To kick off the 2024-25 NFL season, the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, faced the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football. The Chiefs pulled off a win over the Ravens with a final score of 27-20 on Sept. 5.

The Ravens won the coin toss and were selected to receive the ball.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson and his offense marched right down the field. In the red zone, its second & fifth, Jackson handed it off to Derrick Henry yet again resulting in a touchdown. This was a first for Henry as a Raven and the first touchdown of the NFL season. The score was 7-0.

The Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs had quickly responded on their opening drive with wide receiver Xavier Worthy, its 2024 first-round pick out from the University of Texas at Austin, in the backfield rushing for 21 yards resulting in a touchdown. That was Worthy’s first touchdown of his NFL career. The score was now tied up at seven.

Still early in the game, both teams had gone three and out resulting in both teams to punt. On the Ravens’ third drive, the Chiefs’ first-team All-Pro defensive tackle, Chris Jones, caused Jackson to fumble the ball.

It was recovered by the Chiefs rookie defensive end, Felix Anudike-Uzomah. The Chiefs finished that drive with a field goal taking the lead. The score was 10-7 Chiefs.

To close out the first half, Mahomes threw an interception to All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith, resulting in the Ravens putting up a field goal. The score was now 13-10 Chiefs.

To open the second half, the Chiefs were on offense. Mahomes connected with wide receiver Rashee Rice over the middle for a big gain of 33 yards. They continued to march downfield, resulting in running back Isiah Pacheco scoring a one-yard rushing touchdown. The score was now 20-10 Chiefs.

The following drive by the Ravens resulted in a punt. The Chiefs’ next drive had ended in a punt too.

As the Ravens came back onto the field, players knew if they wanted to stay in this game, they needed to score and fast. The Ravens were marching down field. On third and three, Jackson rushed for 19 yards, resulting in a first down. In the following play, they moved back ten yards due to a holding penalty by center Tyler Linderbaum.

At this point on first and 20, Jackson scrambled right for a gain of three yards. It’s second and 17, Jackson connected with tight end Isaiah Likely for a beautiful deep pass resulting in a 49-yard touchdown. The score was 20-17 Chiefs.

The Chiefs’ offense came back onto the field, and it marched right downfield with ease. Mahomes responded with a beautiful deep ball to Worthy for a 35-yard touchdown extending the team’s lead to 27-17. This was Worthy’s second touchdown of the game.

On the Ravens’ next drive, the team slowly went down field with its drive ending in a field goal. The score was now 27-20 Chiefs.

The Chiefs were up on offense again, having a chance to extend its lead to seal the game away. The drive resulted in a punt. There was still hope for the Ravens to tie up the game and go into overtime.

Jackson and the Ravens’ offense only had a minute and fifty seconds left to potentially tie the game. They went to work, Jackson playing conservatively by completing the short passes and rushing the ball as the clock winds down.

There were 43 seconds on the clock in the fourth quarter. The Ravens were at the Chiefs 48-yard line. Jackson dropped a deep ball that was an absolute dime to wide receiver Rashod Bateman connecting for 38 yards. Now the Ravens are in red zone territory with five seconds left in the game, it’s third and goal, Ravens with the ball. The ball was hiked, Jackson dropped back, scrambling around in the pocket as the clock winds down to zero.

Jackson connected with Likely in the back of the endzone for a 10-yard touchdown. The touchdown was under review by the referees. After the replay, the referees overturned the call of a touchdown due to Likely’s toe just touching out of bounce.

The Chiefs won its first game of the season, advancing to 1-0 while the Raven fell to 0-1 opening the season.

There were a few standout players in the game. From the Ravens, it was Jackson, who was 26/41 with 273 passing yards, one scoring touchdown and 122 rushing yards. Tight end Likely, who had nine receptions, 111 yards receiving and a touchdown, was also a standout player.

From the Chiefs, it was rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy who had one carry, 21 rushing yards with two receptions, 47 receiving yards and two total touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Rashee Rice, who had seven receptions with 103 receiving yards, was also a standout player.