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Chiefs beat Ravens in NFL season opener on overturned Isaiah Likely touchdown

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz09/06/24NickSchultz_7
Baltimore Ravens TE Isaiah Likely
© Denny Medley-Imagn Images

It looked like the Baltimore Ravens forced overtime. Lamar Jackson led a two-minute drill down to the Kansas City Chiefs end zone and, after a couple misses, appeared to find Isaiah Likely for the score at the buzzer in Thursday’s NFL season opener.

However, Likely’s toe was on the out of bounds line. As a result, the call was overturned – and the Chiefs came away with the 27-20 victory.

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Likely got hurt on Jackson’s first touchdown pass attempt and left the game. However, he returned on 3rd and Goal, when he got open in the back of the end zone. But when he came down with Jackson’s pass, his toe was on the line, meaning the game ended.

Kansas City got the ball back with 4:54 to play after a Justin Tucker field goal made it a 27-20 Chiefs lead. All Patrick Mahomes and the offense had to do was run the clock out and seal the victory. However, a failed third-down attempt at the two-minute warning meant the Chiefs had to punt – giving the Ravens one last breath.

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Jackson – just as he did throughout the night – made multiple plays with his legs to keep Baltimore alive. He extended multiple plays before eventually connecting with Rashod Bateman for a 38-yard shot to get to the Chiefs’ 10-yard line.

On his first pass, Jackson tried to find Likely in the back corner of the end zone, but overthrew him. He then looked for Zay Flowers on the next play, and the pass went behind the receiver. Hoping the third time would be the charm, Jackson appeared to connect with Likely after he came back, but he came inches away from a touchdown as the clock hit zeroes.

Jackson had a monster day for the Ravens. He not only threw for 273 yards and a touchdown, but added a team-high 122 rushing yards. Likely was Baltimore’s leading receiver with 111 yards and a touchdown, including a 49-yard reception.

On the Kansas City side, Mahomes was efficient. He completed 20 of 28 passes for 271 yards and a touchdown, including 103 yards to Rashee Rice. But the story of the night was Xavier Worthy. The rookie out of Texas ran his first NFL touch in for a touchdown and later added a 35-yard touchdown reception to make it a 27-17 game.