Two of the NFL’s best quarterbacks went head-to-head on Monday night, as the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens squared off in what many hoped would an epic clash between two potent offensive attacks.
Instead, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes set the tone early and went on to have a field day on the NFL’s top-scoring defense. The reigning Super Bowl MVP completed 31-of-42 passes for 385 yards, four passing touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown.
Mahomes also hit another milestone last night, becoming the fastest player to throw for 10,000 yards in his career. The 25-year-old hit the 10k mark in just 34 games, shattering Kurt Warner’s old record of 36.
After being forced to pull a rabbit out of a hat in a come-from-behind victory against the Chargers last week, Mahomes had no issues displaying how truly lethal he and his offense can be and he did it under the lights on a nationally televised game.
It all began with a 33-yard strike to Tyreek Hill from the Baltimore 36 yard line, that was followed up with Patrick Mahomes scrambling to his right for a 3-yard rushing touchdown to put the Chiefs up 6-3 over the Ravens. Kansas City was right back at it after forcing Baltimore’s offense to go three and out. The Chiefs offense went the distance, 72 yards in 13 plays, as Mahomes rolled to his right on a bootleg and threw an under-handed shovel pass to fullback Anthony Sherman, who pounded his way into the endzone for a 5-yard score.
Down 13-3 at the start of the second quarter, the Ravens countered with a quick score of their own on the ensuing kickoff, as kick returner Devin Duvernay sprinted his way up the right side of the field for the 93-yard touchdown return.
Two drives later, up 13-10, Kansas City kept the rhythm on offense going as Mahomes carved through the Raven defense in six plays for 68 yards, including a 20-yard toss to Tyreek Hill, for the go-ahead touchdown, to pull Kansas City ahead by ten points.
On the following Chiefs drive, Kansas City score again as Mahomes capped off a seven-play, 89-yard drive with a 49-yard bomb to Mecole Hardman in the end zone. Mahomes was able to bait former Chief Marcus Peters into jumping the crossing route by Tyreek Hill, leaving Hardman wide open down the field for the score.
Up 27-10, Kansas City’s defense stepped up as well, holding Lamar Jackson to just 76 yards of offense in the first half and doing a nice job of containing their dynamic rushing attack. The Chiefs’ defensive unit also made some big plays down the stretch, none bigger than forcing a takeaway to get the Ravens off the field late in the first half.
On the ensuing drive with 55 seconds left in the first half, Jackson drops back and fumbles the ball as Chris Jones is bringing him down to the turf. As black and white jerseys begin to dogpile for possession, it’s linebacker Ben Niemann that makes the recovery and gets the ball back for Kansas City. However, they wouldn’t collect any point off of the takeaway, as kicker Harrison Butker misses a 42-yard field goal attempt.
To start the second half, the Ravens finally capitalize on defense, as safety Chuck Clark pops the ball out of the arms of running back Darwin Thompson and linebacker Jaylon Ferguson is there to make the recovery. Baltimore’s offense then takes it the other way, 60 yards on 12 plays, but are forced to settle for a field goal thanks to Kansas City’s Tedric Thompson making a key stop on 3rd and 9 to force 4th and 2.
On Baltimore’s following drive, the Ravens found some new life on offense and race down the field in 6 plays to comeback within sevens points on the scoreboard, 27-20, following a five-yard touchdown pass to Nick Boyle from Lamar Jackson. However, the Ravens’ hopes for a comeback were dashed at the start of the fourth quarter.
After a shaky third quarter, Kansas City’s offense regained their composure and from their own 25-yard line, went down the field, 75 yards in 13 plays, to score the final dagger. On 1st and goal at the Baltimore two-yard line, Mahomes lobbed the ball up for left tackle Eric Fisher to catch in the endzone for the TD that would win the game for Kansas City, 34-20.
For the third consecutive season, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have shown who’s the alpha when these two heavyweights go head-to-head. This year’s victory over Baltimore could also have huge postseason implications later this year.
Now that Kansas City has wins over both the Texans and Ravens through three weeks, this means they have the tiebreaker over both teams when the tournament begins to take shape. Incredibly, the Chiefs could already be in prime position to earn the 1st-round bye this early in the season.
But hey, that’s still a ways away. Instead, the Chiefs will head home to Arrowhead Stadium to prepare for a revamped New England Patriots team that’s lead by new starting quarterback Cam Newton.
