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The Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens will face off in a 2023 AFC Championship rematch to open the season on Thursday night. Luckily for both teams, the injury reports are relatively clean.
The only starter likely to be out is Chiefs wideout Hollywood Brown, via NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
“The first injury report of the 2024 season is here, and no surprises:
#Chiefs DT Chris Jones (shoulder), Nick Bolton (elbow) and G Joe Thuney (pec) all full participants. Only WR Hollywood Brown (shoulder), who isn't expected to play, was DNP.
No #Ravens starters on the report,” Pelissero reported.
While being down Brown puts Kansas City at a disadvantage, the team has another promising receiver that can fill in for him, via USA Today's Ed Easton Jr.
“Yeah, Justin’s (Watson) always kind of a big part of it, silently. He doesn’t say much, and he doesn’t get into a lot of pubs (publicity). He’s always been a pretty big part of what we do.” said head coach Andy Reid. “That part won’t change. He’ll be in there running around, and even when Hollywood comes back, he’ll be in there running around. So he’s a smart, skilled kid who loves to play the game. Plays hard every snap at practice and games.”
Watson started five out of 17 games for the Chiefs last year, recording 15 catches on 34 targets for 315 yards and two touchdowns. The fifth-year veteran isn't as dynamic as Brown, but he still poses a threat as a slot target.
Who will win this primetime matchup on Thursday night?
The Ravens must defeat the Chiefs and conquer their demons
The Chiefs' recent run resembles the 1990's Chicago Bulls, and superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes is akin to this era's Michael Jordan. The organization has blocked plenty of other talented squads from reaching the Super Bowl over the last few years, with the Ravens and Lamar Jackson at the top of the list.
While no regular season victory will undo Baltimore's latest string of playoff exits, it'll help team morale to begin the season with a victory over the defending champions. While the Ravens had already lost to other AFC players like the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals over the years, last season's loss to Kansas City was particularly painful because Jackson was the NFL MVP and they were the AFC's first seed.
However, Thursday night represents the opportunity to turn the page, with a fully healthy squad to boot.
