all right so either way back to the game which I'm pumped about that gave me chills the opening right there it does I I'm I'm a kid in the candy store when it when it comes to NFL opening day Thursday night the kickoff game whatever I I just the excitement as we always talk about like back in the Northeast the smell in the air I can kind of smell fall around the corner I'm really excited for it and yeah like you said how could you not be pumped for this game the NFL gets the right matchup they got the right matchup last year with the Lions comeing to town right all the hype around them we were a little worried like do the Lions know what they're doing this is different this is Ravens trying to get payback saying they don't want payback but also it's the Chiefs going we know the Ravens want to come here and get payback the Chiefs played their their players in the first two preseason games they know what what's coming in they know what they're in store for here they know the Ravens want to make a m make a a splash here to start the 2024 season right so that's what I'm excited about tonight and then we know both teams are kind of chippy to begin with anyways when it's even not the Ravens of the Chiefs they don't back down from anybody and we heard you know we've heard through this whole process hey training camp it wasn't hard to motivate players because hey we're playing the Chiefs we're playing the Ravens right so to see that on the schedule and you know you're you're going to get your players to work and be ready to go uh from that sense and that's where I'm excited for the game tonight and one thing that we won't see tonight I assume is only eight carries for running backs for the Baltimore Ravens I I mean I hope not right I mean we we were kind of discussing that a little yesterday when we were over at the stadium that's got to change you know yes we know Lamar Jackson's great and all that we had times during the year last year now I think we let them off the hook to a degree because they were winning football games and still really good but I know on my podcast and sitting here with you in certain mornings we're still going man I wish they would run the ball just a little bit more it'll be good for them you know that's when they're at their best when people start to creep up and get closer to the line of scrimmage you have to worry about that then Lamar gets on the outside or they get the favorable matchups in the pass game but that was the story of the AFC Championship game right the big bad Ravens versus oh the Chiefs and momes and they throw the ball and it was the opposite of that it was the big bad Chiefs and the Ravens were the ones that tried to throw the ball and do all that that'll be one of the interesting things of the night because they got three new offensive line starters right with the Baltimore Ravens and then yes did they get the memo that you're at your best when the threat of the Run game withar and Jackson and your big powerful offensive line can dominate a football game and then we don't make it all about Lamar Jackson and Todd monin and all passing stats and all of that and that's what I want to see and they got Derrick Henry and of course that's what we all want to see and I think I hope there are more balanced offense this year last year it seemed like they were trying to prove a point right I know you used to say that seemed like they were trying to prove like hey look at what we paid Lamar hey look we drafted this receiver hey we signed this free agent they were going to make the pass game thing work no matter what Lamar said he wanted to throw for 6,000 that's right it came back to bite him in the ass in the biggest game of the year and uh and we know the rest the rest is history and now having Derrik Henry yeah obviously they will run the ball more I do wonder and mil Simmons and I talked about this yesterday how much gas is in the tank for a running back who is 30 had a lot of carries had a lot of carries at Alabama that's the knock on the Alabama tailbacks they come into the NFL more worn and torn than other running backs do and at what point are you just not the guy anymore at what point do you just not muster the same strength the same explosion if he still got it that's a problem can you imagine Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson powering that running game and their Prime is scary right that that's for sure now you know Lamar is he in his prime running ability as we know it or what we've seen throughout his career no I don't think he's that I think we've said like we think maybe Justin Fields is a better runner at quarterback now J Danel is probably going J J going to challenge him exactly right but we still know Lamar is extremely dangerous and I think it goes the same way for Derk Henry do I think he lost a step compared to the prime of his career absolutely you know I I do see that but still effective and big and still has good feet and then what we saw last year is okay maybe not quite as explosive as he used to be but when he gets going he gets in the open field he can still open up and pull away from people and that is going to be the big thing tonight yeah and that he's going to be in the shotgun more in the Lamar Jackson offense so maybe not coming downhill in the eye formation quite as much as he was in Tennessee but uh I am excited to see them unveil some new tricks and uh see the the the game unfold in front of us tonight which with two teams that we know get a lot of Pride hi it's Mike Florio thanks for watching PFT on YouTube hit subscribe for the latest news and Analysis from pro football talk