Kansas City (1-0) at Baltimore (0-1)
When: Sunday, September 19th, 2021
Where: M&T Bank Stadium,
Baltimore, MD
Time: 8:20 ET | TV: NBC
Opening Odds: Kansas City -2.5/53.5
It might be only Week 2, but the Sunday night matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens could be very important when it comes to playoff seeding at the end of the year. First thing first, however; Baltimore needs a win to avoid going in an 0-2 hole to start the season. The Ravens were upset on Monday night at the Las Vegas Raiders in overtime 33-27. In 2018, Kansas City finished with the best record and the top seed in the AFC playoffs. In 2019, it was Baltimore’s turn. Last year, it was K.C. again. The Chiefs won in Baltimore on Monday night in Week 3 last year, 34-20. Patrick Mahomes had a big game, throwing for 385 yards and four scores. Lamar Jackson had just 97 yards passing with a TD but did rush for 83 yards for the Ravens. Baltimore had three running backs with carries and all three are now either on other teams or out for the season due to injury.
The Chiefs started the season with a tough home matchup against the Cleveland Browns and it took a late rally to pull off a 33-29 victory. The Chiefs enter this game as 4-point favorites and the betting public is all over them. Kansas City is getting over 80% of the action for this big prime time matchup. The Ravens have dropped each of the last three meetings in this series while the Over has cashed in three of the last four.
The Chiefs trailed the visiting Cleveland Browns 22-10 at halftime and 29-20 early in the fourth quarter Sunday but rallied behind Mahomes, but did fail to cover a 5.5-point spread. Mahomes threw for 337 yards and three scores and rushed for a touchdown. He passed Hall of Famer Kurt Warner for the most passing yards by a player in his first 50 career starts in NFL history. Tyreek Hill caught 11 passes for 197 yards and a TD and Travis Kelce hauled in six for 76 yards and two scores. KC didn’t run the ball well, however, so that’s something to monitor. Starting safety Tyrann Mathieu didn’t play because he had been on the COVID list for a while and wasn’t ready to go. He is expected to play Sunday.
Lamar Jackson fumbled three times and lost two, including with under five minutes to go in OT that led to the winning Raiders touchdown. Las Vegas needed a 55-yard field goal with two seconds left in regulation to stay alive. Despite playing without three running backs who have been lost for the season already, the Ravens rushed for 189 yards and two scores. Ty’son Williams stepped up and recorded 65 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, while adding three receptions for 29 yards. All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters is out for the year, while fellow corner Jimmy Smith missed the opener. Guard Tyre Phillips left with a knee injury just adding to the crowded list of injured Ravens to start the season. The Ravens are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games as an underdog.
It seems like the obvious choice to take the Chiefs here, but the Ravens will up for this game and don’t want to go 0-2. The Chiefs win games, but don’t cover. They are on a 2-10 ATS run dating back to last season.
Pick: Ravens +4
Week 2 Staff Selections
