By a toe! Chiefs win dramatic thriller over Ravens despite late Lamar surge

The Kansas City Chiefs have overcome some late Lamar Jackson surge to kick their Super Bowl defence off with a 27-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens.

Baltimore were far from their best for much of the contest, with their offensive line struggling to contain the Chiefs’ stellar defence, though that did not stop them from nearly sending the game into overdrive.

In a battle of the star quarterbacks, Jackson excelled, running for 122 rushing yards and 273 passing yards while nearly making the game-tying touchdown pass with the final pass of the game, only for a replay to reveal tight end Isaiah Likely’s toe was out of bounds when he caught it.

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A play earlier, Jackon had a perfect chance to potentially send the game into overtime when wide receiver Zay Flowers was open in the end zone, only for Jackson’s pass to miss the mark.

It was a chaotic end to a strong opening game showing from the Chiefs, who showed why they have everything needed to become the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in a row.

However, just as they had the better of their hosts in the closing moments, the Ravens also began the contest with the wind in their sails, scoring on their opening drive through running back Derrick Henry.

It was a great start to the game for 172 kilogram Aussie offensive tackle Daniel Faelele, who blocked beautifully to create a lane for Ravens running back to burst through for the game’s opening touchdown.

Henry’s TD was the perfect exclamation point on the end of Baltimore’s impressive opening drive of the game, and a strong start for Faelele, who has been promoted to the starting right tackle for John Harbaugh’s team after sharing the duties with veteran Morgan Moses last season.

And while the third year tackle showed glimpses of promise on the games opening drive, the task of handling one of the finest defensive tackles in the NFL, three-time Super Bowl champion Chris Jones, at bay proved difficult at times.

On several occasions in the first half Jones breezed by Faelele en route to applying significant pass pressure to Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, and went into halftime with one sack to his name.

Over the last three seasons, Jones leads defensive tackles with 35 sacks, while he ranks first in the 2024 field in pass rush win rate (19.6%) and second for incompletions created by his pass rush (19).

Faelele’s, and the rest of the Ravens’ offensive line, struggles containing the Chiefs defence were highlighted by Cris Collinsworth early in the third quarter.

“Lamar Jackson’s average depth of target for his throws: just over one yard. What we’re seeing is, I think, a belief that they’re not really going to hold up in protection,” he said.

Baltimore’s early lead would not last long, with the Chiefs striking back just over two minutes later through rookie receiver Xavier Worthy, who scored with his first touch in the NFL.

Worthy, who set the NFL combine record for the 40 yard dash by running it just 4.21 seconds, blitzed through the Ravens defence off a Mahomes hand off to open his NFL touchdown account.

His would be the last touchdown until the third quarter, with the game’s second period seeing the Chiefs kick two field goals, while the Ravens kicked one of their own.

Both side’s defences came to the fore late in the second quarter. With just under two minutes until halftime, Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith intercepted a Mahomes pass, giving the visiting team a late chance to take a lead into the break.

That they didn’t was a credit to the Chiefs’ mightily impressive defence, who made several massive stops right before the half, leaving Baltimore with no choice but to kick a late field goal and cut their deficit to three at halftime.

The reigning champions could not have opened their third quarter any better, with running back Isaiah Pacheco, who impressed in the closing months of last season, powering over for a touchdown following a 10-play, 77 yard drive.

It was the rapid speed of Worthy, recognised by former Chiefs flyer Tyreek Hill on X, and deep route threat as well as the consistent threat of future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce meant the Chiefs’ other targets, namely Rashee Rice and Justin Watson, had their fair share of luck on the drive preceding Pacheco’s touchdown.

Baltimore would not get their chance to respond until their first drive of the fourth quarter when Jackson found tight end Likely streaking down the sideline with a 49-yard dime.

Some Likely brilliance saw his tiptoe down the line, jink infield and get the Ravens back into the game in the fourth quarter, only for Worthy’s second touchdown of the game to extend the Chiefs’ lead, which the home side held, just, until full time.