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An abashed smile stretched across the wide and stubbled face of Ravens rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten as he slipped into a black T-shirt in front of his locker in Owings Mills on Wednesday afternoon. “I got the rookie yips a little bit,” he told The Baltimore Sun. “Obviously you don’t want the first play to go like that, but I guess that’s a welcome-to-the-NFL moment against a really good player.” The player, of course, was Chiefs defensive tackle and two-time All-Pro Chris Jones, and the play was the first of Baltimore’s third series in last week’s season-opening loss at Kansas City. Rotating in for starter Patrick Mekari in the hostile environs of a raucous Arrowhead Stadium with the score tied at 7 and the ball at the Ravens’ 20-yard-line, Rosengarten, the second-round draft pick out of Washington, had no shot. Jones raced past him, as well as late-arriving right guard Daniel Faalele, and strip-sacked Lamar Jackson with a defensive alignment that was different than what Baltimore was expecting on the play, Rosengarten said. Five plays later, the Chiefs scored the go-ahead touchdown and never relinquished the lead en route to a 27-20 victory. “I got the rookie jitters out of the way the first week of the regular season in a really hostile environment,” Rosengarten acknowledged. “My biggest thing is just staying calm. I’ve been playing this game for a really long time and now you’re at the highest level of what you dreamed to be, so just staying calm through it. There’s a reason we’re all here.” As far as Ravens coach John Harbaugh is concerned, there are reasons, too, to be confident about the unit. This, despite three new starters along a line in which Faalele is starting at right guard for the first time in his career, Andrew Vorhees is starting at left guard after being injured all of his rookie year last season, and Mekari and Rosengarten are sharing snaps at right tackle. Never mind that the line was flagged five times against Kansas City — four of them for illegal formation, including three on left tackle Ronnie Stanley, with the other a holding penalty on center Tyler Linderbaum that wiped out a long run by Jackson. And things won’t get much easier this week, with Baltimore facing a Las Vegas Raiders defense anchored by elite edge rusher Maxx Crosby and star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who is coming off a career-high nine sacks (though injuries to defensive ends Malcolm Koonce and Tyree Wilson help). “In regard to the penalties, the refs do what the refs are told to do,” Mekari, who was also flagged for illegal formation, told The Sun. “It’s frustrating that we had so many penalties. It was costly because it was such a close game. “We definitely learned from it [and] don’t plan on it happening anymore. … Those refs were told something, they tried to enforce it that way and we got the short end of the stick.” Ravens offensive line coach George Warhop speaks to linemen Ben Cleveland and Andrew Vorhees at practice Wednesday. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Nearby and nearly a week later, Stanley still steamed from the penalties as he began to get dressed at the end of the open locker room period. Thursday night, he accused Shawn Hochuli’s officiating crew of “trying to make an example of me.” He also wondered aloud why the Chiefs’ tackles didn’t suffer the same fate, saying in Kansas City that he was lined up closer than their right tackle and that all the penalties made him “feel like I’m crazy, [that] I don’t know where I’m lining up.” Penalties aside, other issues needed cleaning up, Mekari said, including better communication and finishing blocks. Protection was also at times a problem. The Chiefs pestered Jackson much of the night, though they had just one sack and one hit on the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, who often escaped trouble with his legs, rushing for 122 yards. The Ravens’ offensive line was also ranked second in pass-blocking win-rate in Week 1, per ESPN. Run blocking, however, was another story. Running back Derrick Henry ran for just 46 yards on 13 carries, an average of 3.5 yards per attempt. Baltimore’s run blocking also ranked 22nd in win rate, per ESPN. “Week 1 is tough,” Mekari said. “You don’t know what guys have been working on. But through the game you get more film, you get more tendencies, you get a better understanding of who [your opponents] are as a player, who you are as a player. “It’s early in the year. There’s so much to grow from Week 1 to Week 2.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 2 of 2024 NFL season: Bills vs. Dolphins, Bengals vs. Chiefs and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about Lamar Jackson’s running and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens overreaction corner: Will Baltimore, Lamar Jackson ever catch up to Chiefs? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Raiders scouting report for Week 2: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, John Harbaugh are OK with QB inviting contact: ‘Just playing football’ And even with their struggles up front, the Ravens still had a chance to tie the Chiefs on the game’s final play, with Jackson scrambling and spinning in the pocket to avoid Jones. Mekari was supposed to fan out to block him, but couldn’t hear the call because of the crowd noise, Harbaugh said, and diminutive running back Justice Hill did an admirable job of slowing Jones down long enough for Jackson to find tight end Isaiah Likely, whose toe came down out of bounds in the back of the end zone to end the game. “I’m not too worried about the offensive line,” Harbaugh said. “I watch all the other offensive lines in the National Football League, and I think if you applied some of the same standards to the other offensive lines out there, you’d be like, ‘Oh, boy, that’s a tough position to play against these guys.’ So, our offensive line is going to be really good this year. I believe that, and we’re working hard toward that. “So, I’m not going to sit here and doubt those guys; I’m going to coach those guys, and those guys are going to get out there and play. I think by the end of the season, you’re going to feel really good about our offensive line.” View the full article

No NFL game is disposable. That’s the genius of pro football as an entertainment product. Because each team gets only 17 shots at its season, no week is unimportant, no matchup unworthy of analysis. It’s so much more difficult for one of 162 baseball games or one of 82 NBA dates to feel like an event. There is another edge to that sword, however, and it’s our instinct to draw grand conclusions from a mere 60 minutes of football. How much can we really know based on a game that could have swung the other way if not for a slightly misplaced toe? That example is germane to the Ravens after they lost to their archnemesis, the Kansas City Chiefs, in a prime-time opener that came down to the last play: Isaiah Likely’s almost-touchdown catch in the back of the end zone. A rematch of the AFC championship game with a dramatic ending and wild swings involving two of the most famous quarterbacks in the world? The takes were bound to fly hot and heavy. Now that we have a few days’ perspective, it’s time to ask which of these scorching conclusions merit our attention and which will be forgotten as soon as the Ravens suit up for Week 2. So we’ll take them one by one: Overreaction or properly concerned? Take: The Ravens haven’t caught up to the Chiefs, and maybe they never will The Ravens were the best team in football going into the last week of January. Every metric said so, as did the thrashings they inflicted on the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins in key late-season matchups. The Chiefs, meanwhile, seemed incapable of finding their stride. They could easily have lost in Buffalo and never played for the AFC championship in Baltimore. But that was all quickly forgotten as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce wove their magic and the Ravens forgot to run the ball. The Chiefs went on to win another Super Bowl and reclaim big brother status, peering down at the Ravens and the rest of the league. Eight months later, the stakes were lower, but the Ravens at least had a chance to claim a foothold against the rival they’ll probably have to upend to achieve their championship ambitions. So it was understandably dispiriting for Baltimore fans to watch them fall short again, with Mahomes punishing a blown coverage for a pivotal touchdown and Jackson failing to answer at the end, when he had receivers open in the end zone on three straight plays. If anything, the Chiefs looked more potent than they had in January, with speedy rookie Xavier Worthy adding a home run element they had lacked since Tyreek Hill left for Miami. Meanwhile, national pundits jabbed at the Ravens’ lack of a clear offensive identity, wondering how they’ll integrate Derrick Henry’s power into an attack that thrives on Jackson’s improvisations. The Chiefs still seemed inevitable. The Ravens, 1-5 against Kansas City in the Jackson-Mahomes era, still seemed to be searching. But the past is not inevitably prologue. We learned this the last time the Ravens won the Super Bowl, going through the same New England Patriots who had haunted them a year earlier. The Ravens aren’t that far behind the Chiefs. As terrifying as Mahomes is, Jackson poses equally daunting problems for the Kansas City defense when he’s playing with the freedom and fury he displayed last Thursday night. The Ravens have the playmakers to keep up, and it’s hard to imagine their best defenders playing as poorly as they did in the opener if these teams meet again in January. Would the Chiefs be favored in a rematch? Yes. Are the Ravens so hopeless against this one opponent that we’ll never see them break through? Their most recent lost suggested otherwise. VERDICT: Overreaction Take: As great as Lamar Jackson is, he’s not precise enough on the throws that decide a game Rarely will you find a more perfect encapsulation of the beautiful frustration posed by Baltimore’s defining athlete of the moment. Jackson was a marvel in Kansas City, feinting, spinning and gliding away from defenders, unleashing clutch throws on the run, lowering his shoulder for crucial yards because he hungered for victory. If the Ravens had a chance, it was because, for much of the fourth quarter, he and not Mahomes was the most compelling player on the field. Jackson guided them to the cusp of a touchdown that would tie or beat the Chiefs. He had time for three throws. The first, with Likely open in the corner of the end zone, sailed out of bounds. The second sliced harmlessly between a wide-open Zay Flowers and Jackson’s intended target, Rashod Bateman. Both were easy plays compared with ones Jackson had already made that night. He did not convert. His final throw found Likely’s hands in the back of the end zone, but Likely could not quite keep the tip of his toe inbounds. And that was that — fodder for another referendum on Jackson’s wonders and limitations. The Ravens can’t win without him, but can they win the biggest games with him? Some of the greatest quarterbacks in history waited just as long as Jackson to break through. If he keeps giving himself chances, odds are that he will deliver spectacularly in the playoffs one of these years. But it’s also true that as of now, Mahomes is a better bet to connect on a decisive throw. We know it based on the playoff results and the head-to-head. We know it in our guts. He remains the standard Jackson is chasing. VERDICT: Reasonable concern From left, Ravens offensive linemen Ronnie Stanley, Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele watch from the sideline during the season opener against the Chiefs. (Reed Hoffmann/AP) Take: The Ravens will be undone by the risks they took in overhauling their offensive line This was the story of the offseason as the Ravens waved goodbye to three starters, including veteran stalwarts Kevin Zeitler and Morgan Moses, and steered into a youth movement. Would it be too much change for a team designed to win the Super Bowl now? The Ravens did not flinch, throwing Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees into the fire as first-time starting guards against the Chiefs and rotating rookie Roger Rosengarten as a junior partner to Patrick Mekari at right tackle. Their plan produced mixed results. The Chiefs successfully attacked Mekari and Rosengarten on the right edge, producing a strip-sack and several pressures. Henry averaged just 3.5 yards per carry in his Ravens debut, finding no room to run on several attempts. At the same time, Vorhees