Lamar Jackson gives Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes more bulletin-board material

Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens were the last line of defense between the Kansas City Chiefs and another Super Bowl appearance last season. Despite some inspiring play, the Ravens ultimately fell short of expectations at home. The Chiefs went on to win their second straight Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers.

While Jackson won't admit it, there is bound to be some extra motivation heading into their season-opening matchup against the Chiefs. One game won't decide either teams' 2024 campaign, but it will help Baltimore or Kansas City get off to a desirable start and send an early message to their AFC rival. Jackson doesn't buy it.

"I really don't care who we play; it really didn't matter," Jackson said (via a transcript from the Ravens). "At the end of the day, our goal is to make it to the Super Bowl."

By now, Jackson is used to regular-season success. He's won an MVP, but frequently come up short in the postseason. That's what really matters, and he admitted as much at OTAs.

Lamar Jackson's comments are right, but still give Chiefs bulletin-board material

"We lost to them in the playoffs. Just us beating them in the regular season doesn't really do anything; it just helps us keep stacking up wins to hopefully make it to the playoffs if anything to try to get in that same position again and hopefully be successful," Jackson said. "It really doesn't matter who we play [in the] first game; obviously it's the Chiefs, but I really didn't care."

As Jackson properly points out, winning the first game of the regular season doesn't guarantee postseason success. The last two Super Bowl champions prior lost the first game of the next season. The Chiefs found this out the hard way by dropping a Week 1 game to the Lions in 2023. The Rams lost to the Bills to open the 2022 campaign.

If history does repeat itself, it doesn't mean all that much. By now, though, the Chiefs are used to having a target on their backs. For Jackson to suggest facing the back-to-back champions doesn't mean more than any other game is...bold, even if technically true.