Reigning Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs got off to a winning start with a 27-20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, but only because of Isaiah Likely's toe .
A thrilling contest went down to the wire, and the Ravens thought they'd scored a last-second touchdown to either force overtime or go for the win. After Lamar Jackson threw too high for a wide-open Zay Flowers, he found Likely, and the crowd at Arrowhead Stadium was silenced as the on-field decision was a touchdown.
An immediate review showed that Likely's toe was a fraction out of bounds, and the call was overturned. With no time remaining, it meant that the Chiefs had won the game.
It was a lucky break for the Chiefs, who already had quarterback Patrick Mahomes to thank for a major defensive play. With just two-and-a-half minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs were stuck deep within their 30 on third down. Mahomes attempted to throw a short ball to wide receiver Rashee Rice but it was tipped into the air by Ravens linebacker Trenton Simpson.
The loose ball was chased by the Ravens defense who were in a great spot to score a Pick-6, but somehow Mahomes out-jumped everyone to recover possession. The wild play allowed the Chiefs to punt the ball, avoid a tie game, and make a winning start.
It was an electric game to live up to the hype after months of anticipation. After a minor weather delay and the anticipated pregame coverage of Taylor Swift , football was finally back and it didn't take long for Derrick Henry to make an impact on his new team.
The former Tennessee Titans running back scored the first touchdown of the game with a trademark surge into the end zone but was quickly humbled by the new kid on the block. Chiefs rookie Xavier Worthy may be listed as a wide receiver, but after breaking records with his 40-yard dash time he was allowed to run with the ball.
The rookie fooled everyone when taking the snap from Mahomes and left everyone in his wake as he sprinted into the end zone to tie the game off a 21-yard run. The fast start continued but the ability to reach the end zone didn't, with kickers Justin Tucker and Harrison Butker scoring their first points of the season.
Butker was faultless but Tucker missed his first kick of the season, in a rare blunder for the veteran. He converted his second effort from 25 yards. In the second half, the Chiefs led the charge, as Isaiah Pacheco scored his first rushing touchdown of the season.
He did so just moments after rushing to the sidelines and vomiting, and it summed up the Chiefs roster with all members looking extremely locked in ahead of a season which could result in the 3-peat being achieved for the first time. However, the Ravens applied pressure once again and hit back via Likely.
Jackson escaped pressure and lofted a ball to Likely, and the tight end managed to run 49 yards following some clever footwork to reach the end zone. The big difference came from the star of the night, Worthy, who found himself free wide-right, and Mahomes connected instantly as the rookie scored a rushing and receiving touchdown on his Chiefs debut.
Jackson and the Ravens attempted to hit back again, but couldn't make it count in the red zone by the finest of margins. Unlike last season, the broadcast didn't cut to Swift on as many occasions, but her boyfriend Travis Kelce had a quiet night.
Kelce had 34 yards off just three catches, as Mahomes prioritized Rashee Rice for most of the evening. Rice had 103 yards off seven receptions.
Kelce did get his moment, as he hauled in a 23-yard completion for an important gain which led to wild celebrations in the Chiefs suite with Swift at the center. The Chiefs will look to build on their win against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2, while the Ravens face the Las Vegas Raiders.
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