and Faalele exceeded expectations, holding up well as pass blockers, especially in the second half. A healthy Ronnie Stanley showed he’s still more than capable of protecting Jackson’s blind side, and we saw no lingering effects from the neck injury that sidelined center Tyler Linderbaum for much of training camp. “The baseline is pretty darn good,” Harbaugh said, noting how his young blockers stood up to a talented defense in front of a manic road crowd. Fair enough. We’re going to see hiccups from this unit, but their debut could have gone worse. VERDICT: Reasonable concern, but graded on a curve, overreaction Take: Zach Orr’s defense wasn’t nimble enough in adjusting to the Chiefs’ attack Mahomes went after the Ravens’ linebackers and safeties to great effect, betting they had no chance to keep up with slanting wide receiver Rashee Rice, who finished with seven catches on nine targets for 103 yards. Even with Kelce held relatively in check, Kansas City feasted in the middle of the field. The Ravens struggled through some expected malfunctions in Orr’s first game as coordinator, with Harbaugh acknowledging their substitutions were sluggish. On Mahomes’ 35-yard touchdown pass to Worthy in the fourth quarter, cornerback Marlon Humphrey handed off coverage to a safety who wasn’t there. “We were trying to play a lot of different guys and get them in there, situationally, against a no-huddle team,” Harbaugh said. “We didn’t do a great job … They were subbing guys in at like 18 seconds on the game clock and calling their play really quick.” He did not perceive a lack of schematic adjustment to Mahomes’ underneath strikes, saying “we changed which side we were rolling the coverage to, and it cleaned up.” The Ravens’ two best defensive players, All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith and All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, weren’t good. Smith allowed five catches on six targets in coverage and missed a pair of tackles. Hamilton, who split time between nickel and strong safety, missed three tackles. It would be a shock if those guys don’t clean up their play, and there’s no reason to think Orr — a smart, disciplined coach who knows Ravens defense inside and out — won’t smooth out his operation. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 2 of 2024 NFL season: Bills vs. Dolphins, Bengals vs. Chiefs and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about Lamar Jackson’s running and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | ‘Rookie yips’ were only part of Ravens’ offensive line problems vs. Chiefs: ‘Week 1 is tough’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Raiders scouting report for Week 2: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, John Harbaugh are OK with QB inviting contact: ‘Just playing football’ VERDICT: Overreaction Take: Mark Andrews isn’t even the Ravens’ best tight end anymore Andrews has endured more than his share of awful luck over the past year, from the ankle injury that derailed his 2023 season to the scary car wreck that interrupted his training camp. When he caught just two passes for 14 yards in the opener, fantasy owners sent up panic signals. A review of the game tape, however, showed the Chiefs double-teaming Andrews relentlessly, daring Jackson to beat them by targeting others. He did, finding Likely nine times for 111 yards. This was actually a heartening sign that the Ravens’ top two tight ends can play off one another. In past seasons, Likely’s best games came when Andrews was out. In this case, he took advantage of the attention his senior partner commanded. Andrews was the best pass catcher on the field plenty of days during camp. He played 59 snaps against the Chiefs, six more than Likely, so it’s not as if the Ravens are phasing him down. He’ll have big games this season. It’s just that there are more guys around him capable of being Jackson’s No. 1 target on a given day. VERDICT: Overreaction View the full article

The Ravens missed a potential game-winning touchdown by the tip of tight end Isaiah Likely’s toe in their season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Las Vegas Raiders gave up 175 rushing yards and turned the ball over three times in a 22-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Which 0-1 team will have the advantage at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday afternoon? Ravens passing game vs. Raiders pass defense Lamar Jackson kept the Ravens in the game against the Chiefs, completing 26 of 41 for 273 yards and a touchdown, but missed on three straight attempts at a tying or winning touchdown, badly overshooting Likely on the first and looking past a wide-open Zay Flowers on the second. Jackson’s gifts for buying time and turning broken plays into big ones were on full display, but he wasn’t precise with the game hanging in the balance. With the Chiefs regularly double teaming Jackson’s favorite target, Mark Andrews, Likely stepped up to catch nine passes on 12 targets for 111 yards and a touchdown. His 49-yard catch-and-run touchdown was the play of the game for the Ravens. Wide receiver Rashod Bateman made a leaping 38-yard grab to set up Jackson’s red-zone shots on the final drive, reminding everyone why he deserves a larger role in the offense. The Ravens’ inexperienced offensive line, with Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele starting at guard and Patrick Mekari rotating with rookie Roger Rosengarten at right tackle, didn’t give Jackson enough time to work in the first half but performed better late in the game. All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones had his way in limited engagements with Rosengarten. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley, trying to bounce back from a disappointing 2023, played well. The Ravens will face a Raiders defense that ranked eighth in DVOA against the pass last year despite blitzing infrequently and ranking 24th in pressures per dropback. They held Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert to 144 passing yards on 26 attempts in Week 1. Maxx Crosby is an elite edge rusher who led the Raiders with 14 1/2 sacks and 31 quarterback hits in 2023 and picked up where he left off with four pressures against the Chargers. He’ll be a problem for Stanley and Mekari as he cherry picks the best matchups. Las Vegas is thin on the edge behind Crosby, with 2023 standout Malcolm Koonce on injured reserve. The Raiders don’t have stars in the secondary, but their cornerbacks, led by Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs, played well against the Chargers, and safety Tre’Von Moehrig is a playmaker. EDGE: Ravens Raiders passing game vs. Ravens pass defense Quarterback Gardner Minshew completed 25 of 33 for 257 yards against the Chargers but led the Raiders to just three points after the first quarter. Minshew has always straddled the line between starter and backup. He did lead the Indianapolis Colts to a 22-19 win over the Ravens last September. He’s working with real weapons in former All-Pro Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers (807 yards, 8 touchdowns last season) and rookie tight end Brock Bowers, who caught six passes for 58 yards against the Chargers. Raiders tackles Kolton Miller and Thayer Munford Jr. graded decently, per Pro Football Focus, but Minshew was sacked three times and hit six. He’ll face a Ravens unit that defended the pass better than any other in 2023 but struggled to lock down the middle of the field against the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes and wide receiver Rashee Rice took advantage of subpar games from All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith and All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton. Rookie Xavier Worthy exploited blown coverage for the decisive touchdown. The Ravens did muster decent pressure, led by outside linebacker Odafe Oweh and defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, though they could be without edge rusher Kyle Van Noy (eye) against the Raiders. Their cornerbacks played better than their linebackers and safeties. EDGE: Ravens Ravens running game vs. Raiders run defense The Ravens ran for 185 yards on 32 attempts against the Chiefs, with Jackson, looking fast and fearless, accounting for 122 of those. The team’s major offseason addition, Derrick Henry, played a lesser role with 46 yards on 13 carries. That might not have been the case had the Ravens not played from behind for most of the game. The Jackson-Henry partnership worked best on the first drive of the game as Jackson faked handoffs to set up a pair of outside gains, then gave the ball to Henry from under center for the running back’s first Ravens touchdown. Henry actually played fewer snaps than Justice Hill, who thrived as a receiver out of the backfield. Henry will need more help from the Ravens’ offensive line to increase his efficiency. Coach John Harbaugh has said he won’t carry the ball 30 times a game as he did during his busiest stretches with the Tennessee Titans. The Raiders, meanwhile, will look to avoid the run fit mistakes that left former Raven J.K. Dobbins room to break loose for gains of 46 and 61 yards on Sunday. Las Vegas allowed just 69 yards on the Chargers’ other 25 carries, but those two chunk plays led to 10 points that blew open a close game. The Raiders have a very good middle linebacker in Robert Spillane (10 tackles, one for loss against the Chargers) and one of the league’s best defensive tackles in Christian Wilkins. EDGE: Ravens Raiders running game vs. Ravens run defense The Raiders said goodbye to Josh Jacobs in the offseason, handing their No. 1 running back spot to Zamir White, who averaged 4.3 yards per carry last season. The Chargers held White to 44 yards on 13 attempts Sunday. Minshew doesn’t get many designed carries but is a threat to scramble if left unattended. Baltimore linebacker Roquan Smith, left, didn’t perform up to his potential in a season-opening loss to the Chiefs. (Charlie Riedel/AP) The Ravens held the Chiefs to 72 yards on 20 carries, with 21 of those coming on an early end-around score by the speedy Worthy. Smith and Hamilton missed five tackles combined and will need to clean that up. On the interior, Travis Jones played 33 snaps to 20 for Michael Pierce, but Pierce remains the more dependable run defender. EDGE: Ravens Ravens special teams vs. Raider special teams Justin Tucker missed from 53 yards in Kansas City and has now made just one of six attempts from 50 yards or beyond over the last two seasons. He’s made 33 of 34 from inside 50 over that span. The NFL’s new kickoff rules played little part in the Chiefs game. The Ravens did not return a single one, and the Chiefs returned just two, achieving minimal field position advantage. Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson made more than 90% of his field-goal attempts every year from 2020 to 2022 but went 1-of-3 from 50 yards or beyond last season and missed from 49 in the loss to the Chargers. Ameer Abdullah is one of the most experienced kickoff returners in the league, and A.J. Cole III is a two-time All-Pro punter. Las Vegas ranked 13th in special teams DVOA last season, 10 spots behind the Ravens. EDGE: Even Ravens intangibles vs. Raiders intangibles The Ravens never lost two games in a row last season and will be motivated to put their agonizing opening defeat behind them. They’ll have a rest advantage over an opponent crossing two time zones to play them at 1 p.m. Harbaugh’s teams have traditionally won at a high rate when playing with such advantages, and Jackson, with a 58-20 career regular season record, will be the best player on the field. Raiders coach Antonio Pierce went 5-4 last season after Josh McDaniels was fired, and the former NFL linebacker has promised to restore the franchise’s intimidating aura. Former Bengals coach Marvin Lewis offers a voice of experience as the assistant head coach. Pierce took widespread criticism Sunday for punting on fourth-and-1 in Chargers territory with his team down six in the fourth quarter, but he portrayed the decision as an act of faith in his defense. The Raiders went just 2-6 on the road last year; they did win in Kansas City on Christmas. EDGE: Ravens Prediction The Raiders held their own in an opening loss to the Chargers. They have skilled playmakers and an elite pass rusher in Crosby. In other words, enough talent to make the Ravens uncomfortable. But the Ravens have an MVP quarterback, a far more more accomplished coach and more star power on defense. Look for Henry to break out in his Baltimore debut as the Ravens play from ahead all afternoon. Ravens 30, Raiders 17 View the full article

