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🏈 Good morning to everybody, however particularly to …

THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS, THE BALTIMORE RAVENS AND NFL FANS EVERYWHERE

IT’S BAAAAAACK! The NFL season kicks off tonight in grand style with the two-time reigning Tremendous Bowl champion Chiefs internet hosting the Ravens. It is simply the second season opener that encompasses a quarterback battle between the reigning Tremendous Bowl MVP (Patrick Mahomes) and the reigning NFL MVP (Lamar Jackson). The opposite? Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning in 2004. Not unhealthy firm!

It is an awesome alternative for each groups to make an early assertion. The Ravens can get a small measure of revenge for final yr’s AFC Championship Sport loss. The Chiefs can proceed to say their dominance. To me, these three questions stand out for Baltimore:

• Can Jackson be even higher in his second yr in Todd Monken‘s offense and in his first yr with Derrick Henry as his operating again?
• Or does an offensive line filled with query marks trigger bother for Jackson, who can battle when he is pressured?
• How does the protection look below new coordinator Zachary Orr?

On the Kansas Metropolis facet …

• What enjoyable plans do Mahomes and Andy Reid have for quick rookie Xavier Worthy and rising standout Rashee Rice?
• Is rookie Kingsley Suamataia prepared to guard Mahomes’ blindside?
• Apart from Trent McDuffie, who steps up at cornerback with L’Jarius Sneed gone?

Give me Chiefs 23, Ravens 20.

Soccer season is right here, and we all know you’ve got acquired a lot on the road this season. So we’re right here to assist: CBSSports.com has full breakdowns, grades and rankings of each sports activities guide and a take a look at all the perfect presents for brand spanking new signups.

👍 Honorable mentions

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 NFL season preview: Particular person award picks; AFC, NFC projections

We talked Tremendous Bowl picks — and plenty of different stuff — in yesterday’s publication. At the moment, we’re specializing in the particular person awards. Our NFL employees made its greatest bets for particular person accolades, and I like this long-shot MVP name from Garrett Podell.

• Podell: “Jordan Love (+1400) — Love threw the second-most landing passes in soccer in 2023 (32) regardless of actually solely discovering his groove within the second half of the season. That is when he locked in for an NFL-best touchdown-to-interception ratio of 18-1 from Weeks 11-18 en path to main the Packers again to the postseason. His development together with the NFL’s youngest group of pass-catchers and the addition of 26-year-old, 2022 NFL dashing champion Josh Jacobs lifts Love’s play to better heights.”

There are certain to be tight races up and down the poll, and I am intrigued by Defensive Rookie of the 12 months after offense dominated the highest of the draft. My choose? Let’s go for Nate Wiggins (+3500) in Baltimore as a sleeper. You’ll be able to see all of our picks right here.

You’ll be able to’t discuss people with out speaking quarterbacks. They make the world go ‘spherical. As such, this is the highest 5 in Cody Benjamin’s season-opening QB Energy Rankings.

1. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
2. Josh Allen, Payments
3. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
4. Joe Burrow, Bengals
5. C.J. Stroud, Texans

Sure, it is all AFC quarterbacks on the prime. And in our AFC skilled picks, our views of Allen’s Payments are very similar to Allen himself: might be superior, might be … not superior. Buffalo acquired votes for the AFC’s most overrated and most underrated staff.

• Jordan Dajani: “Buffalo misplaced a number of starters on the defensive facet of the ball this offseason, and star linebacker Matt Milano is anticipated to overlook vital time attributable to harm. The Payments additionally moved on from their prime two wideouts, changing them with query marks reminiscent of Curtis Samuel and rookie Keon Coleman.”
• Jared Dubin: “Why precisely am I purported to consider the Payments are going to fall off after they’ve received eleven-plus video games yearly since Josh Allen’s breakout? They’re nonetheless both second or third within the AFC pecking order, to me.”

This is the NFC facet of issues, and this is extra information:

⚾ Cubs throw mixed no-hitter behind Shota Imanaga’s dominant begin

The Cubs have carried out it once more. Behind seven fantastic innings from Shota Imanaga and an inning every from relievers Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge, the Cubs threw the 18th no-hitter in franchise historical past in a 12-0 win over the Pirates.

• Solely the Dodgers (26) and White Sox (20) have extra no-hitters in MLB historical past. Solely the Astros (six) have greater than the Cubs’ 5 no-nos over the previous 10 years. In some way, although, it is the Cubs’ first no-hitter at Wrigley Area since 1972.
• Imanaga was very good, putting out seven and strolling two on 95 pitches. It is value questioning if he may have gone all the best way with out three Isaac Paredes errors, together with two within the sixth inning.
• It is the twenty first mixed no-hitter in MLB historical past and the second by the Cubs. Their most up-to-date was a mixed one in 2021.
• It is the fourth no-hitter throughout MLB this season, becoming a member of the Astros’ Ronel Blanco, the Padres‘ Dylan Stop and the Giants‘ Blake Snell.

🏈 New CBS Sports activities 134, QB Energy Rankings

Now that everybody has performed, now we have a brand new CBS Sports activities 134 — the place we rank each single FBS staff — and whereas Georgia stays No. 1, it is now unanimous. This is the highest 5.

1. Georgia (earlier: 1)
2. Ohio State (2)
3. Texas (4)
4. Alabama (5)
5. Notre Dame (8)

As for the greatest riser, how ’bout them Commodores?!

• Chip Patterson: “No. 45 Vanderbilt (+46): The CBS Sports activities 134 voters had been method too low on Vanderbilt and have been fast to behave within the wake of the Commodores’ additional time win towards Virginia Tech. The Diego Pavia period is off a operating for a staff that merely had extra juice out of the gate earlier than holding off the Hokies after they made their eventual cost. Now inside the highest 50, Vanderbilt eyes the chances of a brand new ceiling in what could possibly be an enormous step ahead for Clark Lea and his employees.”

Clemson and Florida State, predictably, are transferring within the improper course, and so they’re even in our Backside 25.

We even have up to date QB Energy Rankings, the place, identical to groups, Georgia (Carson Beck) is No. 1. There was an enormous leap proper behind him, although: Miami‘s Cam Ward is all the best way as much as No. 2 after getting into the season unranked.

This is extra …

📺 What we’re watching Thursday

🎾 We’re watching the US Open. This is how.
🏀 Storm at Liberty, 7 p.m. on Prime Video
🏀 Mystics at Mercury, 7 p.m. on Prime Video
🏈 Ravens at Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. on NBC