Are you ready for some Chiefs football?
Like the past three seasons, the Chiefs Wire staff will offer its weekly predictions for each Chiefs game. Here are our picks for Kansas City’s Week 3 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
Charles Goldman’s pick: Chiefs win 33-30
Season record: 2-0
Twitter: @goldmctNFL
I think this is a tight game and I’m beginning to feel that it’ll be dominated by explosive plays on the offensive and defensive side of the ball for both teams. These are two of the best teams in the AFC and they’re both heading into this game with an extreme level of confidence. Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are playing like two of the best quarterbacks in football right now. I think they’ll both get their fair share of the spotlight.
For the Chiefs, I am looking to see someone new step up this week. Last week it was Demarcus Robinson and the week before Sammy Watkins. Maybe this is the week that Mecole Hardman or Darwin Thompson break out. As for the Ravens, I want to see how they handle playing against a greater level of competition. They’ve faced two of the worst offensive lines in football over the first two weeks. They won’t get that luxury in Kansas City.
I’m betting on the Arrowhead advantage factoring into this game at some point. This is the most anticipated season in Chiefs franchise history. Mahomes is coming off an MVP season and the Chiefs are favored to go all the way. The fans are excited to finally see their team come home after two weeks on the road.
Look for some rainy weather at kickoff to influence the gameplan for both teams. You might not see as many run-pass option plays, which are staples in both offenses, because of ball-handling issues. At the end of the day, it looks like the perfect storm for a hard-fought Chiefs victory.
Wesley Roesch’s pick: Chiefs win 41-34
Season record: 2-0
Twitter: @WesleyRoesch
The Ravens will be the Chiefs’ toughest challenge yet this season. I can see this one being close with the way Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are playing right now. It’s fair to ask whether the Ravens’ early success was due to playing bad teams, but I don’t think they can be penalized for that — after all, the Ravens did what they were supposed to do, and that was take care of bad teams. That’s what good teams do.
That said, I think the Chiefs are obviously still the better team, even without key offensive pieces. This one will boil down to Mahomes vs. Jackson, and I can’t see a scenario where the MVP doesn’t reign.
Nicolas Roesch’s pick: Chiefs win 38-30
Season record: 2-0
Twitter: @Nicolas_Roesch
The Ravens are a solid, double-digit win team, but I just can’t buy that they’re on the same level as the Chiefs or Patriots. We know what Lamar Jackson can do with his legs and he is an improved passer, but how much improved? I’m not sold he can keep it up through an entire 16 game schedule.
Baltimore’s defense is still a good unit, but it lost more talent than it gained during the offseason. Losing players such as C.J. Mosley and Terrell Suggs is a blow and I think we’ll see that as the season progresses. I think Kansas City will start hot in this game and jump out to an insurmountable lead despite a late surge from the Ravens.
John Dillon’s pick: Chiefs win 42-35
Season record: 2-0
Twitter: @TheJohnDillon
It’s not often two teams as young as Kansas City and Baltimore match up at the peak of their hype campaigns. The Ravens have one of the best defenses in the league with a blossoming quarterback in Lamar Jackson and a coach who has run the gamut in a long successful career.
Though the Chiefs remain an enigma defensively, and even with their top receiver out in this matchup, Kansas City still remains an overwhelming favorite with their plethora of supplementary offensive talent and what some might call the best coaching staff in the league. For the first time in decades, the Chiefs are not only seen as a contender but an absolute juggernaut, even as the defense continues to be cause for much speculation.
This week looks primed to be a shootout, and potentially one of the epic proportions. Andy Reid has found ways to pick apart the best defenses and though Baltimore certainly has the pieces to make the game interesting, Kansas City’s offense with Patrick Mahomes at the reigns will likely prove too much to handle for a Ravens squad that is looking for a huge statement win.
