‘There is a psychological stumbling block’… NFL analysts discuss what’s at stake for the opening game of the 2024 season

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With the start of training camp, the offseason is coming to an end and the regular season is getting closer.

The 2024 kickoff will be brutal: a rematch of the AFC final between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens.

Ravens have strengthened well for this season, the main player being Derrick Henry, who will bring more speed to the backfield.

Lamar Jackson has all the makings of another MVP year, but he always needs to be careful with injuries. Last season was one of the few in which he maintained his physique and played like a pro.

But beating Patrick Mahomes and co. is another issue…

What this first game will mean for the Ravens

The game will pit two of the NFL’s top quarterbacks against each other. Patrick Mahomes has established himself as one of the most consistent and dominant players in the position in recent years, having led his team to three Super Bowl titles in the last five seasons.

On the other side, Lamar Jackson of the Ravens is still looking for his first NFL playoff appearance, but has already won the second MVP of his career during 2023.

Last time Baltimore travelled to face Kansas City was in 2019, when the home team won 33-28.

The Ravens haven’t won a game at Arrowhead Stadium since 2012 and Jackson has a record of four losses and just one win against Mahomes, including post-season games.

In the First Things First show, Nick Wright and Chris Broussard discuss whether Baltimore must win the opening game.

“The Chiefs have always had when they played Lamar bad defenses last year was the only year they had good defense and Lamar’s numbers still were not good. What I would ask is this the biggest game on the Ravens schedule? I think unequivocally yes,” said Wright.

Broussard then argued that for the Ravens, “the biggest game is the next game”. He continued by asking Nick: “If they lose their season’s over? They’re supposed to mentally throwing it the towel?”

The host replied.

“No, I don’t think that they should forfeit the year if they lose. But I think that a team that before they took the field in their last game was 15 and three, was beating teams by a historic margin of victory, was rolling, had the highest or the best point differential in football, had the best record in football, had the league MVP. And then if all of a sudden two games later in two different buildings across two seasons.”

Wright added: “You have lost almost as many games as you had lost in the previous calendar year. And it’s to the same guy (Patrick Mahomes), and now all of a sudden your quarterback who wins 75% of his games in his career is one in five…”

What happens to Lamar Jackson when he plays against the Chiefs

Wright and Broussard continued to discuss the two quarterbacks.

Chris believes Jackson has an extremely strong mentality that is commendable in the NFL given what he’s heard and faced to get where he is.

Nick, on the other hand, thinks that there is some mental obstacle in the Ravens’ QB that creates a barrier in games against Kansas City.

“I think there is a psychological stumbling block there that could be too big to get over.”