DEFENDING CHAMPIONS KANSAS City edged Baltimore 27-20 in Thursday’s 105th NFL season-opener after a video review denied the Ravens a touchdown on the game’s final play.

Two-time NFL Most Valuable Players Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs and Lamar Jackson of Baltimore started at quarterback in a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship game and produced a spectacular start to the campaign.

Baltimore’s Justin Tucker kicked a 32-yard field goal with 4:54 remaining to lift the Ravens within 27-20 and later Mahomes made a great catch of his own deflected pass to prevent an interception just before the two-minute warning, allowing a Chiefs punt that left the Ravens 87 yards away from a tying touchdown.

Jackson threw a 38-yard pass to Rashod Bateman to put Baltimore at the Chiefs’ 10-yard line in the dying seconds, but missed on two passes to open receivers in the end zone.

On the final play, Baltimore’s Isaiah Likely caught a Jackson pass in the back of the end zone but his toe came down on the out of bounds line and what referees called a touchdown on the field was overruled on video review, giving the Chiefs a dramatic triumph.

Mahomes is trying to lead the Chiefs to an unprecedented Super Bowl “three-peat” and fourth title in six seasons while Jackson hopes to guide the Ravens to their first Super Bowl title since the 2012 campaign.

“It was nerve-wracking,” Mahomes said. “It’s a game of inches. That’s what they say. That’s a great football team and to come out here and get a win, it’s a great start to the season.”

Mahomes completed 20-of-28 passes for 291 yards and a touchdown with an interception. He improved to 5-1 against Baltimore since becoming a starter in 2018 with 14 touchdowns against three interceptions.

“Our guys responded well,” Mahomes said. “We’ve got a lot of things to work on but that’s a great start.”

Jackson threw for 273 yards and a touchdown and ran 16 times for 122 yards in a losing effort.

Swift and storm at game 

A severe thunderstorm delayed the kickoff by 20 minutes but fans who sheltered from lightning were back in their seats to roar when the Chiefs ran out for pre-game workouts.

Among those who waited out the lightning was singer Taylor Swift, the girlfriend of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Baltimore opened with an 11-play, 70-yard touchdown drive capped by new rusher Derrick Henry’s five-yard scoring run 6:46 into the contest.

Kansas City answered immediately on a five-play, 67-yard march that ended with rookie receiver Xavier Worthy scoring on his first NFL touch of the ball, a 21-yard run around the right end, to lift the Chiefs level 7-7.

Chris Jones sacked Jackson to open the second quarter and Kansas City’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah, a defensive end of Nigerian descent, recovered at the Ravens’ 14-yard line, setting up a 32-yard Harrison Butker field goal that gave the Chiefs a 10-7 lead.

Kansas City forced a turnover on downs at midfield and three plays later Mahomes escaped three defenders to connect with Kelce on a 23-yard pass to become the Chiefs’ all-time pass yardage leader, breaking Len Dawson’s mark of 28,507 yards in 183 games with 86 games to spare.

Five plays later, Butker’s 31-yard field goal gave Kansas City a 13-7 edge.

Tucker’s 25-yard field goal with three seconds remaining in the second quarter pulled Baltimore within 13-10 at half-time.

Mahomes directed the Chiefs on a six-play, 81-yard touchdown drive to start the second half for a 10-point Kansas City lead after Isiah Pacheco’s one-yard scoring run.

But the Ravens answered on the first play of the fourth quarter when Jackson, racing from defensive pressure, connected with Likely at the Chiefs 30 and Likely eluded three defenders to run down the sideline into the end zone to complete a 49-yard touchdown pass that pulled Baltimore within 20-17.

Mahomes responded by guiding the Chiefs 70 yards in eight plays and connecting with a wide-open Worthy on a 35-yard touchdown pass to put Kansas City ahead 27-17 with 10:25 remaining, setting up the late drama.

– © AFP 2024