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Vinciane Ngomsi’s pick: Chiefs win 28-21
Season record: 2-0
Twitter: @VincianeNgomsi
This will be a real test for Kansas City, who will be facing one of the most explosive offenses in the league. The Chiefs have put up 26 or more points 20 games in a row and while they’ll come out victorious, I’m not confident it will be an easy win. Patrick Mahomes will put up MVP-style numbers, but he’ll have to work quickly because of Lamar Jackson, who works and runs just as fast.
Special teams will also have to be an important factor in tomorrow’s matchup, especially considering Justin Tucker and Harrison Butker are also two of the best kickers in the NFL. I’ll give the Chiefs the benefit in the return game with both Mecole Hardman and De’Anthony Thomas. It’ll be a nervy game to watch, but if Kansas City can keep Baltimore in a vulnerable spot all afternoon, it’ll be a much-deserved win.
Danilo Di Julio’s pick: Chiefs win 38-24
Season record: 2-0
Twitter: @ThunderDan88
Week 3 has the Chiefs in the friendly confines of Arrowhead Stadium for the first time this season. The home opener guests, the Baltimore Ravens are playing as well as any team in the league. Quarterback Lamar Jackson seems to have found his NFL groove, putting up nearly identical numbers to Patrick Mahomes, albeit versus softer squads in the Dolphins and Cardinals.
>Ravens safety Earl Thomas has pledged to stop all of Kansas City’s big plays but will be hard-pressed to cover one of the Chiefs elite speed players let alone the 4 or 5 who will take the field each down. Meanwhile, the home crowd noise should assist the Chiefs on their way to win number 3 on the season. The red and gold defense has begun to gel as was made obvious by the final three quarters versus the Raiders.
Many pundits are calling this the game of the week and with the likes of Hollywood Brown, Sammy Watkins, Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce roaming the field to name a few, the endzones should be rife with footballs.
Talon Graff’s pick: Chiefs win 34-24
Season record: 2-0
Twitter: @CoachGraff34
The home opener inside Arrowhead Stadium is a rematch of 2018’s Week 14 overtime thriller. This is a really good test for the Chiefs and the toughest test for the defense with both teams coming in 2-0. Lamar Jackson is off to a hot start with seven touchdowns and zero interceptions after the first two weeks. He also has proved he can be a serious threat with his legs. Last week he rushed for 120 yards against the Cardinals. Baltimore’s is an offense that is eerily reminiscent of the one we see every week. Rookie Marquise Brown has impressed with his speed and tight end Mark Andrews is a poor man’s Travis Kelce at this point in his career but he is on an all-pro trajectory. The running game with Mark Ingram and the stout offensive line adds a two-dimensional element to the Ravens. The defense must be able to get off the field.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs should still be as explosive as it has been in 2019. The defense of Baltimore is without key players from 2018 but guys like Matt Judon and Pernell McPhee provide a formidable pass rush. Earl Thomas is a new face in the secondary who has been very vocal about stopping the Chiefs offense. Eric Fisher’s absence will be impactful but Cameron Erving has been a solid backup. He filled in nicely against Oakland but needs to keep it up in his first start of the year. I see Kansas City winning a shootout 34-24 in a potential playoff preview.
Kevin Scott’s pick: Chiefs win 30-28
Season record: 2-0
Twitter: @KevinScottFF
This has all the makings of a classic. Just like the Rams vs. Chiefs game last year, both of these teams enter the game as two of the top offenses in the league. It is a bit difficult to judge just how good either team is since the Ravens have played the lowly Dolphins and Cardinals while the Chiefs have played the Raiders and Jaguars. This game should reveal more about who each team really is.
The Chiefs offense vs. the Ravens defense is probably the most intriguing matchup of the day. With top Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith likely still out with a knee sprain, Mahomes will be facing off with former Chief Brandon Carr at one of the two corner spots. Look for him to target Carr early and often. If the Ravens shade Earl Thomas to Carr’s side to help, Mahomes will just pick on Marlon Humphrey or whoever is defending Kelce. The Chiefs just have too many weapons to shut them down.
