By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
It wasn't pretty at the end, but the Kansas City Chiefs pulled out the victory, squeaking to a 27-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens to kickoff the 2024 NFL season.
The Chiefs defense started off the game slow, allowing the Ravens to drive 70 yards on 11 plays ending with a rushing touchdown from new Raven Derrick Henry. But Kansas City's offense would have an answer the next drive.
And it would only take five plays to do so, with passes of 11 and 16 yards from Patrick Mahomes to Rashee Rice, and a 10 yard rush from Isiah Pacheco, the Chiefs would run a reverse at the Baltimore 21 yard line giving the ball to Xavier Worthy for a 21 yard rushing touchdown, his first in the NFL.
Kansas City's offense would stall slightly through the remainder of the first half however, managing just two field goals, Mahomes also throwing an interception that would result in a field goal for the Ravens and the first half ended with the Chiefs leading 13-10.
After receiving the second half kickoff the Chiefs would extend their lead driving down the field quickly again in six plays, thanks to some big chunk plays including a 33 yard pass from Mahomes to Rice, and a 25 yard pass to Justin Watson, the drive concluding with a one yard push into the endzone by Isiah Pacheco.
Following back to back punts the Ravens would answer on a broken play, Lamar Jackson scrambling for time and finding tight end Isaiah Likely for a 49 yard touchdown. But Kansas City would answer with a long score of their own, Worthy scoring his second NFL touchdown on a 35 yard pass from Mahomes.
With the Chiefs leading 27-17, a field goal from Justin Tucker made it a touchdown game, then after getting the ball back on a punt from the Chiefs, Baltimore would put fear in the eyes of Chiefs fans of a second straight opening day loss.
A combination of passes from Jackson to Likely and scrambles from Jackson would help the Ravens down the field, the biggest play coming on a 38 yard pass to Rashod Bateman, putting Baltimore at the Chiefs 10 yard line. Back to back incomplete passes from Jackson gave the Ravens time for one more play, what turned into possibly the craziest sequence of the game.
With just five seconds left on the clock, Jackson would take the snap from the Chiefs 10 yard line and would run around to buy time, eventually planting and finding Likely in the back of the endzone, and after a second the referees hands went up, it was a touchdown, or so they thought.
As Head Coach John Harbaugh signaled the Ravens to prepare to go for two to win the game, head referee Sean Hochuli went under the hood to review the scoring play, and upon that review it was revealed that Likely's toe, by mere inches, was on the backline, and the call was reversed, sealing the Chiefs victory.
Mahomes passed for 291 yards in the win, throwing one touchdown and one interception. Rice was the leading receiver with seven catches for 103 yards.
Kansas City will be back at Arrowhead Stadium on September 15th for week two, taking on the Cincinnati Bengals. Kickoff will be at 3:25pm.