Lamar Jackson slumped forward slightly and thumped his shoulder pad into his hand. He flashed a grin and let out a soft-spoken, “Boom!” The agile quarterback carrying a summer’s worth of dialogue about slimming down mimicked his particularly physical performance from the Ravens’ Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He rushed for 122 yards on 16 carries and invited contact with every scramble, having been tackled on 13 such attempts. Jackson was absent from Monday’s practice for what he downplayed as simply a day off. “I feel great,” he said, returning to the field Wednesday after the team didn’t practice Tuesday. He was not listed on the week’s first injury report. The hit Jackson recounted came early in the second quarter of Thursday’s season opener at Arrowhead Stadium. He stepped up into the pocket, then zipped out to his right to pick up about 5 yards. When Jackson neared the sideline, Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson appeared to decelerate. That’s when Jackson, still in bounds, barreled his head and shoulder into Watson. “I’m just playing football,” the two-time and reigning NFL Most Valuable Player said. “I didn’t want to get hit. … I think I’ve [gotten] hit like that before — going on the sideline [when] I’m about to step out and somebody hits me. So, it was like, ‘I’d rather hit you before you hit me.’” It’s an aggressive energy he chalked up to competitive spirit. That, coupled with thinking back to all the times he slid on a run or avoided contact and still took a hit without drawing a penalty. Is that type of physicality sustainable for five-plus months of football? “I don’t know. I’m not trying to find out,” the 27-year-old Jackson said. “But I’m going to do whatever it takes to win, and in that type of game, sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.” Harbaugh showed no signs of concern either. “I’m comfortable with a physical football team,” he said. The last time Jackson rushed more than 16 times in a single game was 2021. He did it thrice that season: 16 carries in Week 2 against the Chiefs, then 21 carries in Week 8 and 17 in Week 11. In Week 14, Jackson suffered a season-ending injury when Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah brought him down by his ankles as he scrambled away from pressure. (Jackson also missed the final five regular-season games and a wild-card-round loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022 with a sprained knee.) Jackson is also far different from his 2021 counterpart — and Harbaugh noted earlier this week how malleable Baltimore’s offense can be. “I feel like an offensive identity is definitely something that you develop over the course of time,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve had a lot of iterations of offensive identities over the years, especially since Lamar has been here, but they do start with your quarterback.” After battling the Chiefs’ Chris Jones a week ago, Jackson and the Ravens will see a similarly dominant defensive lineman in Las Vegas’ Maxx Crosby. Crosby had four tackles and two sacks in his only career game against Baltimore, a 33-27 overtime win by the Raiders in the 2021 season opener. He finished with five tackles and a sack last week in a 22-10 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers. Harbaugh called him a “game-wrecker” and a high-energy, “very unpredictable player.” Jackson, with distasteful memories of that matchup three years ago, still recalls the friendly trash talk they exchanged in that meeting at Allegiant Stadium. “He was trying to get after me and I was talking trash back, and he was like, ‘But I love your game, Lamar!’” the quarterback recalled Crosby saying. “He’s a great edge rusher. My hat’s off to him. He has a high motor. He was just going at it all game.” Injury report Veteran outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who exited Thursday’s loss in Kansas City after suffering an orbital bone fracture, missed Wednesday’s practice with an eye injury and was the Ravens’ only absentee. Middle linebacker Roquan Smith was a limited participant with a shoulder injury. Rookie outside linebacker Adisa Isaac was limited with a hamstring injury. On his podcast Tuesday, Van Noy expressed frustration with the Chiefs medical staff’s handling of his injury, calling the treatment he received “unprofessional.” Harbaugh said Wednesday that he has not had a conversation with Van Noy regarding his treatment and didn’t offer any details on the veteran’s recovery timeline. “I didn’t hear the quotes or comments at all,” Harbaugh said. “They were sent to me. I read them. And that’s about as far as I can get on it.” Smith, who practiced Monday, is a new addition to the injury report. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 2 of 2024 NFL season: Bills vs. Dolphins, Bengals vs. Chiefs and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about Lamar Jackson’s running and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | ‘Rookie yips’ were only part of Ravens’ offensive line problems vs. Chiefs: ‘Week 1 is tough’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens overreaction corner: Will Baltimore, Lamar Jackson ever catch up to Chiefs? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Raiders scouting report for Week 2: Who has the edge? Isaac did not play Thursday but could have an expanded role if he returns this week. The Ravens, now possibly without Van Noy for some time, were already dealing with thin outside linebacker depth. “I feel probably the best I felt since coming in OTAs,” said Isaac, a third-round pick in April’s draft. “I feel ready, feel prepared. It’s definitely been a little challenging being patient.” Cornerback Nate Wiggins and wide receiver/returner Deonte Harty, who were not on the field for the viewing portion of Monday’s practice, returned Wednesday and are not listed on the injury report. Arthur Maulet, who is on injured reserve and will miss at least three more games, worked out with trainers on a side field Wednesday. The 31-year-old cornerback had arthroscopic knee surgery in August. Raiders defensive end Tyree Wilson (knee) and cornerback Decamerion Richardson (hamstring) did not practice Wednesday. Starting offensive linemen Kolton Miller (knee) and Andre James (elbow) and reserve rookie guard Jackson Powers-Johnson (illness) were limited participants. View the full article

John Harbaugh’s eyes darted back and forth as he dug into his memory for the answers. Four days removed from a distressing if not self-inflicted loss to the Chiefs, the Ravens coach was asked about his defense’s “communication issues” in Kansas City, where the phrase had clanked through the bowels of Arrowhead Stadium following the season-opening defeat to the same team that had ended Baltimore’s 2023 season seven months earlier. There were many deficiencies, Harbaugh acknowledged, from a missed assignment that led to a decisive touchdown to how the Ravens performed against certain plays to using too many defensive substitution packages. “They made the fewest mistakes, and that’s why they won the game,” he said. “You have your floor and your ceiling. How high is the ceiling [and] how high is the floor? “The Chiefs’ floor was higher in that game than our [floor] was, and ultimately, that was probably the difference in the game.” So was the middle of the field, where Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes again shredded the Ravens’ defense, just as he had in last season’s AFC championship game. On passes between the hashes that traveled 15 yards or less, he completed 8 of 11 passes for 142 yards, according to Tru Media. Mahomes was intercepted by Roquan Smith on one of them, but the three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback spent a big chunk of the night torturing the All-Pro inside linebacker, as well as off-ball linebackers Trenton Simpson and Malik Harrison and All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton. All four defenders, along with free safety Marcus Williams, had grades of 49.7 or worse from Pro Football Focus, including Harrison’s team-low mark of 28.4 with Smith (29.4) not far behind. They were justified. Smith bore the brunt of the attack and stunningly got embarrassed. Targeted six times, he allowed five completions for 69 yards, 58 of which came after the catch, per PFF. Simpson, meanwhile, surrendered three catches and 37 yards on four targets, and Hamilton and Williams allowed two catches apiece for 45 and 46 yards, respectively. “Obviously there were a lot of mistakes out there, and that’s not what we pride ourselves on, and that starts with me communicating each and every detail throughout to the guys and making sure that we’re all on the same page,” Smith said afterward. “If we’re all on the same page, we’re a tough defense to move the ball on. But, a lot of the things that happened were self-inflicted. … They made us pay for it.” Twice in particular, including with a play — Hoss Y-Juke — that dates to the early days of the Patriots’ dynasty and was wildly successful in New England’s and Tom Brady’s 2019 Super Bowl victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Yet, despite its age it worked beautifully against Baltimore. The idea is simple: Outside receivers run hitch routes, slot receivers run seam routes and a third receiver from the outside runs an option route against a linebacker. So there it was that on the second play of the Chiefs’ second possession with just over 2 minutes remaining in the opening quarter that Smith found himself looking at a bet he could not win against speedy Rashee Rice. The star receiver easily juked the linebacker and caught a short pass over the middle for a 19-yard gain. The drive ended in a punt, but it portended the night. Using the same formation (but flipped to the other side of the field) midway through the third quarter and with a similar route design, it was Harrison’s turn. Rice gave him the same juke he’d used on Smith, caught a short pass over the middle and raced forward for a 15-yard gain. That series, too, ended with a punt, but it only emboldened Kansas City to attack the heart of a Baltimore defense that a season ago led the league in sacks, takeaways and points allowed. After all, the Chiefs enjoyed success there before. The last time the Chiefs and Ravens met, in that AFC title game at M&T Bank Stadium, Mahomes was 10-for-12 for 90 yards over the middle on passes that traveled 15 yards or less. Like then, there were problems all over the middle of the field for Baltimore’s quarters defense — a formation in which the two deep safeties cover the inside quarter of the field, the two outside cornerbacks guard the outside and remaining three defenders split the underneath into thirds. On Kansas City’s first offensive play of the game, Rice and rookie Xavier Worthy lined up staggered, with the former easily beating cornerback Marlon Humphrey to the inside for an 11-yard gain. Three plays later and in a trips formation, Rice did it again, this time with Smith helplessly giving chase on a 16-yard gain. Then early in the third quarter, a pump fake by Mahomes got Williams to bite down and Smith to move over, leaving a gaping hole as Humphrey released Rice to the middle of the field unbeknownst there was no safety help behind him. Bang, 33 yards. Nearly half of Patrick Mahomes’ passing yards against Baltimore came on passes traveling under 15 yards in the air in between the hashes. (Ed Zurga/AP) One play later, with Broderick Washington forcing a rolling Mahomes to readjust and shift to his second option, the quarterback found receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster wide-open again in the middle of the field, this time for 25 yards. “We cleaned it up — we changed which side we were rolling the coverage to — and it cleaned up, so you do make those adjustments during the course of the game,” Harbaugh said. “You’re playing a team that game-plans really well, and they had the whole offseason to game-plan us, so they came up with a couple of — probably three — good ideas that were good.” It didn’t help that tackling was also an issue for the Ravens. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: The Ravens’ defense struggled vs. Chiefs. It can’t again vs. Raiders. | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Kyle Van Noy rips Chiefs training staff’s handling of eye injury: ‘Unprofessional’ Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 1: Write the Steelers off at your own risk Baltimore Ravens | Ravens coach John Harbaugh ‘not worried’ about illegal formation penalties — or his offensive line Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from practice Monday; John Harbaugh declines to say why They had 11 missed tackles, including three from Hamilton and two from Smith. Kansas City took advantage, scoring 17 points on drives where they directly attacked the middle of the field on at least one play. “This is the worst we’ll play all season,” Smith said. “I can promise you that.” If so, there’s at least promise in those words. Despite all the Ravens’ defensive issues in the game, along with self-inflicted offensive wounds that included a string of illegal formation penalties, they were an Isaiah Likely toe away from potentially tying or winning the game. “I’m not too worried about our ceiling,” Harbaugh said. “I know we have tremendous players, and we’ll make plays, but I want to see that floor come up a little bit and play a little more that way between Week 1 and Week 2.” View the full article

