The Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens kicked off the 2024 NFL regular season from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday evening. This is the first time these two clubs have faced each other since Baltimore lost to Kansas City in the AFC Championship last season. Since that loss, the Ravens viewed tonight as a revenge game and played a good game overall. However, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs kept the pressure on as they maintained a lead of seven points or more for most of the game. Baltimore had a chance to escape with a win after the third-year tight end Isaiah Likely came down with the game-winning catch in the final seconds – or so they thought – but after a second look, it was determined Likely’s toe was out of bounds and the play was ruled an incomplete pass. As a result, the Chiefs walked away with a 27-20 victory.
Although Baltimore was the first to score, their opening drive touchdown would be their only one for the first three quarters. Patrick Mahomes evened the score to 7 apiece with a handoff to rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy on a sweep play that goes the distance as Worthy shows off his world-class speed for a 21-yard dash to the end zone. Both clubs cashed in three combined field goals in the second quarter – One for Baltimore and two by Kansas City’s Harrison Butker – to give the Chiefs a 13-10 lead at halftime.
Mahomes led the only scoring drive of the third quarter. Running back Isiah Pacheco capped off a ten-play, 77-yard possession by bulldozing head-first into a scrum of players and forcing his way through for a physical one-yard score to improve Kansas City’s lead 20-10.
In the fourth quarter, Baltimore clawed their way back as Jackson completed a deep pass to Likely that went 49 yards to the house to bring the Ravens back within a field goal. Mahomes wasn’t going to be outdone, however, and spots a hole in Baltimore’s coverage the left Worthy wide out for an easy 35-yard touchdown pass to make the score 27-17 with 10:25 in the fourth quarter.
The Ravens responded with a long 14-play possession lasting over five minutes but were forced to settle for a 32-yard field goal by kicker Justin Tucker. Baltimore put out their best defensive effort during the Chiefs’ final offensive possession, forcing them to punt after nine plays. That was when the Ravens had the drive they dreamed of, as Lamar Jackson and company marched down the field and eventually delivered what they thought was the game-tying play to Likely. Luckily for Kansas City, the Likely’s toe was clearly out of bounds and the game was declared over.
The Chiefs will begin the season 1-0 on the year. They’ll welcome Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in front of an Arrowhead crowd for Week 2 on Sunday, September 15 at 3:25 p.m. CT.
