Ravens-Chiefs "Lamar-Mahomes Is The Future Of The NFL" Live Blog
This is a big one. A HUUUUUUGE one. I have no idea how in the hell this game is at 1 pm. Even before Lamar Jackson exploded the past two weeks, this one had all the makings of a game with major implications in the AFC wild card picture. You’d think the NFL would want to take advantage of any chance they can get to tout a budding rivalry, and the fact that these two have already played a classic should’ve been all the evidence they needed to put these guys on primetime.
Flashback to last December. The Ravens rolled into Kansas City fighting for their playoff lives with a rookie QB and a limited offensive playbook. The defense did what they do and generally limited the soon-to-be MVP Patrick Mahomes to very little for the better of 58 minutes. We all know what happened next. 4th and 9 and a prayer to Tyreek Hill put the game into OT, an injury to Lamar, and eventually a heart-crushing loss that put the Ravens into a hole. The Ravens needed to win out to win the division and eventually did, but this loss very well could’ve been what killed the 2018 Ravens.
Regardless, the game was Lamar Jackson’s first loss as a starter, and remains his only regular-season loss. It’s one that’s stuck with him all offseason. And the dynamic and narrative of this game has changed significantly now that Lamar is lighting the league on fire with his arm. Right now the league belongs to Tom Brady. It essentially has for close to two decades. I’m smart enough not to try to put a timeline on when that run ends, but Lamar is 22 and Mahomes just turned 24. The day is coming when these guys are the guys to beat in the NFL. Hell, even Wink Martindale is already calling them the next Brady-Manning.
It’s an interesting proposition because the styles of offense these two teams run is so different than that of their predecessors, plus they’re different in themselves. Lamar is all about forcing you to respect the run with 12 personnel. Mahomes is all about spreading receivers out. The common denominator between the two is these offenses both feature a TON of speed.
A big factor in this game is the absence of Tyreek. He made the game-changing play last year, but the Ravens are also missing Tavon Young, one of the premier slot corner CB’s in football. I believe that’s essentially a wash. The big difference between this year and last is that Lamar is far more capable of throwing the football. That’s why I like our chances more than most today. I expect it to be back and forth, I expect there to be fireworks, and I expect it to come down to the very last drive.
Time for Lamar to make a name for himself on a big stage.