Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs got their NFL campaign off to a winning start, beating the Baltimore Ravens 27-20 at home in the curtain-raiser.
The Chiefs are on a quest to make it back-t0-back-to-back Super Bowls and beat one of their likely rivals in front of an onlooking Taylor Swift.
But it was very nearly a disaster for the Chiefs at the death.
The Ravens appeared to have scored a touchdown at the death, Lamar Jackson throwing to Isaiah Likely who initially appeared to get both feet down in the end zone.
But after a review, it showed the receiver had a toe on the line, meaning his touchdown was ruled out and the Chiefs won the game.
Mahomes threw for one touchdown and 291 yards, while Jackson threw 273 yards and a touchdown, as well as 122 rushing yards.
FINAL: The @Chiefs kickoff their title defense with a win over the Ravens!
Mahomes: 20/28, 291 pass yards, TD
Xavier Worthy: 3 touches, 68 yards, 2 TDs#Kickoff2024 pic.twitter.com/LCMkB8CDhQ— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2024
Rookie Xavier Worthy introduced himself to the NFL, scoring rushing and receiving touchdowns, while Isiah Pacheco also got on the board.
It was a tense ending to affairs in Kansas but the Ravens had it all to do on their final drive with 1:50 left on the clock.
Jackson was in good form and able to get his side down the pick, eventually launching a 38-yard pass to Rashod Bateman, moving the Ravens to within 10 yards of the end zone.
And despite the controversial end, the quarterback missed a wide-open throw to Zay Flowers on the penultimate attempt which would have settled the matter there and then.
When Likely did catch the ball for the ruled-out touchdown, head coach John Harbaugh signalled for a two-point conversion, keen to go for the win on opening night.
But in the end, their efforts were just short of Mahomes and the Chiefs, who connected well with his usual suspects including Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice.
out by an inch 😱#Kickoff2024 pic.twitter.com/TUeV7bxF6z
— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2024
Things do not get any easier for head coach Andy Reid as the Chiefs travel to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2.
Meanwhile, the Ravens take on the Las Vegas Raiders in another road trip.