After the Chargers beat the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Los Angeles coach Jim Harbaugh told his players that the biggest improvement during the season comes between Weeks 1 and 2. It’s part of the Harbaugh philosophy, probably handed down from Jack, a former college coach himself, to his sons, Jim and John. It’s true, which is why first-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr is forgiven for the team’s lackluster performance in the Ravens’ 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday. The performance was on par, especially against an explosive, fast-paced offense such as Kansas City’s. But it can’t happen again Sunday at home against the Raiders. “I’ve been saying that for 17 years here,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said with a laugh during a light moment with the media on Monday. Thursday’s game against the Chiefs was no laughing matter. It’s different here in Baltimore because the Ravens and defense are synonymous. It’s the franchise of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs. The Ravens looked lost Thursday. Not only did they give up 353 yards in total offense, but their best players — middle linebacker Roquan Smith and safety Kyle Hamilton — missed tackles. Baltimore also had to use two timeouts within the first five minutes of the third quarter. They could’ve used those when quarterback Lamar Jackson was driving the Ravens down the field on the final drive. The Ravens talked about communication issues after the game, but Harbaugh emphasized the Chiefs’ substitution packages more. “That’s something that was really not so much a communication issue, just a volume issue probably as much as anything,” he said. “We’re looking at that really hard [with it being] the first game of the season in that kind of environment. The other issues were more just the way we played the plays. Maybe communication was used [by our players] in kind of a general term. “The substitution issues were legit, certainly. [We] probably had too many substitution groups up, to be honest. We were trying to play a lot of different guys and get them in there, situationally, against a no-huddle team. … We didn’t do a great job.” The speed of Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy was a problem for the Ravens’ defense on Thursday. (Charlie Riedel/AP) Honestly, it was to be expected. The Ravens lost three defensive coaches from a year ago — defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, defensive line coach Anthony Weaver and secondary coach Dennard Wilson — so there was always going to be some mayhem shuffling players in their first real game action, especially against Kansas City’s up-tempo offense. Plus, unlike the Ravens’ improvisational and unsettled offense, Kansas City’s is finely tuned with a scheme built around quarterback Patrick Mahomes — and speed. A lot of it. Chiefs coach Andy Reid worked the Ravens with short timing patterns and crossing routes across the middle. At times, the Ravens appeared to be over-coached, possibly caught up in all the hype surrounding the rematch of last year’s 17-10 AFC championship game loss. The Ravens made adjustments in the third quarter, but they were too slow, always a step behind Kansas City. Baltimore was fortunate that running back Isiah Pacheco dropped a would-be touchdown pass early in the second quarter, and again when running back Samaje Perine failed to handle a would-be 40-yard score in the third. Where were the adjustments? Why weren’t these players covered? Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 20 of 28 passes for 291 yards against the Ravens on Thursday. (Charlie Riedel/AP) The same question was asked when rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes with 10:25 left to put the Chiefs ahead by 10. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey seemed to expect safety help over the top, but there was none. When those things happen, they stay lodged in the back of your head and come up when the Ravens continue to have problems. Some players aren’t getting the message. Regardless of the coaching turnover, this is basically the same defensive group from a year ago that became the first in NFL history to lead the league in points allowed per game, sacks and takeaways. The Ravens lost only three defensive starters during the offseason in linebacker Patrick Queen, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and safety Geno Stone, yet, at the same time, this was the opener. Time to be ready. Baltimore played only a few starters during the preseason, and it showed. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens have grit, but they need to fix familiar problems to dethrone Chiefs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Answering questions about pass rush, coordinators and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens have to prove they’re still one of the best at developing talent | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: With ‘crazy’ Ravens schedule, NFL puts money above player safety | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Joe D’Alessandris left an indelible mark on the Ravens | COMMENTARY They were playing against Mahomes, who has won two straight Super Bowl titles and played well, completing 20 of 28 passes for 291 yards. Now, if that happens this week against the Raiders and starting quarterback Gardner Minshew II, then it’s time to be less forgiving of Orr. Minshew is no Mahomes, coach Antonio Pierce is no Reid and the Ravens are at home. This is Baltimore, not Charlotte, home of the lowly Carolina Panthers. It’s a real home-field advantage. “You have your floor and your ceiling. How high is the ceiling [and] how high is the floor?” Harbaugh asked. “You want to always raise the floor. That’s what winning football does — it raises the floor as high as it can be — we’ve been that kind of team over the years; that’s why we’ve won so many games. The Chiefs’ floor was higher in that game than ours was, and ultimately, that was probably the difference in the game. “Those are the things that we can do this week — we can raise that floor up quite high. I’m not too worried about our ceiling.” We’ll see. View the full article

Ravens outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy hasn’t practiced since suffering an eye injury in Thursday night’s season-opening loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City. Tuesday, he re-emerged on his eponymous podcast with co-host and former NFL defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, wearing dark sunglasses and ripped the Chiefs for their handling of the injury. While Ravens coach John Harbaugh declined on Monday to elaborate on Van Noy injury’s, the 33-year-old confirmed that he suffered a fractured orbital bone in his eye before criticizing Kansas City’s athletic training staff, calling the treatment he received at Arrowhead Stadium “unprofessional.” “I was disappointed in the way the training staff of the Chiefs handled the situation,” he said. “I was supposed to see an ophthalmologist. They took an entire quarter to get down to talk to me in the locker room, which, to me, is unacceptable, because then you start thinking, ‘What if I was trying to go back in the game? What if i was really, really hurt?'” Van Noy said the injury, which occurred early in the third quarter, happened when his helmet slipped under his chin strap as he ended up at the bottom of a pile with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike. He said the top of the pad in his helmet jammed into his eye when he hit the ground with Madubuike on top of him. “Your expectation of someone to be down there as the training staff asked them to be down there would’ve had a little bit more urgency and just the way it took time was super unprofessional to me,” Van Noy said. A Chiefs spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday evening. Van Noy added that he suffered a “pretty good fracture” and that the injury was “moderate.” He also alluded to an NFL Players Association survey of Kansas City players conducted last season in which the Chiefs’ athletic training staff received a grade of “F.” According to the players union, Chiefs players feel the training room is “significantly understaffed, with only 43% of the team responding that they get an adequate amount of one-on-one treatment time.” Players feel the staff is unwilling to provide the necessary treatment to support recovery and performance, the union also said. “With my experience I probably would’ve given them an ‘F’ too,” Van Noy said, adding that he went to the emergency room at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City and that they did a “great” job. “If [the Chiefs] did have their hands on that, I do applaud them for that,” he said. “Everything went smoothly there. But before that happened, I thought that was kind of ridiculous.” Van Noy, who signed a two-year contract extension in April after a career-high nine sacks last season, did not have a timetable for his return and said he is continuing to undergo testing with eye specialists. View the full article

Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will recap the best and worst from around the league. Here are our winners and losers from Week 1: Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers It might not matter who plays quarterback. The Steelers will still find a way to win. With veteran Russell Wilson sidelined by a lingering calf injury, Pittsburgh spoiled Kirk Cousins’ debut in Atlanta with a vintage 18-10 victory. Nothing about it was particularly impressive, but that’s what we’ve come to expect from a team coached by Mike Tomlin. In his first start since being released by the Chicago Bears this offseason, 2021 first-round draft pick Justin Fields did just enough, completing 17 of 23 passes for 156 yards, rushing for 57 yards and, crucially, not turning the ball over. Not even a botched snap on the opening play could derail Fields, who looked shaky at times but flashed his dual-threat talent with a few big scrambles and a 40-yard pass to receiver George Pickens that set up one of Chris Boswell’s six field goals. The real star of the game was the Steelers’ defense, which held Atlanta to 226 total yards and forced three turnovers. While the offense stumbled in the fourth quarter, botching a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1 from the Falcons’ 6-yard line and then losing 21 yards on its next possession, the defense stood strong, forcing a three-and-out and then intercepting a wayward pass from Cousins that trade acquisition Donte Jackson returned deep into Atlanta territory. The Steelers only recorded two sacks, but Cousins was under pressure most of the game by T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and a fearsome pass rush. For all the offseason hype, Atlanta’s highly touted playmakers Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts couldn’t shake loose. The main criticism of Tomlin has been that, while his teams have avoided a losing record throughout his tenure, his winning formula is not built for the postseason. The last time Pittsburgh won a playoff game was the 2016 season, when Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown made up the core of one of the league’s best offenses. You can scoff at the Steelers’ lethargic offense all you want, but the defense looks primed to carry them to another winning record and a potential playoff berth. Loser: Cincinnati Bengals The Bengals remain notoriously slow starters, falling to 1-10 in the first two weeks of the season under coach Zac Taylor. But it feels a bit different when that first loss comes against a bad team. The New England Patriots entered the season with by far the worst odds of winning the Super Bowl and a projected win total of 4.5, so it came as a big surprise when they raced out to a 13-0 lead in Cincinnati, which looked lifeless for most of its 16-10 loss. Joe Burrow averaged just 5.7 yards per attempt and was sacked three times, though a fumble near the goal line by Tanner Hudson and a dropped pass by fellow tight end Mike Gesicki in the back of the end zone took away two potential touchdowns. What’s most concerning for the Bengals is their defense, which allowed 170 rushing yards and let New England convert nearly half of its third downs (6 of 15). There were concerns about Cincinnati’s defense stemming from last season, and the loss of lineman D.J. Reader in the middle of the front seven looks to be a big one. Coordinator Lou Anarumo has his work cut out for him to make in-season adjustments. Of course, it’s silly to overreact to one loss. The Bengals were missing injured wide receiver Tee Higgins, and Ja’Marr Chase has barely practiced with the team this offseason because of his contract dispute. It’s a safe bet that Burrow and the offense will jell, just like they have every year, but it’s not a guarantee that the Bengals will be able to overcome another slow start with this defense. