61 replies to this topic

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I guess the like to give a lot of time for people to come in and tailgate. If we are getting the first Sun night game of the year I mean it could be a divisonal game but I cant believe thats overly actractive to the league. My guess would be Buffalo if it happens followed by Pittsburgh. Divisonal games Week 1 also suck btw. Just in general.

[NewMarketSean]

I’ll be surprised if we aren’t in KC for their opener.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I’ll be surprised if we aren’t in KC for their opener.

 

My money is on Houston opening the season in KC. Other attractive options could be Cincinnati (Burrow's return) or LAC (Harbaugh's return). Can't see them going with the AFCCG rematch right off the bat.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Can't think of any other reason why the Orioles would move a game up this far out unless there is a big concert announcement coming out.

 

If the Ravens are hosting the Sunday night game, good chance it will be a division game.  Their non-division schedule features only Buffalo and Philly as somewhat attractive marquee first Sunday games.  Philly is playing in Brazil that Friday so it eliminates them.  Buffalo would be a good attraction, Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson.  Other than that it's Denver, Las Vegas, or Washington and none of those are opening SNF attractions.  My money is on Cincinnati if the SNF thing is true.  

 

With the Springsteen show rescheduled for 9/13 I doubt they'd have another big concert just 5 days earlier.

 

Looking around, the Pirates play at home on Sun and Mon of Week 1, so pretty much locks in the Steelers to opening on the road.

 

Only thing is the NFL seems to lean heavily towards NFC teams playing the Week 1 SNF game....that game has featured two NFC teams in 6 of the past 7 seasons. And with the likelihood of two AFC teams in the Thursday opener, I'm betting they go NFC vs NFC  for Sunday night again.

[1970]

They open the season in KC on Thursday night.  Just announced on NBC.

[Biggsy]

Figured the opener would end up being KC vs Baltimore or the Texans. Thought maybe they'd go with the up and coming team and save the rematch for a prime time game later in the season. But this makes as much sense.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Not sure if KC week 1 is good or bad. Teams usually arent peaking week 1 so that leads me to favor the home team on a night with a lot of excitment. On the other hand teams arent peaking Week 1 which makes it feel like more of a crapshoot in general. Det got the job done last year as KC didnt look good.

[Mackus]

I'll take an early game vs KC over a late one.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I'll take an early game vs KC over a late one.

The later in the season you play good teams the more chance for an impact changing injury. Im really torn but ultimately if I know for sure Im facing Mahomes I guess early is better.

[cprenegade]

You can probably spin it whatever way you want.  Kansas City is 8-3 in season openers under Andy Reid and the Ravens are 12-4 in season openers under John Harbaugh.  KC has lost their last two season openers against Detroit and Chicago.  Seems to me the last couple of years Lamar Jackson saw no preseason action and looked a little bit rusty to start the season.  The Ravens ultimately won both of those games against Houston and the NY Jets.   But neither of those teams were powerhouses at the time.  

 

If I recall, the Chiefs did play Mahomes in the preseason.  He did not look rusty in their opener against Detroit, it was his receivers that kept dropping balls.  But that would continue most of the season.  It wasn't until playoff time that the Chiefs actually looked like themselves.  

 

So I really don't know.  Ravens fans can say it's better to get KC early, but if I'm a KC fan I might be saying the same thing.  Let's play the Ravens right out of the gate before Lamar gets in a groove and they have a brand new DC that might be growing into his job.  Playing them later the Ravens might be on a roll like they were last year.  And there will be a little extra urgency to win since that game could end up being a tie breaker in playoff seeding.  I guess it's all how you look at it.  

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I think the Chiefs fans think they own us and it wont matter when we play them. Cant really argue with them. Took a very fortunate Oweh knockout and fumble recovery at home to get them. Mind you KC was already in game winning FG range when it happened.

[makoman]

I agree with the idea that week 1 is the best time to play the Ravens, assuming Lamar gets close to zero preseason time again. They've seemed a bit off the past two years.

 

I also feel that I'd rather play KC early than late. Maybe you get a mild SB hangover, get them before they get on a roll, whatever.

 

Either way it doesn't matter much. if one is trying to guess W-L record, anyone would pencil in @KC as one of the Ravens' losses, so either get it over with quick or else you're already ahead of schedule after week 1.

 

I probably would also hope we get Pitt or Cincy week 2 and get a mini bye for them.

[BSLChrisStoner]

You get to set up your training schedule for Week 1, go and beat their ass on the road, and then you get the mini bye before Week 2. 

[DuffMan]

I hope Justin Tucker warms up in the endzone again...

[cprenegade]

In the Andy Reid era the Ravens are 1-5 against KC.  (1-4 against Mahomes)  The only win was in Baltimore.   I would think both teams should think about playing their starters at least a little in the preseason to shake off the rust.  A slow start in this game could mean a loss.  And a loss could very well determine who has home field advantage in a playoff matchup.  It's only one game but it could end up being a lot more meaningful.  

[NewMarketSean]

I'll be in Matera, Italy for this game. 

 

I'll probably miss it and I don't even really care.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

It feels like Harbaugh always does a good job of having his teams ready for Week 1. We lost one really bad to the Broncos one year but Im pretty sure Harbaugh has been quite good Week 1s

[jamesdean]

It's pointless to try and predict how a season is going to go, won-loss wise.  You look at the schedule and say, this is a loss or this is a win but it's based almost entirely on last year.  All it takes is injuries to quarterbacks or other key personnel and a great team on paper is reduced to mediocrity or worse.  Losing Lamar is a perfect example.  

[BaltBird 24]

Week 1 games are always a toss up and pretty sloppy. Anything can happen. Would much rather face KC early than late once they get rolling.

[MikeinOwingsMills]

It's pointless to try and predict how a season is going to go, won-loss wise.  You look at the schedule and say, this is a loss or this is a win but it's based almost entirely on last year.  All it takes is injuries to quarterbacks or other key personnel and a great team on paper is reduced to mediocrity or worse.  Losing Lamar is a perfect example.  

Yep. Or Burrow last year. 

 

And in one of the most extreme instances I can remember, the 2011 Colts. Without Peyton Manning, that team went straight from legitimate Super Bowl contender to full-blown laughingstock.