The Kansas City Chiefs start 3-0 with an impressive win over the Baltimore Ravens for the team’s home opener.
Before the game, the Kansas City Chiefs were listed as anywhere from 5-to-6 point favorites in their home opener against the Baltimore Ravens, but with questions around the Chiefs defense and injuries mounting offensively, this game had fans nervous early.
It didn’t help when the Ravens defense shut down the Chiefs offense and then scored on their own first drive that lasted 14 plays, traveled 84 yards and shaved 6:30 off the clock. Throughout that drive, John Harbaugh was aggressive and went for it on fourth and short inside the 15. The Ravens then accepted a penalty against Kansas City on a made PAT to take the point off the board and go for two—a conversion they didn’t get.
Even so, with the score 6-0, the nerves set in for fans. The offense did not look anywhere close to their normal form, and the Ravens were not at all intimidated by the Kansas City Chiefs raucous atmosphere or rocket-armed quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Then the tide turned.
In the second quarter, the Chiefs got rolling, just like last week’s victory over the Oakland Raiders, when LeSean McCoy hit paydirt at the 14:18 mark. That started a run of 23 unanswered points to close the first half. During that stretch, DeMarcus Robinson hauled in a jaw-dropping touchdown grab on a beautiful 18-yard throw from Mahomes who delivered that ball off his back foot.
Wide receiver Mecole Hardman, the team’s rookie from Georgia, also made his presence felt when he found the end zone on an 83-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes, one that allowed the second round pick to show off his elite speed in the open field. That drive lasted just 3 plays and it only took the Chiefs 1:27 to go 96 yards.
As the weather turned to start the second half, so did the momentum. The Ravens hit the Chiefs in the mouth on their first possession of the half with a 75 yard drive extended over nine plays. It was capped off by a Mark Ingram 1- yard touchdown run making the score 23-13.
On the next Chiefs possession, in the rain, head coach Andy Reid elected to go for it on fourth and inches and set the offense up in the shotgun. A low snap and Mahomes fumble made the fourth down try unsuccessful and gave the Ravens the ball right back with their best starting field position of the day.
After the Kansas City Chiefs defense answered the call, forcing the Ravens into a three and out following the turnover, Mahomes found McCoy on a 14 yard running back screen play to put 7 more points on the board. That finished off an 8 play, 80-yard drive.
On the Ravens third time going for it on fourth down, Lamar Jackson danced around and threw a ball 25 yards for Seth Roberts to set the Ravens up at the two-yard line. From there, Mark Ingram found the end zone on second and goal to pull the Ravens within 11 points after Harbaugh got too cute and failed on getting another two-point conversion.
Unfortunately on their next drive, the Chiefs offense bowed out in five plays and gave Lamar Jackson the ball back. The two teams exchanged field goals and the Ravens got the football back with four and a half minutes left down 33-22. Jackson drove the Ravens down the field and scrambled for a nine-yard touchdown at the two-minute mark. The Bird missed the two-point try which gave the Chiefs the ball back up 33-28 and only a timeout for Baltimore to play with.
In the end, Darrell Williams picked up a first down on the screen play and that iced the game for the Chiefs. That pushed the Kansas City Chiefs to 3-0 for the third straight season. The final score was 33-28 for the Chiefs.