The Baltimore Ravens will open their 2024 NFL season this Thursday with a high-stakes matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, a game that promises to echo last season’s dramatic AFC Championship Game. However, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is steering clear of framing the game as a “revenge” opportunity.

“Any game I play in, I feel like it’s a revenge game,” Jackson said in a statement on the team’s official website. “I’m not just going to look at this game like a revenge game. Anybody we play, no matter if we’ve beaten them or lost to them in previous years, I just want to win.”

Jackson’s perspective is grounded in reality, as he has struggled historically against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, holding a 1-4 record in their encounters. Last year’s AFC Championship Game was particularly tough for Jackson. Despite moving the ball effectively, he was plagued by three turnovers—two of which were his own—leading to a narrow 17-10 defeat in Baltimore.

Looking ahead, Jackson understands the importance of starting the season strong. “We have to win regular season games [in order] to get to January,” he noted. “We can’t just go into the season and go 5-12, because then we’re not going to be in the playoffs. Playoffs are on our mind, but at the same time, we have to win this game that’s ahead of us.”

Jackson’s focus is firmly on the present, with an emphasis on taking things one game at a time. After a long offseason, training camp, and preseason, he’s eager to face a different opponent. “I’m ready to go. I’ve been going against my guys for weeks,” he said. “It’s time to go against somebody else.”

The Ravens will face the same team that thwarted their Super Bowl aspirations last season, setting the stage for a highly anticipated opener in Kansas City.