Of course, the best way to stop Mahomes is to pressure and hit him, so I anticipate lots of blitzing from the Ravens, which could work if Mahomes is unable to find anyone quickly. With Damien Williams trending toward being unavailable, the Chiefs’ success in pass protection as well as in providing quick passing outlets for Mahomes will likely depend on McCoy and rookie Darwin Thompson. How well they do in protecting Mahomes will go a long way toward determining how this game goes. Also hurting the Chiefs is that they will be without starting left tackle Eric Fisher, who had core muscle surgery this week. So replacement Cam Erving will have to hold up against a good pass rush featuring Brandon Williams to keep Mahomes clean.
The Chiefs defense vs. the Ravens offense should also be interesting because the Ravens are certainly superior to the two other offenses the Chiefs have faced with their new defensive scheme. Likely Spagnuolo will focus on containing Lamar Jackson with a combination of linebackers and safeties. If they are able to keep him in the pocket, the Chiefs likely win this matchup. If he is able to extend plays and make big runs, the defense will likely get gashed.
I was very on the fence with my prediction in this one as I could see it going either way, but I think the Chiefs will pull out another tight victory over the Ravens.
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Ed Easton’s pick: Chiefs win 34 – 28
Season record: 2-0
Twitter: @EdEastonJr
The visiting Baltimore Ravens being their undefeated record to Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs’ home opener and leave with their first loss. A fun showcase between two of the most dynamic quarterbacks in football as Patrick Mahomes outplays Lamar Jackson. The reigning MVP will have another big game tossing four touchdown passes and well over 400 yards.
The Ravens defense will struggle with TE Travis Kelce who will have his best game of the season. Baltimore’s offense will sputter in the fourth quarter as Frank Clark and Chris Jones will control the line of scrimmage and create havoc for Jackson. As the former Heisman Trophy winner runs more to avoid sacks, he will turn the ball over leading to playmaking opportunities in the Chiefs secondary. A great team win to open the 2019 homestand.
Mitch Carney’s pick: Chiefs win 31-27
Season record: 2-0
Twitter: @MitchMitchcar11
I’m predicting the Chiefs get their third win of the season in their home opener against the Baltimore Ravens in a game that will come down to the final possession similar to last year. Patrick Mahomes will have another MVP performance putting up close to 400 yards passing and four touchdowns against a solid Ravens defense. I do believe that Ravens’ defense will force Mahomes to throw his first interception of the season, but it won’t be enough to stop him.
I believe the defensive side of the ball will hold Lamar Jackson and Ravens offense to a single touchdown in the first half. It’ll be due to a dynamic outing by Frank Clark and the defensive line, forcing Jackson to make bad decisions. The Ravens will figure it out and try for a comeback, but it won’t be enough as the Chiefs stay undefeated beating the Ravens 31-27.
Max Ramsey’s pick: Chiefs win 31-24
Season record: 2-0
Twitter: @The_Wild_Chief
The Ravens will pose as the first real threat to the Chiefs in the young season. Baltimore comes to Kansas City for the Chiefs home opener as the number one ranked offense in the league. You can argue that they have not faced a strong opponent yet, but you can’t deny that they are an improved team over last year.
Lamar Jackson has shown that he has made some great strides as a passer this past offseason, which can make him a difficult challenge for this new Chiefs defense. I think the defense will go through a similar struggle this week as they did last week with some early points by the Ravens, but Spagnuolo will adjust and calm them down. I don’t anticipate a three quarter shut out like they did against the Raiders, but I think the overall production will take a drop early on.
The offense will shine in this game, and with the running back position nursing some injuries I expect Mahomes to air it out early against this defense and put points up quickly. With another week for the ankle to get better, I think Mahomes will look more to form in this game and lead the Chiefs to their third victory of the year.
