Winners, losers as Chiefs beat Ravens 27-20 in season opener (2024)

The reigning champs are 1-0...by a toe.

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs opened the 2024 NFL regular season with a strong 27-20 home win over the Baltimore Ravens Thursday.

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Lamar Jackson led the Ravens down the field on the opening drive before Derrick Henry punched it home, but they quickly fell behind not long after and didn't have enough to overcome Kansas City.

It eventually came down to the final play when Jackson found tight end Isaiah Likely in the end zone as time expired for a would-be touchdown as John Harbaugh signaled to go for two. However, Likely's toe was on the line following a review and the game ended.

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Let's analyze the match further with five winners and losers:

WINNER: Xavier Worthy, Chiefs

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Kansas City Chiefs

How fast is Xavier Worthy? Meet the Chiefs' rookie speedster who scored on 1st NFL touch

Look away, Buffalo Bills. Buffalo traded back in the 2024 draft that allowed Kansas City to take Worthy, a speedy wideout out of Texas. Worthy immediately made an impact on his first touch, running home a jet sweep from 21 yards out.

First touch? FIRST TOUCHDOWN.

Welcome to the NFL, Xavier Worthy! #ChiefsKingdom

📺 NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/0UWDB5iCw0

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 6, 2024

Later in the game, Worthy added a receiving touchdown when he beat Marlon Humphrey and Baltimore didn't bring safety help. Mahomes easily found Worthy for a 35-yard score.

After not having enough reliable weapons last season, Mahomes may have a speedy gem in Worthy. Second-year wideout Rashee Rice led the way in the department with seven catches for 103 yards while Travis Kelce was held to only three catches for 34 yards.

LOSER: Mark Andrews, Ravens

The Ravens may have a clear-cut new TE1. Former All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler Mark Andrews had an extremely rough game, catching just two passes for 14 yards. He had a clear chance to get a first down on a 3rd and four play late in the game, but slipped and fell short after just a few yards.

Baltimore needed more from its veterans and didn't get much from Andrews or new star running back Derrick Henry, who rushed for just 46 yards on 13 carries with the opening touchdown. Second-year wideout Zay Flowers also had a rough opener, catching six passes for just 37 yards.

Likely led the way with 111 yards on nine catches and a touchdown, while Lamar Jackson had a solid dual-threat game. The 2023 MVP threw for 273 yards and a touchdown on 26 of 41 completions while rushing for 122 yards on 16 attempts. He did fumble once, however, but he did his part.

WINNER: Chiefs' secondary

A vital part to Kansas City's win was its secondary. The Chiefs last season deployed a robust defense and there were signs of that continuing this year, with Jackson's shiftiness causing problems for the front seven.

But the secondary delivered, with Jaylen Watson logging 11 tackles (seven solo), Justin Reid adding nine (eight solo) and second-year safety Chamarri Conner putting up six, all solo. Wide receivers will continue to struggle if they, along with Trent McDuffie, maintain high levels.

LOSER: Penalties

It didn't take long for referees and penalties to trend. In fact, it took just the first drive by the Ravens, where illegal formations started to be called and continued to be called throughout, primarily on Baltimore.

Ravens head coach Harbaugh could be seen telling a referee to call the illegal formations both ways as he felt it wasn't being called on Kansas City, as well as Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo calling a timeout that shouldn't have counted since coordinators are not allowed to do so.

In the end, Baltimore had seven penalties called against it for 64 yards while the Chiefs had six for 45.

WINNER: Chiefs' chances

The Chiefs will have to feel good about the result, particularly considering Baltimore is one of its primary threats for the AFC throne. But Kansas City, just like it did in last season's AFC Championship Game, took a lead and didn't look back.

Last year, Kansas City fell to the Detroit Lions in the opener and had a sluggish regular season. This year, it is starting off its three-peat goals on the right foot.

Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season features an AFC Championship Game rematch to kick things off, a visit to Brazil and the start of a potentially historic season for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Winners, losers as Chiefs beat Ravens 27-20 in season opener (2024)

FAQs

How many times did the Chiefs beat the Ravens? ›

Mahomes threw for 291 yards and with a touchdown pass to Xavier Worthy, who also scored a rushing TD in his NFL debut, as the Chiefs not only won the rematch of last season's AFC title game but beat the Ravens for the fifth time in six meetings.

What channel is the Ravens vs. Chiefs game on? ›

The Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs game will be played on Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 8:20 p.m. ET (5:20 p.m. PT). The game will air on NBC and stream on Peacock and on Sling TV and the platforms featured below.

What are the odds of the Chiefs beating the Ravens? ›

Based on this contest's moneyline, the Chiefs' implied win probability is 59.7%.

Who won between the Ravens and the Chiefs tonight? ›

Ravens touchdown wiped out by a toe

Lamar Jackson found Isaiah Likely for what looked like a potential tying or winning touchdown. But Likely's toe was out of bounds, ending the game in a 27-20 Chiefs win.

Who has beaten the Ravens the most? ›

Which team has beaten the ravens most?
TEAMW
1Raiders4
2Steelers32
3Titans11
4Saints2
24 more rows

What was the Chiefs best record? ›

The Chiefs' 14–2 season in 2020 remains their best regular season record to date while their 2–14 records in 2008 and 2012 remain their worst. The Texans/Chiefs were the winningest team in the history of the AFL, compiling an 87–48 record from 1960 to 1969.

Who won Chiefs vs. Ravens in 2024? ›

The 2024 NFL season is underway and what a way to start. The Kansas City Chiefs began their campaign for a historic Super Bowl three-peat with a thrilling 27-20 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on opening night on Thursday.

Where can I watch Chiefs vs. Ravens for free? ›

The Chiefs vs. Ravens game will broadcast live on NBC and stream on Peacock on Thursday. Coverage starts at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. Kickoff is ... Kansas City Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens is available to live stream for free on RTL+.

Who won the Chiefs game last night? ›

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 27-20, on Thursday night in a game that came down to the wire between two of the top teams in the NFL.

What is the chance that the Ravens win the Super Bowl? ›

That's two spots worse than their computer ranking (best). The Ravens, based on their current odds (+1000), have a 9.1% chance of winning the Super Bowl.

What are the odds of KC Chiefs winning Super Bowl? ›

With +500 odds to win the Super Bowl, the Chiefs rank best in the league. That's five spots higher than their computer ranking (sixth-best). With Super Bowl odds of +500, the Chiefs have a 16.7% chance of being Super Bowl champs.

How many people watched Ravens vs Chiefs? ›

The host Kansas City Chiefs' thrilling 27-20 win over the Ravens on Thursday night was the most-watched NFL kickoff game ever, according to NBC, averaging 28.9 million viewers.

Have the Ravens ever beaten the Chiefs? ›

The Baltimore Ravens have a record of 4-8 against the Chiefs all-time.

How many wins do the Ravens have ever? ›

Over their 28 seasons in the NFL, the Ravens have become a successful team; their record of 256 wins, 194 losses, and 1 tie is the third-best all-time regular season record among active franchises.

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