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Sunday night’s prime-time showdown features two top-tier teams led by former MVPs Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. The Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) and Baltimore Ravens (0-1) have been playoff contenders since their respective quarterbacks started, but their regular-season games haven’t been a clear-cut rivalry.
Meeting once in each of the past three seasons, the Ravens are 0-3 against the Chiefs. The glaring disparity was acknowledged by Jackson after the last installment, calling the Chiefs “kryptonite” after a 34-20 loss in Week 3 of last season.
Coming in on Sunday night, Jackson is well aware of his past assessment and hopes to correct what has been a troubling trend against the defending AFC champions.
“I said that because they beat us three times,” Jackson said this week, via the team’s website. “So it’s like, ‘Dude, we’ve got to find a way to win.’ And I hope this coming Sunday night will be different. “
Jackson posted a career-low pass count in the last loss to KC, completing just 15 passes for 97 yards and one touchdown (9 carries, 83 yards) while being sacked four times and losing a fumble. The fourth-year quarterback completed just 52.6% of his passes in the three games against the Chiefs, averaging 170.3 passing yards per game. In 35 games against the rest of the league, Jackson completed 65.3% of his passes averaging 170.3 passing yards per game while racking up a 30-5 regular season record.
On the flip side, Mahomes recorded some good numbers against the Ravens – averaging 378.7 passing yards per game at a 71% completion rate while throwing nine touchdowns for a single interception.
“It’s not about me and Mahomes – not me, probably everyone,” Jackson said. “It’s the Ravens versus the Kansas City Chiefs. They’ve beaten us three times or whatever, but that’s in the past. We have a better opportunity this time to come back, and we’ll take the advantage and win in the past. our home stadium. But I won’t dwell on these losses; come on Sunday night, we will play. “
Ravens expander Sammy Watkins, who has spent the last three seasons with Mahomes in Kansas City, believes it is an unspoken rivalry between the two star quarterbacks and that the team recognizes just how much a win over the Chiefs would be important to Jackson going forward.
“I think these guys definitely see it that way,” Watkins said Thursday. “You can tell you’re not, but the world is looking at two of the best and youngest MVPs in the league and some really talented guys. I really see it that way like, man, Lamar has to win. does a great job in this league with the way he behaves as a teammate and as a guy who does the right things off the pitch. I just think it’s time for him to take the next step and start playing. ‘try to win. And I hope that teams up, we are getting ready and the coaches getting ready to do our best to make him and the organization win. “
Baltimore stumbled out of the gate in Week 1, falling to the Raiders in a winnable game that was burdened by two costly Jackson fumbles. The loss is an immediate extension of what has been a rocky start to Baltimore’s 2021 campaign due to numerous preseason injuries.
Jackson, who has gone on to prove the skeptics wrong throughout his young career, is set to right a wrong Sunday night against the Chiefs, though it will take a concerted effort from the Ravens in their opener at residence.
“The way you go about changing it is to approach it the way it is: look head-on and step into the game and just try to beat them,” said cornerback Marlon Humphrey. “It’s a great opportunity for us to go out there on Sunday night and show that we belong on the pitch with them.”
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