The Baltimore Ravens were the best team in the NFL during the last regular season. They are one of the few teams that, in theory, can compete with the Kansas City Chiefs.
If we meet again in the AFC Championship game, no one should complain.
Thursday night brought us a thrilling first game of the NFL regular season. The Ravens had a chance to win it at the end. Lamar Jackson, looking leaner and faster, made the plays as usual. He racked up 100 rushing yards for the 14th time, which is a record for a quarterback. He put the Ravens in position to score a touchdown late in the game, trailing 27-20. But the Chiefs held on for the win and pulled out a big win, and it was as close as it could have been.
Jackson was unable to score a pass from a wide-open Zay Flowers in the end zone with five seconds left. On the final play, Jackson scrambled and appeared to connect with tight end Isaiah Likely for a touchdown as time expired. But Likely’s foot barely touched the end line and the pass was ruled incomplete after a review of the play. The Chiefs escaped.
The Chiefs took a very intriguing first-round receiver in Xavier Worthy, who immediately turned in a big payoff with two touchdowns. He scored on a touchdown pass on his first touch in the NFL and then scored a key touchdown in the fourth quarter when the game was even. Just what head coach Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes needed: a rookie receiver who could make a difference in the game and be faster than everyone else on the field.
The Chiefs looked good on Thursday night. The Ravens gave them a tough challenge. Maybe we’ll see them play again in January. It couldn’t have been closer on Thursday night.
The Ravens fight the Chiefs until the end
Both drives started well. Derrick Henry finished his first drive for the Ravens by scoring a 5-yard touchdown. The Chiefs responded on their first possession with a 21-yard touchdown run by Worthy. It was Worthy’s first NFL touch and he outran the defense to score.
Then, the defenses took over for the rest of the first half. There were no more touchdowns in the first half. Jackson lost a fumble deep in Chiefs territory, but the Ravens held Kansas City to a field goal. Mahomes threw an interception near midfield late in the first half, but the Chiefs held Baltimore to a field goal. The Chiefs went into halftime with a 13-10 lead.
The Chiefs’ defense kept coming in the second half. Baltimore’s offensive line, which replaces three starters from last season, had a hard time blocking the Chiefs’ front. So Jackson constantly threw short passes, often to Flowers. Jackson completed plenty of passes, but not for many yards.
The Ravens finally got the big play they needed. Jackson found Likely downfield and Likely broke through defenders for a 49-yard score. That cut the Chiefs’ lead to 20-17. The game was far from over, especially with Jackson on the Ravens’ side.
But the Chiefs got another big play from their exciting new rookie to extend the lead.
Xavier Worthy makes a big impact
Worthy struck again. This time it was on a blown coverage. He got behind the defense and Mahomes hit him for a 35-yard touchdown, right after Likely’s touchdown.
The Chiefs struggled at receiver last season and still won a Super Bowl. Kansas City played Thursday night without injured Marquise Brown, and the combination of Rashee Rice, Worthy and Brown could be devastating all season long.
The Ravens are one of the best teams in the NFL, and they weren’t out of the game yet after Worthy’s second touchdown. They got a field goal, then a stoppage, and the Chiefs had to punt at the two-minute warning. Jackson got the ball at his own 13, trailing 27-20 with 1:50 left and a timeout. Jackson connected with Rashod Bateman on a 38-yard reception to the 10-yard line, but the clock was running under 20 seconds. Jackson threw too far to Likely in the end zone, then appeared to fumble Flowers on second down. He said after the game that the pass was actually intended for Bateman.Either way, he’ll regret that move.
The pass to Likely appeared to be a touchdown and the Ravens were ready to go for the 2-point conversion and the win. But replay showed Likely was barely out. The Chiefs could breathe.