Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) – Baltimore Ravens (0-1): 27-20
Baltimore really thought they had made the comeback of the year. With a seven-point deficit, 1 minute 45 to play and the entire field to cover, with no timeouts, the mission seemed complicated. As he did throughout the game, Lamar Jackson (26/41, 273 yards, 1 TD, 122 on the ground) alternated between passing to Isaiah Likely (9 receptions, 111 yards, 1 TD), and running for himself. All with efficiency.
This sequence of actions led the Ravens into the red zone where, on a long pass, Likely, the man of the match for Baltimore, seemed to injure himself by falling violently on the edge of the field, in an area that did not seem protected. He went out, and on the next action, Jackson completely missed his pass to Zay Flowers, who was alone in the end zone. The Ravens then had one last chance to beat the Chiefs. This time, the quarterback once again found Likely, back on the field, in the end zone. The referee raised his arms, John Harbaugh too, and the latter already called for a two-point conversion to win the game.
The slow motion, however, will show that Isaiah Likely has the tip of his foot on the line when he falls back from his reception. A few small millimeters that give the Chiefs the victory. Like Kevin Durant vs. the Bucks in the NBA in 2021a size too big made the difference between victory and defeat. The champion's luck, most certainly.
2024 season starts late and with fanfare
The threatening skies in Kansas City delayed the start of the 2024 season by about twenty minutes. Not enough for the offenses to cool down. The Ravens and Chiefs got back into their game quickly. Both teams scored a touchdown on their first drive, showing the crowd that they were ready to fight.
The Chiefs put Baltimore's ground game on the line, relying on a gala Chris Jones. Lamar Jackson had to develop his passing game, and he was able to count on Isaiah Likely for that. The tight end, normally Mark Andrews' backup, put in a high-flying performance. He came close to being the hero of the night, but his shoe size will probably haunt him for several days.
For his part, Patrick Mahomes (20/28, 291 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) wasn't brilliant, but he did the job. He lost a ball, throwing a nasty interception into the hands of Roquan Smith. Fortunately, he was able to rely on Rashee Rice (7 receptions, 103 yards), who didn't seem bothered by his extra-sporting setbacks, and especially on Xavier Worthy.
Xavier Worthy, worthy of his name
Can a rookie dream of a better debut? A star of the combine and a late first-round pick of the Chiefs, Worthy more than succeeded in his first NFL game. Thanks to his speed and explosiveness, he scored two touchdowns, one on the ground and one in the air. All this while having only touched the ball three times.
Has Patrick Mahomes finally found his new Tyreek Hill? The goal when he was selected was obvious. After this first game, the question really arises. Xavier Worthy has qualities that recall those of the Dolphins receiver, in a much less muscular way. It is too early to say anything about it, but the first sample is promising.
On the Ravens side, there are positives to note despite the defeat. Isaiah Likely showed that he is capable of becoming a priority target, Derrick Henry seems to be slowly finding his feet, and the defense held up well against an attack as explosive as the Chiefs. They will have to bounce back quickly, but Baltimore seems ready to play the leading roles.
