the nville season kicks off tonight Stephen how excited are you I'm very excited we have an epic game we've got a rematch of last season's AFC Championship game when Lamar Jackson and the Ravens will look to avenge their loss against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in Arrowhead on their quest for the three Peak all right Dan you're back uh let's break down this game Dan who do you have winning tonight I have Kansas City winning I think if you go back to the start of last season Detroit goes down without Travis Kelce and Chris Jones playing that game and it wasn't shocking that they went and won they obviously had some opportunistic plays and I think Kansas City is a better football team certainly at the from in comparison to the start of last season Xavier Worthy is he ready to step forward and become and feel that Tyreek Hill type of mold not that he's going to be that same player but this team since Tyreek has been there or since he left they've been dying for Speed and it's a lot of pressure for rookie receiver to step in but that's exactly what he specializes in and I think with a lot of the newness of Baltimore new defensive coordinator the loss of Patrick Queen three new offensive linemen they're going to have to figure out their way through a little bit of this season I think it'll be a great football game but because of the the speed on the Kansas City offense I think that they're the better team in show tonight Chiefs only favored by the way by two and a half that's right it's I think it's going to be a tight game but Dan olowski just is in the side I don't know if you noticed I met Xavier worthy as well um he was show he showed up on the Stephen A Smith show as well Dan Dani has been on the St have you been on I just I just want to throw that you been have you been on the Ste show I've been on the Stephen A Smith a couple times that's right has a couple times there we go there we go gu no big deal no problem no problem reoccurring guest the brother's special he's got skills uh but I think tonight I think Baltimore needs to make a statement and I you know it's it's just of those things like obviously the reigning two-time defending Super Bowl champions are no joke led by Patrick Mahomes and I don't blame anybody for favoring them to win this game but I've seen Baltimore respond to challenges on the road before I've seen Lamar Jackson do it before and to have that Bell C in the back field Derrik Henry you know at your disposal now I don't think their defense is going to slip I think offensively they'll be a bit more potent I think they'll have the capability to chew up yards and keep a guy like Patrick Mahomes off the field a little bit more than usual I think the combination of all of those things combined with this being the first game of the season fresh off a loss in the AFC Championship game I'm thinking the Ravens are going to answer the call it's going to be a thriller it's going to be tight but I think the Ravens are going to win the night okay it's really close uh I I have trouble with this one and the Ravens are my number two team in the AFC but I'm taking the Chiefs tonight for some of the reasons that Dan outlined the Ravens are a little bit more of a team in transition with the new defensive coordinator all the new starters on the offensive line where the Chiefs really didn't lose anyone outside of lerus need I also want to see how Lamar Jackson performs against Steve spagnolo in particular and some of the blitzes he threw his way in the AFC Championship he struggled against I am so confident in this Ravens offense and if this was played in December I might pick the Ravens but week one just because of that uncertainty I'm going with how do y'all feel about or as a defensive coordinator you talked about that they're being a change there what kind of transition how transition how tough of a a transition is that for Baltimore in y estimation he was their choice Dan like the Baltimore defensive staff was pillaged last year coaches across the league Mike McDonald in Seattle Anthony Weber dard Wilson everything I've heard from people inside that building is they love Zack or he they viewed him as the future of the organization that gives me confidence in them because they are a team that has consistently picked right when it comes to coaches yeah I would say this one he's been there I think for a decade as well so you're you're not only schematically Stephen A Mina and Molly like there's not going to be a transition just culture every day this is how we go about it candidly I don't remember the last time a defensive coach was at Baltimore or left Baltimore and wasn't good I I I think that they just take defensive coaches and no matter where they go they have success so I think the loss of Patrick Queen's probably a little bit bigger of a deal and then I'd say this Stephen A specifically tonight in MK you know this Kansas City's starting a rookie at left tackle a a rookie now that's a lot of pressure I understand Andy Reid help him and it's even more because the style of Patrick can somebody on Baltimore become a a legit Edge pass rusher DAV col he not there he was so good can always step forward that's going to be a huge part for tonight in Baltimore's def you both bring up interesting angles uh to watch for in the game I'm curious Mina when we look at Mahomes obviously going for the 3p and I mentioned it earlier it's kind of like Mana boys right Mahomes and then and then everybody else I don't mean that disrespectfully but he's in his own tier yeah exactly who do you think is his biggest rival so is it Joe burrow if you're asking me who is his biggest rival based on how he's performed head-to-head all of that you you're GNA Go With Joe burrow but I have been steady on this if you're asking me who I personally am taking to win one game now it's Josh Allen who has been a better quarterback than Joe burrow now for the last years and statistically he's been better than H with three years he has also been better than him in the playoffs and actually head-to-head against the Kansas City Chiefs if you look at their stats he has been better he's been the best quarterback against the Chiefs Joe bro's got obviously that those playoff wins the regular season wins some of those I do put on the feet of the defense particularly on that Super Bowl run Josh Allen to me is such a dynamic weapon and he's just so hard to scheme against he is the second best quarterback in the NFL right now all right Dan we got Kevin Hart waiting I'm going to let you and Stephen A and oh we got some good games this week as the NFL kicks off tonight the Ravens and Chiefs will Mark the fourth time since 2004 that there's a conference Championship rematch in week one in two of the three previous instances the team that won the conference Championship went on to win the rematch tomorrow we head to South America as the Packers and Eagles uh head-to-head in the first NFL game in Brazil this game will be the eighth International game to feature two playoff teams from the previous season and Monday night ESPN football kicks off with Aaron Rogers and the Jets heading west to take on the San Francisco 49ers that's a real test for Rogers this is the first season opener meeting between the two teams since 1998 okay it's time to win you some money it's Thursday so that means we have our guy Joe for andb joining us Joey how we doing how we feeling not good my grandmother my mother America have gotten used to Joe foron ball Thursday's First Take 11:15 a.m. I'm getting bumped for Kevin Hart today does that man not have enough does that man not have enough wow I'm kind of wondering I'm kind of wondering why he getting up so early himself to I I think it's I think it's purposely to get on my damn nerves cuz that's what he likes to do okay that's what he likes to do if I'm going to be okay having my segment moved it's going to be for a guy like Kevin Hart come on it's a Lester that's not really a dis at all we'd all get moved I mean Stephen A thinks he wouldn't but we'd all get moved I want to show [Music] [Music] you fore [Music] [Music] spe for for spee fore speech for for for for spee for [Music] [Music] [Music] see [Music] bye for for for for