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott became the highest-paid player in league history before Sunday’s win over the Browns in Cleveland. (David Richard/AP) Winner: Dak Prescott After prolonged contract negotiations that seemed destined to carry over into next offseason, the Cowboys struck a deal with Prescott on the morning of the season opener that made him the highest-paid player in league history. His four-year, $240 million deal ends any questions about his future in Dallas, though it cranks up the pressure even more on the star quarterback to finally deliver a Super Bowl title. At least in Week 1, he lived up to the deal, throwing for 179 yards and a touchdown in a dominant 33-17 road win over a Cleveland Browns team that returns the core of what was one of the league’s best defenses last season. Prescott has been one of the most productive quarterbacks in the league in recent years, but his postseason failures have made him a lightning rod for criticism. One good week won’t change the narrative, but a truly special season — the kind that could make him the league Most Valuable Player — might push him into elite status and get Dallas over the hump. Loser: Bryce Young It doesn’t get much worse than this for the Carolina Panthers. In Week 1, a time for hope and belief in the transformative power of a fresh season, they lost 47-10 to the division rival New Orleans Saints. It might not be fair to single out Young in what was a complete team failure, but he’s the face of the franchise after being picked No. 1 overall last year — a pick Carolina traded up for at the expense of receiver DJ Moore and the draft rights to highly touted rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, among other things. With the hiring of coach Dave Canales, who helped revive Baker Mayfield’s career in Tampa Bay, and the acquisition of wide receivers Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette along with offensive linemen Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, the expectation was that Young would take a big step forward. After a dreadful rookie season, there seemed to be nowhere to go but up. Well, he might have reached rock bottom. Young completed just 13 of 30 passes for 161 yards with two interceptions while being sacked four times in Sunday’s loss. Adam Thielen, a 34-year-old veteran, was his leading receiver. The Panthers averaged just 2.9 yards per carry. Barring an unprecedented turnaround, Carolina might be drafting yet another quarterback first overall in April. Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely caught nine passes for 111 yards in Thursday night’s season-opening loss against the Chiefs. (Ed Zurga/AP) Winner: Isaiah Likely Perhaps the lasting image from Week 1 will be a catch that wasn’t. Likely’s toe landing just out bounds in the back of the end zone cost the Ravens a potential game-tying — and perhaps game-winning if they convert the 2-point conversion — touchdown on the final play of the Kansas City Chiefs’ thrilling 27-20 victory in Thursday night’s season opener. In a game that required a Most Valuable Player-level performance from Lamar Jackson, it was Likely who emerged as the star quarterback’s favorite target. The third-year tight end finished with nine catches for 111 yards, including a dazzling 49-yard touchdown that pulled Baltimore back within three early in the fourth quarter. For all the attention on the addition of running back Derrick Henry, the breakout potential of receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman and the steady presence of tight end Mark Andrews, it’s Likely who showed the best chemistry with the reigning MVP and the potential to develop into the Ravens’ top offensive playmaker. Loser: Rookie quarterbacks It’s never easy for a rookie quarterback to step in and have immediate success at the NFL level, no matter how good they were in college, and that was only reinforced by what we saw Sunday. While Williams became the first No. 1 overall pick to win in Week 1 of his rookie year since David Carr in 2001, it wasn’t because of his performance. The former Oklahoma and USC star completed 14 of 29 passes for just 93 yards, an average of 3.2 per attempt, and was sacked twice as the Bears failed to score an offensive touchdown against the Tennessee Titans. But his supporting cast on defense and special teams bailed him out, with Jonathan Owens returning a blocked punt for a touchdown and Tyrique Stevenson returning an inexplicable cross-field shovel pass from Will Levis for a score as Chicago rallied for a 24-17 win. Bo Nix did not fare much better. The Broncos rookie needed 34 attempts to reach 100 passing yards against the Seattle Seahawks as coach Sean Payton kept most of his throws near the line of scrimmage. Nix still managed to throw two interceptions — and could have thrown two more — as he finished 26-for-42 for 138 yards while rushing for 35 yards and a touchdown. Early signs were promising as Denver took a 13-9 lead into halftime, but Nix ultimately cost his team in a 26-20 loss. Perhaps the most promising debut came from Jayden Daniels. Facing blitz-heavy Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles, the Commanders’ No. 2 pick was able to escape pressure a few times and flashed his talent as a runner with 88 yards and two touchdowns on read options near the goal line. Daniels didn’t push the ball downfield much and missed a potential deep touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin, but he kept his poise and finished a respectable 17-for-24 for 184 yards. As is the case for most rookie quarterbacks picked near the top of the draft, however, the rest of his team struggled. Washington’s defense was carved up by Baker Mayfield in a 37-20 loss, putting more pressure on Daniels to succeed quickly to overcome his team’s shortcomings. View the full article

The early portion of Thursday’s season opener seemed to bubble over with confusion about the NFL’s new emphasis on how officials would call illegal formation penalties, which the Ravens were flagged for five times. After watching the film and reviewing available data, coach John Harbaugh said Monday that he’s “not worried about it going forward.” That’s because of the highly detailed and accurate data teams get from tracking chips in each player’s shoulder pads called radio-frequency identification tags, or RFID. “We have the tracking data from that game,” Harbaugh said, referencing Baltimore’s 27-20 loss to the Chiefs. “We know exactly where the Chiefs tackles were lined up and exactly where ours were lined up.” The veteran coach was terse about specific findings. But the discourse is unambiguous, he said, because of the data available. So they’ll have a sense of whether officiating crews call it consistently as the season progresses. Three of the Ravens’ five illegal formation penalties, including two on the opening drive, came against left tackle Ronnie Stanley. Stanley said after the game that he felt targeted by the officials and that his presnap alignment followed what he was told by offseason referees. An illegal formation is called when a player’s helmet isn’t aligned with the waist of the center. It’s advantageous for a lineman in pass protection to be lined up further back behind the line of scrimmage. Stanley said Thursday night that he was confident his head was “breaking the center’s butt.” “I thought Ronnie was in reasonable position almost all the time,” Harbaugh said. “I do think the adjustment that needs to be made, is during the course of the drive, if it’s something that you didn’t expect and it’s totally different than they’re calling the games, you gotta make the drastic adjustment right away and then we’ll talk about it later. Ronnie actually thought he was doing that. When you watch the tape, I think what he says bears out.” Illegal formation penalties aside, Harbaugh said the offensive line — which has been a hot topic through the preseason as they replaced three starters from last year — set a “pretty darn good baseline,” particularly in the deafening conditions of Arrowhead Stadium against a formidable Chiefs defensive front. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson absent from practice Monday; John Harbaugh declines to say why Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Derrick Henry’s impact is still to be determined after playing 46% of snaps vs. Chiefs Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chiefs was most-watched NFL season opener ever, NBC says Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 1 of 2024 NFL season: Packers vs. Eagles, Steelers vs. Falcons and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens have grit, but they need to fix familiar problems to dethrone Chiefs | COMMENTARY Similar to the slew of early penalties, Harbaugh isn’t worried about his offensive line. “I know how hard they work and I know how talented they are and I watch all the other offensive lines in the National Football League,” he said. “I think if you applied some of the same standards to the other offensive lines out there, you’d be like, ‘Oh, boy.'” Against Kansas City, the Ravens ran for 185 yards on 32 carries. Half of those were by quarterback Lamar Jackson, who finished with 122 rushing yards; Derrick Henry added 46 on 13 carries. The Chiefs combined for one sack and one quarterback hit. For reference, Kansas City totaled four sacks and seven quarterback hits in the AFC championship game in Baltimore in January. “Our offensive line is going to be really good this year,” Harbaugh said. “I believe that. And we’re working hard toward that.” View the full article

Ravens coach John Harbaugh declined to specify why quarterback Lamar Jackson was absent from practice Monday afternoon, their first since Thursday night’s season-opening loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City. “We had a number of guys who weren’t out there,” Harbaugh said following a 90-minute practice in Owings Mills. “Some personal, some more physical. Injury report comes out Wednesday afternoon, so you’ll be better advised on that day regarding all those guys.” No absence was more notable than Jackson’s, however. In the Ravens’ 27-20 loss to Kansas City, the two-time and reigning NFL Most Valuable Player completed 26 of 41 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown and led the team in rushing with 122 yards on 16 carries. He was also strip-sacked and took several hits, though he did not appear to be injured while speaking to reporters following the game. “This guy wants to win, he wants to make plays, he wants to lead his team; that’s what I saw on Thursday night,” Harbaugh said Monday. “And all the football stuff, we just keep coaching, and he’s the leader in that. But I’m proud of him. I have nothing but admiration for Lamar Jackson.” Jackson’s absence marks the first time he has not been at practice since the start of training camp, when he missed the first week with an undisclosed illness. It was also his first missed practice during the regular season since early December when he was out for one day, also because of an illness. He was, however, present at Baltimore’s team picture day earlier Thursday, according to a social media post from the team. He was active on X as well, responding to a post about 30 minutes after practice had concluded. As for Jackson’s activity against the Chiefs, he was all over the field, accounting for 395 of Baltimore’s 452 total yards. That included a dozen scrambles — or on 19.5% of his dropbacks for his third-highest rate in the past four seasons, according to Next Gen Stats. He also drove the Ravens 77 yards in the final 1:50 and on the game’s final play hit Isaiah Likely in the back of the end zone from 10 yards out for what was initially ruled a touchdown before the call was overturned following a replay that showed the tight end’s toe coming down out of bounds on the catch. