Jamison Hensley
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — When Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson performs at Kansas Metropolis on Sunday, he'll go to the one place within the NFL the place he is solely felt defeat a number of occasions.
However Jackson would not really feel any additional motivation heading into Arrowhead Stadium, the place he has a profession 0-3 document.
“It is prior to now,” Jackson stated. “You'll be able to't convey what occurred again every time to this 12 months. We have simply should lock in on what's forward proper now.”
The main focus for the Ravens (1-2) is avoiding their worst begin in a decade, though they will have to beat their Arrowhead hurdle to take action.
Jackson's first loss as an NFL beginning quarterback occurred in Kansas Metropolis in 2018, when a sack knocked him out of extra time with an ankle harm. Robert Griffin III threw two incompletions to finish a 27-24 loss.
A 12 months later at Arrowhead, Jackson scored on a 9-yard run that obtained Baltimore inside one rating within the fourth quarter, however the Ravens have been foiled by three failed 2-point conversions in a 33-28 setback.
Then, in final season's opener in Kansas Metropolis, Jackson thought he had tied the rating with no time remaining however the 10-yard landing move to Isaiah Probably was overturned by replay. It was dominated that Probably's toe landed on the tip line, which closed out a 27-20 defeat.
Jackson solely has dropping information in two different NFL stadiums, Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium (1-3) and Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium (0-1). Nonetheless, he insists that getting the elusive victory in Kansas Metropolis will not affect Sunday's sport (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS).
“Like I all the time say, every week, I'll be motivated regardless of who the opponent is, regardless of the place it's,” Jackson stated. “I am simply making an attempt to win. I am already motivated.”
The Ravens received of their first three journeys to Kansas Metropolis, together with a 30-7 wild-card win in 2010. However Baltimore hasn't received at Arrowhead because the Chiefs drafted quarterback Patrick Mahomes within the first spherical in 2017.
Mahomes has thrown six touchdowns and two interceptions in three wins over Baltimore in Kansas Metropolis, main the Chiefs to a mean of 29 factors per sport.
“I feel one factor we touched on was simply staying in your toes when he pump fakes,” Ravens outdoors linebacker Odafe Oweh stated of Mahomes. “After which while you get there, attempt to hit him legally, as legally as you'll be able to in immediately's NFL. We've to respect his playmaking capability. He does lots of issues the place he is operating out of bounds, and he is making an attempt to [make contact with] guys. So, we've got to be good, however on the identical time present him that we're not scared to hit him.”
The Chiefs (1-2) and Mahomes have struggled with out gamers similar to broad receivers Rashee Rice (suspended) and Xavier Worthy, who has missed the previous two video games with a shoulder harm. Mahomes' 669 yards passing are his second fewest by the primary three video games since turning into the full-time starter in 2018.
However Mahomes has been close to good in his matchups with Jackson. He has crushed Jackson in 5 of six conferences, which is tied for the fourth-best win proportion (.833) in matchups between NFL quarterbacks who've received MVPs.
“He is the identical quarterback to me … he is the identical drawback,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh stated of Mahomes. “If you attempt to defend him, it is the identical points. He is simply able to making unbelievable performs, and we will should take care of it.”
Since Jackson and Mahomes grew to become beginning quarterbacks in 2018, it has been both the Ravens or the Chiefs because the AFC's No. 1 seed for six of the previous seven seasons. The Chiefs have been the highest seed 4 occasions (2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024) and the Ravens twice (2019 and 2023).
After Sunday, barring a tie, the Ravens or the Chiefs will fall to 1-3. Within the Tremendous Bowl period, solely 11% of groups that begin 1-3 have gone on to make the playoffs, in response to ESPN Analysis. The final time Baltimore started 1-3 was 2015, and the Ravens failed to achieve the postseason.
“You reside for large video games like that,” Ravens operating again Derrick Henry stated. “As a child, you need to play in environments like that.”
