Chiefs vs. Ravens matchups: Which team has edge at each position in Patrick Mahomes vs. Lamar Jackson battle?

One of the most anticipated AFC showdowns of the 2025 NFL season is finally here with two-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson's Baltimore Ravens (1-2) heading to Arrowhead to face Patrick Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs (1-2). 

The last time these two teams met back in Week 1 of the 2024 season, the football world experienced an instant classic. Kansas City barely survived 27-20 after a Ravens touchdown pass from Jackson to tight end Isaiah Likely was overturned upon replay review as time expired. 

We're analyzing the sixth matchup between Jackson and Mahomes from nearly every conceivable angle here at CBSSports.com, and one of those ways is with our tale-of-the-tape-style breakdown. This will highlight which team has the advantage at each and every position group. Without further ado, dive in. 

Sunday's game can be seen on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ at 4:25 p.m. EST. The NFL Today crew will be live in Kansas City.

Quarterback

Any time there's a debate between who is better between a couple of quarterbacks and Mahomes is one of the options, typically the answer is automatically Mahomes. He is a two-time NFL MVP and a three-time Super Bowl MVP. It's understandable. 

However, both his play thus far in 2025 and Jackson's play thus far in 2025 have opened the door to a different conclusion entering Week 4. Mahomes produced the worst completion (59%), yards per pass attempt (6.4) and fewest passing touchdowns (3) through three games in his career. His inaccuracy has led to 22 off-target incompletions this season, the most in NFL and most in a three-game span in career according to Pro Football Focus. That's why the Chiefs are averaging their fewest points per game (20.0), total yards per game (315.7) and yards/play (5.2) through three games since 2018, Mahomes' first season as a full-time starter.

On the flip side, Jackson is thriving. The Ravens have the No. 1 scoring offense in the NFL (37.0 points per game, the most through three games by a team with a losing record in NFL history. Jackson has nine touchdown passes and zero interceptions, which is a strong reason why he tied 2007 Tom Brady, that season's MVP after leading New England to a perfect 16-0 regular season, for the highest passer rating in a season's first three games (141.8) in NFL history. 

Right now, Jackson is playing the best football of any quarterback in the league. 

Advantage: Ravens

Running back

How bad is the Chiefs run game through three games? Mahomes is Kansas City's leading rusher with 125 yards, his most through three games in his career. Chiefs running backs have combined for 188 rushing yards, 29th in the NFL, and 224 scrimmage yards, 30th in the NFL. 

Baltimore still has ageless wonder Derrick Henry. His 242 yards rushing this season were the fourth-most in the NFL entering Week 4, his 5.9 yards per carry average ranked as the third-most entering Week 4 and his three rushing touchdowns were tied for the third-most in the league entering Week 4. Henry is also the NFL's active leading rusher with 11,665 career rushing yards, and with 109 rushing touchdowns, he is one touchdown away from tying Hall of Famer Walter Payton for the fifth-most in NFL history. This is the most lopsided position in this preview.  

Advantage: Ravens

Pass catchers

The Chiefs haven't been able to field a healthy wide receiver trio this season with Rashee Rice (suspended for six games), Xavier Worthy (injured shoulder in Week 1) and rookie fourth-round pick Jalen Royals (knee tendinitis) all struggling to remain available for Kansas City. Marquise Brown (171 yards receiving on 19 catches), Tyquan Thornton (171 yards receiving and two touchdowns on nine catches) and Travis Kelce (134 yards receiving and a touchdown on 10 catches). Brown hasn't caught a touchdown since 2023, going 11 consecutive games played without a receiving touchdown. Kelce is averaging a career-low 8.5 yards per catch at the age of 35, and he'll turn 36 on Oct. 5. 

Baltimore's trio of Zay Flowers (231 yards receiving and a touchdown on 16 catches). DeAndre Hopkins (112 yards receiving and two touchdowns on five catches) and tight end Mark Andrews (98 yards receiving and two touchdowns on eight receptions) simply have more juice at the moment. Hopkins has been a big play machine early on. Flowers has the most catches (151) and receiving yards (1,917) in a player's first two seasons in Ravens history, and Andrews' career-high 11 receiving touchdowns last season led all tight ends in 2024. 

Advantage: Ravens

Offensive line

The Chiefs have been league average in pass protection (36.8% quarterback pressure rate allowed, 17th in the NFL) while the Ravens have been the league's sixth-worst team in pass protection (41.9% quarterback pressure rate allowed, sixth-worst in the NFL). It's rough when an NFL offensive line can't protect Jackson of all people. 

Advantage: Chiefs

Defensive line

Two-time Ravens Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike didn't play in Week 3 with a neck injury. Six-time Pro Bowl selection Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones leads the position in both sacks (41.0) and quarterback pressures (302)  the past five seasons. As a whole, the Chiefs have been a top 10 pass rush, generating a 44.2% quarterback pressure rate (sixth-best in the NFL). The Ravens have been below average with a 33.6% quarterback pressure rate, 20th in the NFL. 

Advantage: Chiefs

Linebackers

Ravens All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith is the best singular linebacker talent in this matchup. He took a fumble return 63 yards to the house in a Week 2 win against the Cleveland Browns, he has four consecutive seasons with 150 or more tackles (the longest streak in the 21st century) and he's been a first team All-Pro in each of the last three years. 

However, Kansas City has two linebacker currently graded higher than him (69.6 Pro Football Focus defensive grade, 23rd among linebackers) overall based on the on-field product in 2025: Leo Chenal (17.9 PFF defensive grade, 18th among linebackers) and Drue Tranquill (81.4 PFF defensive grade, 13th among linebackers). 

Advantage: Chiefs

Secondary

The Ravens might have the best defensive back in football in All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton. He is the first defensive back since Kerry Rhodes (2005-2007) with 250 or more tackles, five or more sacks and five or more interceptions in his first three seasons. Hamilton can do it all. Baltimore's No. 1 cornerback Marlon Humphrey is fresh off a 2024 first team All-Pro selection after hauling in a career-high six interceptions last season. 

However, Baltimore's secondary (266.0 passing yards per game allowed, 31st in the NFL) hasn't played nearly as strong, cohesive ball as Kansas City (183.0 passing yards per game allowed, 10th in the NFL). Led by 2024 second team All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, the Chiefs have the edge here. 

Advantage: Chiefs

Specialists

The NFL is very much a what have you done for me lately league. Yes, Chiefs three-time Super Bowl champion kicker Harrison Butker's 88.2% career field goal percentage is the fourth-best in NFL history. However, Butker hasn't played his typical level of football through three games this season. He's already missed two field goals (seven for nine) and two extra points (three for five).

Yes, his Ravens counterpart, 2025 sixth-round pick Tyler Loop, is a rookie. However, he is a perfect five for five on field goals, and he is 12 for 13 on extra points. Give the rookie the edge here. 

Advantage: Ravens

Overall edge: Ravens and Chiefs tied at four each

The Ravens are currently 2.5-point road favorites, according to FanDuel, because of Jackson's historic start. When you have a quarterback playing comparable to 2007 Tom Brady, which Jackson is with an identical 141.8 passer rating through three games, that means your team is better off. Baltimore should enter Week 4 expecting to walk out of Arrowhead a winner.