Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes are generational gamers and two-time NFL MVP award winners.
Mahomes is a three-time Tremendous Bowl champion, whereas Jackson is making an attempt to quiet his naysayers after just a few disappointing performances within the postseason.
The 2 quarterbacks meet for the sixth time of their careers when Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens play Mahones and the Tremendous Bowl champion Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in the NFL regular-season opener on Thursday, September. 5.
Mahomes has gone 4-1 head-to-head in opposition to Jackson, together with a 17-10 victory within the AFC Championship sport at M&T Financial institution Stadium final season.
Jackson and the Ravens need to present the remainder of the nation that they’re the primary risk to the Chiefs’ title protection. A loss could possibly be devastating to the Ravens’ confidence, and so they might spend the remainder of the season within the shadow of the Chiefs… as soon as once more.
“I don’t take something from [Mahomes], I simply play my sport,” Jackson said after practice this week. “However he’s an important quarterback. I’m going to say that. He’s an important quarterback. He has the accolades to show it, and he’s made issues occur on the sphere that makes his staff profitable.”
Jackson promised that he would ship a Tremendous Bowl title to the Ravens moments after the staff chosen him with the thirty second general choose within the 2018 NFL Draft. He has but to ship on that pledge, which has added extra gas to his critics.
In the meantime, Mahomes has led the Chiefs to 3 Tremendous Bowl titles since 2018. He was additionally named MVP in all three of these video games.
In consequence, he has little to show.
Jackson has 58-19 because the starter through the common season and has additionally led the Ravens to the playoffs 5 occasions. Nevertheless, he has gone simply 2-4 within the postseason, throwing for 1,324 yards with 6 touchdowns and 6 interceptions for a 75.7 score.
Jackson is not going to be judged on whether or not he wins a championship.
Mahomes, who’s getting into his eighth yr within the NFL, is already a shoe-in for the NFL Corridor of Fame when he retires. He’s one among three gamers in NFL historical past, becoming a member of Tom Brady and Joe Montana, to have three Tremendous Bowl victories and two MVP awards.
Final yr, Mahomes threw for 4,183 yards and 27 touchdowns. The Chiefs had playoff victories over the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Payments, and top-seeded Ravens en path to a second consecutive Tremendous Bowl victory.
The Chiefs are the favorites to win one other Tremendous Bowl this season, adopted by the 49ers, Ravens, and Detroit Lions.
No staff in NFL historical past has gained three straight Tremendous Bowls.
The championships have added pressure as a result of Mahomes doesn’t need to relinquish being the NFL’s finest staff.
“When you win the Tremendous Bowl, I really feel like, even to a different excessive, whenever you don’t win it, it sucks much more since you expertise the offseason of with the ability to say you’re the champ and with the ability to expertise the entire issues and actions as a result of you’re a Tremendous Bowl champ,” Mahomes mentioned at a press convention on the opening of Chiefs’ coaching camp. “You expertise the sensation of simply successful the Tremendous Bowl.”
The sport in opposition to the Ravens is huge for Mahomes and the Chiefs, who will unveil one other Tremendous Bowl banner earlier than the sport.
The Kansas Metropolis gamers definitely need to win their opener for the followers, however even when the Chiefs lose, they know they’ve the expertise and depth to compete for a 3rd consecutive title.
