that time. Right now, you're probably getting the best version of the Ravens you'll see all year. I'd still give this game to us 6 times out of 10, though.

It would not surprise me if Henry runs well and the Ravens win. It would surprise me, however, if Henry doesn't run well and the Ravens still win. I simply think they need him to go off to have a chance.

[Bl00dyBizkitz]

Originally Posted by tooge

Little worried about this one. Ravens are a running team of course. Jones and Bolton have been out most of the preseason. Hopefully just precautions.

We might get run over a little. I think it's fine. How our defense handles this challenge isn't indicative of how they'll perform in January/February.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by tredadda

Wow! Wasn’t aware that they had that much turnover since last year. So far Sneed is the only significant loss for KC (although Allegretti was great depth). Gonna be an interesting game for sure. Great analysis.

Losing Gay might be an issue too early to tell.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by Monticore

Losing Gay might be an issue too early to tell.

True. Kinda wish they kept him, especially for what NO is paying him.

[Mecca]

The Chiefs are in the Ravens heads...they melted down in the playoff game. On top of that they have a new DC, and are missing players. Add on that Lamar likely feels major pressure and their OL downgraded.

[Bob Dole]

I am a blind homer who believes that this team remembers last season's opening loss and has their eye on the Pat-Trick, and comes out on fire.

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Originally Posted by Bob Dole

I am a blind homer who believes that this team remembers last season's opening loss and has their eye on the Pat-Trick, and comes out on fire.

Agree 100% about the 3peat, but did the opening loss really matter?

I mean, I think this team showed last year that they're that much better than everyone else that they can kind of coast through the regular season trying stuff out (offense, particularly) and then flip the switch in the playoffs.

Obviously, the defense won't be as dominant this year, so it would help to get off to a strong start, but I don't think it's absolutely necessary. They could lose the first two (they won't, mind you) and I wouldn't worry that much.

Just win enough games to get into the playoffs and then take care of business. I think when the playoffs get here, they will have a laser like focus that no other team can match and they will understand they are playing for something that few teams in the history of the sport have EVER had the opportunity to do.

No other team will have THAT at stake and can match that type of motivating factor, IMO.