Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce face terrible start: Joe Burrow to be second threat for Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl defense will already be put under serious stress at the start of the NFL season as they open against the Baltimore Ravens before immediately facing the Cincinnati Bengals.

That will be the second season in a row the Chiefs have faced a tough opponent as they began their 2023/34 season with a loss against the Detroit Lions before just about crawling through to the postseason after rough regular season.

Now Patrick Mahomes will have to be more productive than Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow in the opening two rounds if he seeks to get the Chiefs on the roll with decent momentum.

MARCA.com expects that Burrow will return to the starting line-up, after missing much of last year’s season with a wrist injury that knocked him out of the Bengals’ ring contention.

It’s bad news for Mahomes, as Burrow in recent years has been his top foe and the Bengals’ QB leads their head-to-head 3-1 including regular season and postseason. They will do battle on Sunday, September 15 at 16:25 ET, aired via CBS.

The 28-year-old three-time Super Bowl champion has faced off against both the Bengals and Ravens in the AFC Conference Championship and has beaten both, although Burrow did beat him in the 2021/22 season.

Mahomes starts without Rice

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Mahomes could be without one of his key wide receivers as Rashee Rice is currently facing a multi-game suspension, as per Adam Schefter, for his role in a Dallas car accident. The 24-year-old had been speeding through the city street racing, before crashing and injuring two people.

He then fled the scene before he turned himself in and he is now facing eight felony charges and an $11 million dollar lawsuit. He does not deny his role in the crash, but at the moment demands proof of injury to those suing him and has asked for the case to be dismissed.

In his place, it’s expected that Marquise “Hollywood” Brown could pick up the volume whilst Louis Rees-Zammit could also star in specialist roles. Mahomes will also be able to throw to Travis Kelce, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Isiah Pacheco and Kadarius Toney.