KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (0-0)
AT
BALTIMORE RAVENS (0-0)

REGULAR SEASON GAME #1
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2009 – 12:00 PM (CENTRAL)
M&T BANK STADIUM – BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Chiefs Television Network - KCTV-5 (CBS in Kansas City) - Play-by-play: Ian Eagle - Color Commentator: Rich Gannon

Chiefs FOX Football Radio Network - KCFX-FM (101.1 FM in Kansas City - Affiliates) - Play-by-play: Mitch Holthus - Color Commentator: Len Dawson - Sideline Reporter: Kendall Gammon

THE MATCH-UP
Kansas City visits Baltimore on Opening Day for the fi rst time in 30 years as the Chiefs commence their 50th anniversary season on Sunday. The Chiefs will visit M&T Bank Stadium, a site where Kansas City owns a pristine 3-0 regular season mark. With 21 new players on the roster, the Chiefs boast a discernably different look this season under General Manager Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley.

Pioli is a four-time winner of NFL Executive of the Year honors and helped New England win three Super Bowl titles and claim four AFC titles over the past nine seasons with the Patriots. Haley helped guide the Arizona Cardinals to a berth in Super Bowl XLIII as that club’s offensive coordinator a year ago. He will be seeking to become the fi rst Chiefs coach to win his debut with the club since Frank Gansz accomplished the feat with a 20-13 win vs. San Diego (9/13/87). The Chiefs are seeking to snap a three-game Opening Day losing streak as Haley attempts to guide Kansas City to a 1-0 start for the fi rst time since 2005.

Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh set the bar for rookie head coaches a year ago, leading Baltimore to an 11-5 regular season record and a berth in the AFC Championship Game. Even more impressive was the fact that the Ravens accomplished that feat utilizing rookie QB Joe Flacco, who started all 19 regular and postseason contests for the club. Meanwhile, Baltimore lived up to its high defensive standards in 2008, ranking second in the league in total defense (261.1 ypg).

Among the many new faces on the fi eld for the Chiefs in 2009 is QB Matt Cassel, who was acquired in an off-season trade with New England along with Pro Bowl LB Mike Vrabel. Seven-time Pro Bowl LB Zach Thomas has also joined Kansas City in 2009. Two-time Pro Bowl RB Larry Johnson and four-time Pro Bowl G Brian Waters headline a group of returning players for Kansas City. Next week the Chiefs return to Arrowhead for their home opener vs. Oakland (9/20), while Baltimore travels to San Diego (9/20).

THE SERIES
Kansas City is 3-1 in regular season play against Baltimore. The Ravens registered a 20-10 victory in the most recent meeting between the two squads at Arrowhead (12/10/06), snapping a streak of 18 consecutive December home wins by the Chiefs. Kansas City is a perfect 3-0 vs. the Ravens on the road, making the Chiefs the only NFL team to visit M&T Bank Stadium at least three times without suffering a loss.

After posting an uncharacteristic 0-3 record to start the 2004 campaign, the Chiefs got their initial win of that season with a 27-24 victory on Monday Night Football at Baltimore (10/4/04). RB Priest Holmes racked up 125 rushing yards and a pair of TDs against his former club, while the Kansas City defense sacked QB Kyle Boller 4.0 times and limited the Ravens to 207 yards of total offense.

WR Dante Hall became the fi rst player in NFL history to record a kickoff or punt return TD in three consecutive games as he returned a kickoff for a 97-yard TD with 5:27 left to play to give the Chiefs a 17-10 triumph at Baltimore (9/26/03), a contest that marked the 100th career victory of Dick Vermeil’s NFL coaching tenure.

Head coach Gunther Cunningham guided the Chiefs to their inaugural victory against the Ravens, leading Kansas City to a 35-8 win in a Thursday night contest at Baltimore (10/21/99). Kansas City picked off Ravens QB Stoney Case three times, returning two of those INTs for TDs. Meanwhile TE Tony Gonzalez added scoring receptions of 11 and 22 yards.

The Chiefs have won their last four visits to Baltimore dating back to a 14-0 win on Opening Day vs. the Colts (9/2/79). RB Ted McKnight provided the only points in that contest with one-yard and 70-yard TD runs. Kansas City also claimed a victory in the second-ever telecast of Monday Night Football with a 44-24 win at Baltimore (9/28/70) against the defending World Champion Colts. KC forced seven turnovers on the evening, including three INTs by S Johnny Robinson. Kansas City’s last setback in Baltimore was a 17-6 setback at Memorial Stadium (10/16/77).

Complete 16 page release (PDF)