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens coach John Harbaugh ‘not worried’ about illegal formation penalties — or his offensive line Baltimore Ravens | Ravens RB Derrick Henry’s impact is still to be determined after playing 46% of snaps vs. Chiefs Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chiefs was most-watched NFL season opener ever, NBC says Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 1 of 2024 NFL season: Packers vs. Eagles, Steelers vs. Falcons and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens have grit, but they need to fix familiar problems to dethrone Chiefs | COMMENTARY “Our offense has a lot of new additions, and we’re just getting adjusted,” Jackson said following the game. “I don’t want to say [not playing in] preseason was the reason because it wasn’t; we battled. You can see it; we put points on the board. We just have to do what we have to do to win those games. [It’s] simple. “I believe everyone in our locker room hates losing, point-blank, period — coaches, trainers, equipment guys, cafeteria women and men, and definitely the players — because we’re out there putting it on the line, blood, sweat and tears. And for us to lose to those guys, and the way we lost, even though I don’t want to lose, but I can’t be mad at my guys because we battled.” Meanwhile, cornerback Nate Wiggins, wide receiver-returner Deonte Harty, outside linebacker Adisa Isaac (hamstring) and outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who suffered a fractured orbital bone in the loss, according to NFL Network, were also absent from practice. Harbaugh declined to confirm Van Noy’s injury and instead deferred to the injury report that will come out on Wednesday. Baltimore will play its home opener Sunday afternoon against the Las Vegas Raiders. View the full article

Not long after the Ravens signed running back Derrick Henry in free agency this offseason, new teammate and All-Pro inside linebacker Roquan Smith said the addition of the four-time Pro Bowl selection would be “scary.” Coach John Harbaugh, meanwhile, said having Henry would be a “wonderful thing” and that he was looking forward to it. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken added that he was “excited” to see the impact Henry would have “come to fruition.” After Thursday night’s 27-20 season-opening loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City, it is also something else: to be determined. Seven months removed from Ravens running backs inexplicably totaling just six carries against in last season’s AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium, the rematch with the Chiefs was not much different. Henry toted the ball 13 times — including five on Baltimore’s opening drive and just five in the second half — for 46 yards and a touchdown, with Justice Hill getting the lone other carry by a running back. Of course, much like the last time the two teams met, Baltimore was behind for most of the game (including trailing by 10 twice in the second half) thus perhaps limiting Henry’s and the running backs’ usage. Quarterback Lamar Jackson was also Baltimore’s most potent runner, with 122 yards on just 16 carries, though only seven of those appeared to be by design as he routinely ad-libbed his way through the Chiefs’ defense. Still, despite facing a team that last season ranked 15th in rushing yards allowed per game (113.2) and was fourth-worst in yards per attempt allowed (4.5), Henry’s impact in his first game as a Raven after eight seasons with the Tennessee Titans was relatively minimal. Why? Myriad reasons. Some of Henry’s struggles to break loose could be pinned on an offensive line in transition with three new starters. Guards Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees struggled at times and thus were rated poorly by Pro Football Focus with run-blocking grades of 55 and 51, respectively. Veteran tackle Patrick Mekari and rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten graded even worse at 53.2 and 48.2, respectively. If there was a bright spot up front, it came unsurprisingly from Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum and former All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley, both of whom graded well on run and pass blocks. But that wasn’t enough. “[There are a] couple runs I’d probably want back and do different,” Ravens running back Derrick Henry said. “One game doesn’t define the whole season. We’ve got plenty more to go play.” (Ed Zurga/AP)But that alone can’t explain it away. Last season, the Titans had one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines, and Henry still rushed for 1,162 yards and 12 touchdowns on 280 carries. Henry’s longest run on Thursday was just 9 yards — courtesy of a rare Faalele pancake of his defender and Linderbaum sealing his man — as he bounced outside on a second-and-4 with just over 5 minutes left in the second quarter to help lead to an eventual field goal try by Justin Tucker (that he missed from 53 yards). And in the second half — a time of the game when Henry’s hulking 6-foot-2, 247-pound frame can wear opponents down — he had just five carries for 13 yards to finish the game with a per-carry average of just 3.54 yards. It was also that lack of use that played a part in the ho-hum performance. Henry was on the field for just 37 snaps — 46% of the offensive plays. He did not see the field on Baltimore’s final drive. With only one timeout because they used two early in the second half, the Ravens ran the ball only twice over their final 11 plays, both scrambles by Jackson. No matter the situation, it was a big departure from years past. Henry had logged the fifth-most snaps among running backs since entering the league in 2016. And in four of the past five seasons, he was on the field for at least 64% of the Titans’ snaps. What about how the Ravens deployed their newest offensive playmaker? In coming from an offense in Tennessee that largely operated with its quarterback under center to one that functions regularly out of the pistol or shotgun, there was some concern about how Jackson and Henry would mesh. As a back who has traditionally built up speed before even taking a handoff and then reaching full flight on the second level of the defense, it was and perhaps remains a concern. How big remains to be seen. According to Next Gen Stats, Henry’s efficiency — the total distance a player travels on rushing plays as a ball carrier per rushing yards gained — of 4.01 on Thursday night would have ranked him 32nd among qualifying backs last season. And while Henry was utilized about equally in zone scheme and gap scheme runs, and fairly evenly in terms of play direction, he typically did his best work from 12 personnel (one back, two tight ends, two receivers) and rarely found success when Jackson wasn’t under center. He also had just one receiving target out of the backfield, which fell incomplete. The Chiefs often schemed to eliminate Henry as well using eight or more defenders in the box nearly 40% of the time, per Next Gen Stats, an uptick of just over 3% from what he saw last season with Tennessee. History is also not on Henry’s side at this point in his career. Over the past decade, only three backs have had 1,000-yard seasons at age 30 or older (Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore and Raheem Mostert), and he topped 100 yards in a game just four times last year. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chiefs was most-watched NFL season opener ever, NBC says Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 1 of 2024 NFL season: Packers vs. Eagles, Steelers vs. Falcons and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens have grit, but they need to fix familiar problems to dethrone Chiefs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 27-20 loss to Chiefs | COMMENTARY But beneath the surface, there is reason for optimism. Of Henry’s 46 yards on Thursday, 33 of them came after contact, and his yards per carry after contact (2.54) would have ranked in the top 10 in the NFL last season, proving that he is still difficult to bring down once he gets going. His rushing yards over expected (0.33), per Next Gen Stats, were on par with last season’s (0.31), too. And Henry’s 2.8 seconds behind the line of scrimmage — the amount of time a back spends before crossing the line of scrimmage as the ball carrier — was identical to last season’s mark, showing that he hasn’t slowed down just yet. It’s only one game, so the sample size is minuscule. As for his own assessment? “[There are a] couple runs I’d probably want back and do different,” Henry said. “One game doesn’t define the whole season. We’ve got plenty more to go play.” Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh looks to the clock near the end of the first half an NFL football against the Kansas City Chiefs, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers reacts after missing a pass in the end zone late in the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 05: Derrick Henry #22 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates his touchdown with teammate Isaiah Likely #80 as they take on the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) runs with the ball as Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith (0) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) catches a pass with his toe out of bounds as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton and linebacker Drue Tranquill, left, defend as time time expires in the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 27-20.(AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) made this catch in the end zone while being defended by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton, 32, but on replay was ruled out of bounds in an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs defeated the Ravens by a score of 27-20. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann) Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely's (80) toe was ruled out of bounds on a catch during the final seconds of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs defeated the Ravens by a score of 27-20. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann) Isiah Pacheco #10 of the Kansas City Chiefs is tackled by the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely, left, catches a pass with his toe out of bounds as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) and linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) defend as time time expires in the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 27-20.(AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely, left, catches a pass with his toe out of bounds as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) and linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) defend as time time expires in the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 27-20.(AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely, left, catches a pass out of bounds as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) and linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) defend as time time expires in the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 27-20. