MNF PREVIEW: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS

BY ADAM GREENE

For all the grief given the Monday Night Football slate in recent years, there are absolutely no complaints this week. The Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens is not only the best game of the week, but a possible AFC Championship preview.

The fact that, with the right broadcast package, you could tune into the Los Angeles Rams at the Buffalo Bills at 1 p.m. Sunday, then follow that with the Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks at 4:25, then pick up the Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints on Sunday Night Football before 24 hours later enjoying this game is just about as good as an NFL Weekend gets. NFL Redzone might post its lowest ratings of the year and that’s OK. These are the kind of match ups that we want.

These are the kinds of games Monday Night Football was created to showcase.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (-3, O/U: 54.5)

Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Md.

Kickoff: Sept. 28, 8:15 p.m.

Broadcast: ESPN

THE HISTORY

In spite of converting from the Cleveland Browns to the Baltimore Ravens in 1996, the NFL treated the team like an expansion squad with no history. Cleveland got to keep the Browns, resurrected in 1999 for all the good it did, and the Ravens officially took flight in 1996, fielding all the ex Browns players.

As such, the history of these two teams goes back only to 1999, with Kansas City holding a 6-4 edge in the overall total. The Chiefs have won the last three match ups, with the last coming in a 33-28 thriller last season. This will be the third season in a row the Ravens and Chiefs have played in the regular season and QB Lamar Jackson is 0-2 against Patrick Mahomes.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2-0)

The Chiefs were down by double digits to the Los Angeles Chargers last week and, if you’re a student of history, you know that was the worst mistake the team from Hollywood could make. Of course the Chiefs came back and won because that’s exactly what they do and to predict any other outcome is to show you’ve not been paying attention to Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid in the 2020 calendar year. They are the No. 1 team in my Power Rankings and maybe the most fun team to watch in the NFL for a reason. And that reason is Patrick Mahomes, the best quarterback in the league.

BALTIMORE RAVENS (2-0)

That being said, Lamar Jackson is no slouch. The reigning NFL MVP has picked up right where he left off in the 2019 regular season, dominating opposing defenses. While I predicted the Ravens offense would find tough sledding in 2020, I also picked them to win their first two games. The issues that have reared their heads in the postseason should only show up against competent coaching staffs. This is the first one the Ravens have faced.

THE PICK

That’s why I have no problem picking the Chiefs to win this game on the road. While Steve Spagnuolo left much to be desired as an NFL head coach, he’s won two Super Bowls as a DC and will devise the gameplan to slow down Jackson and the Ravens offense Monday night. There is no gameplan to slow down Mahomes. There is only the hope you can outscore them. Chiefs 38, Ravens 31

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