Around this time tomorrow, the Ravens and the Chiefs will kickoff the 2024 NFL season in Kansas City. The Chiefs will look to start their journey to a three-peat with the Ravens on the other side looking to avenge their AFC Championship loss.
This NFL season has so many big headlines. Kansas City has the chance to make history once again by becoming the first franchise to win three Super Bowls in a row. The Chiefs will have a much steeper hill to climb this year with the rest of the AFC mightily improving around them.
Will the Ravens finally be able to get over the hump this year? Since Lamar Jackson took over the quarterback position, the Ravens haven't been able to piece it all together and get back to the big game.
Getting past AFC teams such as Kansas City or Buffalo has hurt the Ravens in the past. With Buffalo's decline, Baltimore has really taken over as that second best team in the AFC behind Kansas City.
Baltimore will also have a steeper climb to the top this season with their division improving around them. The Bengals are back and healthier with Joe Burrow at the helm. The Browns, with the best defense in the league and a healthy Deshaun Watson, have a good shot at the division.
If Pittsburgh can get decent quarterback play from either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, they can be a problem as well. The rest of the AFC is looking good as well. However, after over two decades of dominance, it seems as if in 2024 the Patriots will no longer be a threat.
The Pats have entered rebuild mode around their rookie quarterback Drake Maye. On the other hand, the rest of the AFC East are contenders. Between the Bills, Jets, and Dolphins, these three teams all have equal chances at taking home the crown of the East.
Don't count out the AFC South either. The Titans, arguably the least spoken about improved team this offseason, look like a brand new team that is ready to compete in 2024. After a down year, the Jags are hungry and coming for revenge in the South.
Who can forget about what a special year the Texans had in 2023. Houston is looking easily like a top 3 team in the AFC and looking to go back to back in winning the South in 2024. Indianapolis will look to get more than a couple games from Anthony Richardson this year after a brief stint in 2023. This division is looking nasty.
The last time the AFC West was not won by the Chiefs was 2015. I don't think that will change this year with the Chiefs looking to three peat. Kansas City will have another relatively easy path in this division with the three other teams most likely not competing for the playoffs just yet.
The Chargers have adopted a whole new identity with their new coach Jim Harbaugh. They got rid of a lot of their vets this offseason and will look to rebuild the team around their new young guys. Denver has been a rollercoaster of a team ever since Peyton Manning left in 2015.
They haven't been very competitive since the last time a team not named the Chiefs won the West. I'm excited to see how Bo Nix develops and could be a bright light leading the Broncos into the future. The Raiders may give the Chiefs the most fits this season.
Bringing back Antonio Pierce and improving the defense is what the Raiders did well this offseason. The duo of Christian Wilkins and Maxx Crosby will give Patrick Mahomes nightmares for two games this season. It will be interesting to see if Davante Adams remains in the silver and black until 2025.
Football is so close and I couldn't be more excited. I'm intrigued to see who will give the Chiefs the most trouble on their route to win a third title in a row. The Ravens and the Chiefs at Arrowhead tomorrow night. I can't wait.
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