The Ravens fell to the Kansas City Chiefs, 27-20, in the opening game of the NFL season on Thursday night.
The Ravens trailed for most of the night and had the ball at Kansas City's 10-yard line for one final play, but tight end Isaiah Likely's foot was just barely out of bounds on what would have been a touchdown catch.
Here's how Thursday's heartbreaking loss happened:
Turning Point
After the Ravens cut their deficit to three at the start of the fourth quarter, Patrick Mahomes found a wide-open Xavier Worthy for a 39-yard touchdown to put the Chiefs ahead, 27-17.
Going into the drive, the Chiefs had a 72.2% chance to win, according to ESPN, and after the touchdown, that number was more than 90%.
Top Play
On 2nd-and-17 early in the fourth quarter, Lamar Jackson scrambled around and found Likely, who weaved around defenders to go 49 yards for a touchdown. Likely capped the run with a juke at the goal line to bring Baltimore within three points.
Scoring Summary
| Scoring Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | Ravens: (8:14) Derrick Henry 5-yard run | 7-0, Ravens |
| Chiefs: (5:55) Xavier Worthy 21-yard run | 7-7 | |
| 2nd Quarter | Chiefs: (13:37) Harrison Butker 32-yard field goal | 10-7, Chiefs |
| Chiefs: (5:44) Harrison Butker 31-yard field goal | 13-7, Chiefs | |
| Ravens: (:03) Justin Tucker 25-yard field goal | 13-10, Chiefs | |
| 3rd Quarter | Chiefs: (11:28) Isiah Pacheco 1-yard run | 20-10, Chiefs |
| 4th Quarter | Ravens: (14:47) Lamar Jackson to Isaiah Likely for 49 yards | 20-17, Chiefs |
| Chiefs: (10:25) Patrick Mahomes to Xavier Worthy for 35 yards | 27-17, Chiefs | |
| Ravens: (4:54) Justin Tucker 32-yard field goal | 27-20, Chiefs |
Statistical Breakdown
Offensive Stats
| Ravens | Chiefs | |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Leader | Lamar Jackson (273 yards) | Patrick Mahomes (291 yards) |
| Receiving Leader | Isaiah Likely (111 yards) | Rashee Rice (103 yards) |
| Rushing Leader | Lamar Jackson (122 yards) | Isiah Pacheco (45 yards) |
Defensive Stats
| Ravens | Chiefs | |
|---|---|---|
| Sacks | 2 | 1 |
| Turnovers Forced | 1 | 1 |
Team Stats
| Ravens | Chiefs | |
|---|---|---|
| Time of Possession | 33:43 | 26:17 |
| Total Yards | 452 | 353 |
| Penalties | 7 for 64 yards | 6 for 45 yards |
| 3rd Down Efficiency | 7-of-14 | 4-of-9 |
| 1st Downs | 25 | 21 |
Stock Watch
QB Lamar Jackson
The slimmer Jackson certainly looked faster on Thursday night. Jackson was Baltimore's leading rusher with 122 yards on 16 carries and went 26-of-41 for 273 yards and a touchdown in the air. The two-time and reigning MVP kept the Ravens in the game all night.
TE Isaiah Likely
After being one of the best players throughout training camp, Likely remained a top target for Jackson. The third-year pro had nine catches for 111 yards, including his highlight touchdown. With Likely and Mark Andrews, the Ravens have the best tight end duo in the NFL.
Ravens' Offensive Line
Baltimore's offensive line was flagged for four illegal formation penalties in the first half, three coming on veteran left tackle Ronnie Stanley. Baltimore's new-look offensive line allowed pressure throughout the night, including second-round rookie Roger Rosengarten giving up a strip-sack to Chris Jones.
Up Next
The Ravens don't play for another 10 days, when they face the Las Vegas Raiders at M&T Bank Stadium. The Raiders open their season this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