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Isaiah Likely #80 of the Baltimore Ravens makes a touchdown reception against Nick Bolton #32 of the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Chamarri Conner (27) is unable to intercept a pass intended for Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) scrambles as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal defends during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Rashee Rice #4 of the Kansas City Chiefs rushes against Marcus Williams #32 of the Baltimore Ravens during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Rashee Rice #4 of the Kansas City Chiefs rushes against Marcus Williams #32 of the Baltimore Ravens during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Derrick Henry #22 of the Baltimore Ravens rushes against the Kansas City Chiefs during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) is congratulated by tight end Mark Andrews after scoring during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely, right, heads for the end zone after catching a pass for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Mike Pennel Jr. #69 of the Kansas City Chiefs strips the ball from quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens during the second quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) Mike Pennel Jr. #69 of the Kansas City Chiefs strips the ball from quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens during the second quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs with the ball as Kansas City Chiefs safety Bryan Cook, right, and linebacker Leo Chenal (54) defend during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely, right, catches a pass before running it in for a touchdown as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) defends during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Chamarri Conner (27) is unable to intercept a pass intended for Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Chamarri Conner, right, breaks up a pass intended for Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Justin Watson #84 of the Kansas City Chiefs is tackled by Trenton Simpson #23 of the Baltimore Ravens during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco celebrates after scoring during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (10) scores on a 1-yard run during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis, left, hits Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) as he throws for an incomplete pass, forcing a fourth down during the first half an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs for a first down against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann) Taylor Swift, center, cheers a Kansas City Chiefs touchdown standing next to Ed Kelce, right, during the first half an NFL football gameagainst the Baltimore Ravens, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann) Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) knocks the ball out of the hands of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) as Chiefs defensive tackle Mike Pennel Jr., right, pressures him for a fumble recovered by the Chiefs during the first half an NFL football game, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann) Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker (9) is congratulated by teammate Jordan Stout after making a 25-yard field goal during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker (9) makes a 25-yard field goal during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker celebrates after making a 25-yard field goal during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) scrambles as Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (98) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Kansas City Chiefs' Chamarri Conner, right, reacts to a missed field goal attempt by Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker (9) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, right, runs for a first down as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie defends during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker (7) makes a 31-yard field goal during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson runs with the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is unable to catch a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson hands off during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Taylor Swift watches as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry is congratulated by teammates Isaiah Likely (80) and Andrew Vorhees (72) after scoring during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) scores as Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal (54) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 05: Quarterback Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens looks to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill (43) runs with the ball as Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid defends during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Derrick Henry #22 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates his touchdown with teammate Isaiah Likely #80 as they take on the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws as Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws as teammate Daniel Faalele (77) pulls back Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill (43) runs with the ball as Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton defends during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws as teammate Daniel Faalele (77) pulls back Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill runs with the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Show Caption1 of 55Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh looks to the clock near the end of the first half an NFL football against the Kansas City Chiefs, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann) Expand View the full article

The AFC championship game rematch between reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson and defending Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes brought in a huge national television audience. 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. It’s a 5% increase over last year’s 27.5 million viewers for the Detroit Lions vs. Chiefs opener. Despite a roughly 20-minute delay because of thunderstorms that forced players to leave the field and fans to take shelter in the concourse at Arrowhead Stadium, Thursday night’s game peaked at 33 million viewers in the second quarter (between 9:30-9:45 p.m. ET). NBC said the viewership numbers are based on live plus same-day custom fast nationals from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Unsurprisingly, Kansas City was the top local market with a 43.4 local rating and 80 share, which means that 80% of all televisions in use in Kansas City were tuned in to the game. Baltimore had the second-highest local viewership with a 24.5 rating and 60 share, followed by Denver; St. Louis; Norfolk, Virginia; Cincinnati; and Pittsburgh. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 1 of 2024 NFL season: Packers vs. Eagles, Steelers vs. Falcons and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens have grit, but they need to fix familiar problems to dethrone Chiefs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 27-20 loss to Chiefs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Isaiah Likely’s career day nearly led Ravens to comeback victory vs. Chiefs: ‘He was just open’ The game registered a national TV household rating of 12.6/37. The 37 share is NBC’s largest for any regular-season game since debuting the “Sunday Night Football” package in 2006. The Thursday night season opener, traditionally hosted by the defending Super Bowl champions, dates to 2002. NBC said it drew 4.6 million viewers on its digital platforms, including the live stream on Peacock, up 65% from last year’s season opener. The NFL has been a dominant draw, recording 14 of the top 15 most-watched prime-time telecasts in 2023. The Chiefs’ playoff win over the host Ravens in January was the most-watched AFC championship game ever, averaging 55.47 million viewers and peaking at more than 64 million viewers. According to Sportico, Thursday’s game was the 17th-most-watched U.S. broadcast of 2024 and is currently the year’s 12th-biggest NFL telecast. View the full article

Baltimore Sun staff writers pick every game of the NFL season. Here’s who they have winning in Week 1: Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil (Friday, 8:15 p.m.) Brian Wacker: Eagles Childs Walker: Packers Mike Preston: Eagles C.J. Doon: Packers Tim Schwartz: Packers Bennett Conlin: Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Falcons Walker: Falcons Preston: Steelers Doon: Falcons Schwartz: Falcons Conlin: Falcons Arizona Cardinals at Buffalo Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Bills Walker: Bills Preston: Bills Doon: Bills Schwartz: Bills Conlin: Bills Tennessee Titans at Chicago Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Bears Walker: Bears Preston: Bears Doon: Bears Schwartz: Bears Conlin: Titans New England Patriots at Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Bengals Walker: Bengals Preston: Bengals Doon: Bengals Schwartz: Bengals Conlin: Bengals Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Texans Walker: Texans Preston: Colts Doon: Texans Schwartz: Texans Conlin: Colts Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Dolphins Walker: Jaguars Preston: Dolphins Doon: Dolphins Schwartz: Dolphins Conlin: Dolphins Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Saints Walker: Saints Preston: Saints Doon: Saints Schwartz: Saints Conlin: Saints Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m.) Wacker: Giants Walker: Giants Preston: Vikings Doon: Vikings Schwartz: Vikings Conlin: Vikings Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m.) Wacker: Chargers Walker: Chargers Preston: Chargers Doon: Raiders Schwartz: Chargers Conlin: Chargers Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks (Sunday, 4:05 p.m.) Wacker: Seahawks Walker: Seahawks Preston: Seahawks Doon: Seahawks Schwartz: Seahawks Conlin: Seahawks Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Cowboys Walker: Cowboys Preston: Cowboys Doon: Cowboys Schwartz: Cowboys Conlin: Cowboys Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.) Wacker: Buccaneers Walker: Buccaneers Preston: Buccaneers Doon: Commanders Schwartz: Commanders Conlin: Buccaneers Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions (Sunday, 8:20 p.m.) Wacker: Lions Walker: Rams Preston: Lions Doon: Lions Schwartz: Lions Conlin: Rams New York Jets at San Francisco 49ers (Monday, 8:15 p.m.) Wacker: 49ers Walker: Jets Preston: 49ers Doon: Jets Schwartz: Jets Conlin: 49ers View the full article

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Ravens showed a lot of heart in a 27-20 season-opening loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium, but that desire takes a team only so far in the NFL. The Ravens need to get more out of their playmakers on both offense and defense to go deep into the postseason. Kansas City will, which is why the Chiefs have won the past two Super Bowl titles and could be the first team in league history to three-peat. But can the Ravens challenge them? You try never to put too much importance in the first game because it’s really like a fourth preseason contest, and there are 16 more remaining in the regular season. If the Ravens had won, the entire city of Baltimore would be going crazy Friday morning. But with another loss to Kansas City, you wonder whether the Ravens are going to break this stranglehold now that quarterback Lamar Jackson is 1-5 versus Kansas City. The Chiefs have four Super Bowl titles, winning in 1969, 2019, 2022 and 2023. They also have Patrick Mahomes, who might be the best quarterback ever and is being compared with the G.O.A.T., Tom Brady. The Chiefs also have coach Andy Reid and his 26-16 postseason record. Granted, Kansas City will get better, as it did at the end of last season, but where does that leave Baltimore? The Ravens play with a lot of heart and gritty determination, but that might not be good enough in 2024. In all honesty, maybe this season really is a year of minor rebuilding, especially on the interior lines. “It didn’t happen at the end, but [I’m] proud of the way the guys fought,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “We’re only going to get better from here on out, and I’m looking forward to that. We’re looking forward to getting back to work next week and getting ready for the Raiders.” There is that tough talk again. It would have been an upset for the Ravens to have won here Thursday night. Arrowhead was buzzing as the Chiefs put up another championship banner, and this stadium was already recognized as the loudest in the NFL. The Ravens came within a toe of possibly pulling off the win as tight end Isaiah Likely’s foot touched the back line of the end zone on the last play of regulation, but that wasn’t good enough. It never is versus Kansas City, and it wasn’t last year when the Chiefs beat the Ravens, 17-10, in the AFC title game in Baltimore. In the psyche of Baltimore fans, there has to be some serious doubt about whether the Ravens can overtake the Chiefs. It’s no longer about the AFC North and whether the Ravens can win the division over Pittsburgh, Cleveland or Cincinnati. The road to the championship goes through Kansas City. It really is that simple. “We were able to put ourselves in a position to be able to have a chance to win the game, even [when] things weren’t happening in the game — as far as on our side of the ball,” Ravens running back Derrick Henry said. “There are a lot of things we can learn from and a lot of things we can continue to build on, so that’s what you want to do as a team — learn from the mistakes and hit on the positives.” As the game unfolded, Kansas City stayed true to its system, especially with an offense that is built around