The NFL season is underway and Game 1 of 272 was an absolute thriller. The Kansas City Chiefs escaped with a 27-20 win after Isaiah Likely‘s toe was out of bounds on a pass from Lamar Jackson on the final play of the game in the back of the end zone.
It was a tough ending for a great night for Likely, who caught 9 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown on a career night. Jackson had a big night as well with 122 yards on the ground and a 26/41 night through the air with that touchdown pass to Likely in the fourth quarter.
Patrick Mahomes threw for 291 yards and a touchdown — the TD pass was to rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy who also ran for a score in his NFL debut.
The start of the game was delayed by 20 minutes due to inclement weather in Kansas City just ahead of the scheduled 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff.
Both teams will now have a little extra rest heading into Week 2 where Kansas City will host the Bengals and the Ravens head back to Baltimore for their home opener agains the Las Vegas Raiders.
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Lamar Jackson, Isaiah Likely nearly connect for touchdown pass in thrilling finish
It couldn’t have been closer. On the final play of the game, the Ravens came up just inches away from a chance to tie the game — or win it on a 2-point conversion — with Isaiah Likely catching the ball in the end zone but a toe touching the chalk made it an incomplete pass.
The Ravens are set for a chance to tie, but Isaiah Likley is down.
After a huge connection from Jackson to Bateman to get Baltimore in the red zone, the Ravens are at the 10 with 10 seconds left to play in regulation.
Timeout with 1:11 remaining for Leo Chenal
The Chiefs’ linebacker has to come out after the injury timeout, stopping the clock. The Ravens are out of timeouts.
Isaiah Likely over 100 yards
With two catches on the final drive, and getting out of bounds on both, Likely is over 100 yards for the night as Baltimore drives to try to tie — or go ahead — late
Mahomes catches his own pass to avoid throwing interception on late third down play
Mahomes avoided a disaster by catching his own deflected pass to avoid an incompletion and more importantly, an interception, allowing the Chiefs to take the game to the 2-minute warning.
Pacheco’s strong night continues
The gritty Chiefs’ Running back picked up a huge 1st down to get the clock under 3 minutes, rolling over defenders to fight to the marker and put K.C. one first down away from being able to salt the game away.
Ravens get 3 to cut it to one score
Justin Tucker gets on the board again with 4:54 to go, and the Chiefs lead is cut to 27-20. Baltimore has outgained Kansas City, but some ill-timed penalties have stalled some offensive drives, leading to three Tucker field goal attempts. The lone turnover was a great individual effort on a strip sack by Chris Jones, but the game has felt like Baltimore has been playing catchup through the entire second half, even though there isn’t much of a statistical advantage for the Chiefs
Baltimore continues to be able to run the ball well
Lamar Jackson is over 100 yards rushing — a mark he reached just once last year — but he is the NFL’s all-time leader with 100-yard rushing games by quarterbacks. The Ravens are averaging 6.1 yards per carry, but trail by 10 as they close in on the red zone, halfway through the 4th quarter.
Mahomes finds Worthy to put Kansas City back up 10
After scrambling for a big 1st down in a huge 3rd down spot, Mahomes hit a wide open Xavier Worthy streaking down the right sideline for a 35-yard score. The first TD pass of the season for Mahomes and second score of the day for Worthy who’s having a huge NFL debut.
Rice looking the part of a No. 1 receiver
Rashee Rice is over 100 yards in the season opener. He had just two 100-yard games in his first season, and he has looked like a top-option for Patrick Mahomes against one of the best defenses in the NFL.
Baltimore strikes with 49-yard Jackson to Likely TD pass
Lamar Jackson’s magic was on full display with this one. The reigning league MVP gets the Ravens back in it, escaping pressure to get the ball to his emerging No. 2 tight end who tightroped down the sideline to cut Kansas City’s lead to 20-17.
Lamar Jackson makes a play with his legs, picking up a big 1st down
On a tough third down, Jackson’s 16-yard run got Baltimore into K.C. territory. He’s up to 79 yards rushing and the third quarter isn’t even done yet. Jackson followed that up with another long run that was called back by a hold on center Tyler Linderbaum.
the Chiefs addition of Xavier Worthy has the effect of opening things up for Rashee Rice underneath. Which is why I thought Rice would be a focus for the Chiefs tonight. https://t.co/euWB3wkD63
Baltimore’s drive runs out of gas and the Ravens punt
The field is flipped and the Chiefs will start on their own 10-yard line. The Ravens have run the ball well, averaging 5.4 yards per carries on 19 rushes. But moving the ball early in drives has been a challenge, setting up long down-and-distance situations
Back-to-back big pass plays have Baltimore on the move
The Ravens have opened up their drive following up the K.C. touchdown with a couple of big pass place to get into Chiefs territory. A third-and-12 conversion to Justice Hill and a big pickup by Mark Andrews set up Baltimore across the 50.
Isiah Pacheco puts Chiefs up 20-10 with 1-yard touchdown run
The Chiefs go up by 10 with a 6-play, 81-yard drive, highlighted by a 33-yard Rashee Rice catch-and-run and a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty that set up Pacheco for the 1-yard score. He had 7 rushing touchdowns last year in his second season as Kansas City’s lead back.
Rashee Rice’s big night continues
5 catches for 80 yards for Rice who just had a big, 33-yard catch to get K.C. moving on the Chiefs’ first drive of the second half. Rice was the second leading receiver for the Chiefs last season with 79 catches and 938 yards.
Fitting for a 2-time NFL MVP
Here’s the all-time list:
Michael Vick: 6,109 yards
Cam Newton: 5,631 yards
Lamar Jackson: 5,321+ yards
About that take about Xavier Worthy
NBC commentator Rodney Harrison was blunt about his analysis of Chiefs rookie Xavier Worthy.
Rodney Harrison – “Xavier Worthy is this little skinny guy, he doesn’t scare me, I know he is fast, but he doesn’t scare me.” pic.twitter.com/EjwbspMhyx
