2024-09-05 11:30:02
Key Storylines
How will the Ravens look with their starting lineup in action?
Many of Baltimore’s top players saw no preseason action, including Jackson, Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews, Flowers, Tyler Linderbaum, Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, Nnamdi Madubuike, and Marlon Humphrey. They’ll be in the lineup Thursday night, and the players and coaches will get to measure themselves on the road against the back-to-back Super Bowl champions.
Will Henry put the hammer to the Chiefs?
Henry has averaged 112 yards with eight touchdowns in six career contests against Kansas City. That includes a 188-yard game and a 156-yard game in the 2019 playoffs. Henry said he watched the AFC Championship thinking he could have made a difference last year. He’ll get that opportunity on Thursday night, in the debut of Jackson and Henry together in Baltimore’s backfield.
How will Baltimore’s new offensive line perform?
The Ravens will have three new starters up front joining Ronnie Stanley and Linderbaum. Andrew Vorhees (left guard), Daniel Faalele (right guard), and Patrick Mekari (right tackle) could get the starting nod, although rookie Roger Rosengarten (right tackle) could also play as a starter or part of a rotation. The revamped offensive line will be under pressure to handle a talented Chiefs’ front seven led by defensive tackle Chris Jones and defensive end George Karlaftis, who both had 10.5 sacks in 2023. In a loud environment against a team that brings creative blitzes, Baltimore’s new offensive line will get a baptism under fire.