Mahomes, who completed 20 of 28 passes for 291 yards and finished with a passer rating of 101.9. As for the Ravens, they continue to have a helter-skelter offense. Their best play, despite coordinator Todd Monken being in his second season, is still Jackson running around and making something out of nothing. That’s great to a point, but that doesn’t win championships, either. Jackson was outstanding, rushing 16 times for 122 yards and completing 26 of 41 passes for 273 yards, including an electrifying scramble and 49-yard touchdown pass to Likely early in the fourth quarter. But he missed three possible touchdown passes throughout the game. Mahomes makes those kinds of plays, but Jackson doesn’t, especially in big games. Kansas City’s offensive game plan, besides Mahomes, revolves around running back Isiah Pacheco, receiver Rashee Rice and tight end Travis Kelce. The Ravens featured Jackson and slot receiver Zay Flowers, but most of the other weapons — Likely, fellow tight end Mark Andrews, and receivers Nelson Agholor and Rashod Bateman — were ignored until the second half. Did the Ravens practice throughout training camp? What happened to Henry, who had only 13 carries for 46 yards? Granted, the Ravens were playing without three starters on the offensive line from a year ago, but why didn’t they move Jackson around more in the pocket instead of allowing him to be pressured up the middle as guards Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalale were beaten consistently? “I definitely won a lot of matchups today; a lot of us did,” Bateman said. “We just have to find ways to execute and get the ball to the playmakers — whatever that looks like.” Defensively, the Ravens looked lost at times, especially in coverage in the flat where outside linebackers were matched up with running backs. The pass rush was solid, but far from spectacular. Of course, this was Mahomes, who is almost as elusive as Jackson, but the Ravens need to get more out of outside linebackers Kyle Van Noy, Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo. There were a lot of missed tackles, even some by All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton. Over on the other sideline, Kansas City is coached by longtime defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and the Ravens are being led by first-year coordinator Zach Orr. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 1 of 2024 NFL season: Packers vs. Eagles, Steelers vs. Falcons and more Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 27-20 loss to Chiefs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Isaiah Likely’s career day nearly led Ravens to comeback victory vs. Chiefs: ‘He was just open’ Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson does it all but Ravens’ rally comes up short in 27-20 loss to Chiefs “We just had some issues with the substitutions back and forth,” Harbaugh said. “They were running different groups on the field and stuff like that. We did have some communication problems. That’s something that we’ll have to iron out for sure. We can be better with that; we will be better with that. [It] wasn’t what we wanted, so we’ll have to improve on that, and we will.” This isn’t a picture of gloom and doom after one game, but there seems to be a pattern here. The Ravens’ clock management was poor throughout the game and Harbaugh made another poor decision while gambling on a fourth-and-3 at midfield early in the second quarter. We’ve seen that backfire many times throughout his tenure in Baltimore, and it eventually cost the Ravens a field goal, which was a big turning point. Again, it’s only one game, but this is the same old Ravens team we’ve seen melt down in the postseason. There is ample time to get better, but not a lot. In the second half of the season, the Ravens face stretches in which they play three games in 14 days and then another three in 10. After watching this team throughout training camp and in the preseason, there were higher expectations than what was on display Thursday night. Unless Jackson puts this team on his back again as he did last season, when he won his second NFL Most Valuable Player Award, the Ravens need to find a different mojo, especially on defense. It’s great to show heart and be competitive, but that alone doesn’t win championships, especially in Kansas City. View the full article

The Ravens fell a fraction of an inch short of a game-tying touchdown when replays showed that tight end Isaiah Likely’s toe landed out of bounds on the last play of an opening 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Here are five things we learned from a thrilling rematch of last year’s AFC championship game: The Ravens remain the little brother in the AFC’s top rivalry — but only by a little Finally, Lamar Jackson had his chance to one-up Patrick Mahomes, the current standard by which quarterback greatness is measured. Mahomes had seemingly thrown the game’s decisive pass earlier in the fourth quarter when he took advantage of a blown coverage to put the Chiefs up 27-17. But Jackson had rallied the Ravens, leading one scoring drive with legs that never stopped whirring and then carrying his team to the cusp of a tying or winning touchdown. On first down, Jackson saw Likely flash open in the corner of the end zone but overshot him badly enough that Likely crashed awkwardly to the ground, clutching his side in agony. On second down, Jackson bought enough time to see wide receiver Zay Flowers uncovered in the middle of the end zone but fired wide of his target. On his third and final shot, he again went high to Likely, who caught the ball but landed with the tip of his toe brushing the white of the back line. By that tiniest of margins, Jackson and the Ravens fell short — for the fifth time in six tries — of potentially besting the one AFC power they cannot conquer. Does that mean they never will? Or did the Ravens give us reason to believe they could turn the tide if these foes meet again in January, with higher stakes at play? No player will have more to say about that than Jackson, and he did not play as tentatively Thursday as he had in the 17-10 playoff loss eight months earlier. With the slimmer physique he chiseled over a long offseason, the game’s greatest running quarterback sprinted and spun his way to 122 rushing yards. He improvised brilliant throws in the clutch before his radar failed him on those last three. The reigning NFL Most Valuable Player was imperfect but undeniably brilliant. Brilliant enough to beat Mahomes with everything on the line? Well, that’s the steepest mountain for anyone in the NFL to scale, and Jackson still has to prove he can do it. Elsewhere, we saw plenty of reasons for concern and plenty for excitement as we contemplate the path ahead for the 2024 Ravens. Likely’s emergence and Rashod Bateman’s bounding 38-yard catch to set up the last touchdown shot demonstrated that Jackson really can look beyond Flowers and Mark Andrews in tight spots. The Ravens did not abandon the run this time around, rolling up 185 yards (to 72 for Kansas City) on 32 attempts. On the other hand, the league’s top scoring defense from last season looked discombobulated in coverage — a death knell against the great Mahomes. The Ravens’ lightly tested offensive line did not give Jackson enough time to work in the first half and hamstrung him with penalty after penalty. In the end, the Chiefs undercut themselves a little less and retained the upper hand over one of the few teams with the talent to upend their quest for a Super Bowl repeat. Even if the Ravens had won, we would have said their defining test will not come until January. The same is true after a sloppy, spirited loss. The Chiefs remain their target, and they have five months to take the necessary strides. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, left, did not look very comfortable behind the revamped offensive line Thursday night. (Ed Zurga/AP) The Ravens’ big offensive line risk looks … risky We spent the past four months debating general manager Eric DeCosta’s grand gamble — three starting offensive linemen out, including stalwarts Kevin Zeitler and Morgan Moses, replaced by players with precious little experience. DeCosta recently called the overhaul a necessary response to salary cap constraints created by Jackson’s five-year, $260 million extension, but he and Harbaugh both acknowledged the growing pains we might see early this season. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 1 of 2024 NFL season: Packers vs. Eagles, Steelers vs. Falcons and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens have grit, but they need to fix familiar problems to dethrone Chiefs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 27-20 loss to Chiefs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Isaiah Likely’s career day nearly led Ravens to comeback victory vs. Chiefs: ‘He was just open’ Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson does it all but Ravens’ rally comes up short in 27-20 loss to Chiefs Kansas City’s All-Pro defensive tackle, Chris Jones, made sure we did not have to wait. Jones beat Daniel Faalele, starting at the right guard position he just began learning in the spring, to pressure Jackson on the Ravens’ first drive. On the first drive of the second quarter, Jones tossed rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten aside and fired past Faalele to strip Jackson, handing Mahomes a short field. Jackson could not look downfield, because he rarely had more than two seconds before a red jersey invaded his personal space. When the Ravens got moving late in the third quarter, a hold by Tyler Linderbaum on Jones wiped out a 29-yard run by Jackson that would have put them on the Kansas City 13-yard line. Jones wasn’t the Ravens’ only enemy. They struggled just as acutely with game officials intent on keeping blockers from cheating a step behind the line of scrimmage. Tackles Ronnie Stanley and Patrick Mekari were called for lining up in the backfield three times on the game’s first drive. The last of those wiped out a long pass interference penalty. Stanley was flagged for illegal formation again with the Ravens driving late in the second quarter. Coach John Harbaugh’s exasperated countenance spoke to the fact that this new rules emphasis seemed to flow only one way. Stanley said he felt the officials were trying to make an example of him. “I’m looking at [Kansas City’s] tackles, especially the right side, and I know I’m lining up in front of that guy,” he said. “And they didn’t call him one time. It’s a little bit of making me feel like I’m crazy, [that] I don’t know where I’m lining up.” With a week of focused practice, the Ravens will probably wipe out most of these alignment penalties. Their struggles against elite pass rushers won’t be as easy to ameliorate. Rosengarten, Faalele and left guard Andrew Vorhees will operate at deficits of power, explosiveness and experience, and even if they grow into dependable starters, it might not happen soon. This was the risk DeCosta embraced in designing his roster, and we’re seeing the short-term price. Linebacker Malik Harrison, left, and the Ravens defense couldn’t slow down Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy on a first-quarter touchdown run. (Ed Zurga/AP) Coordinator Zach Orr’s defense also debuted sloppily Marlon Humphrey put up little resistance as the fastest player on the field sprinted by him. He appeared to think a safety would pick up rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy. That safety never appeared, and Mahomes floated an easy touchdown pass to extend Kansas City’s lead to 10 in the fourth quarter. It was the worst possible moment for a communication breakdown from Orr’s defense and a reminder that it too will be a work in progress despite the All-Pros at every level. “Obviously, we just didn’t play the defense the right way; there was nobody deep back there,” Harbaugh said. “We had certain mistakes during the game that were a problem. Substitutions were an issue. [Worthy’s touchdown] was probably the one big mistake we had. The rest of the way, I thought our defense played really well.” Mahomes feasted on single-high coverage, completing 12 of 14 for 151 yards — his best efficiency against the alignment since 2021, per Next Gen Stats. The Ravens did not adjust sufficiently as the game went on. He even flattened Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis to spring Jackson for a 13-yard gain. “Isaiah played just a great football game, [the] craziest game,” Harbaugh said. “[He made] so many plays, especially down the stretch, play after play.” There’s no taking Likely out of the game plan at this point (he played 52 snaps to Andrews’ 58). He’s too adept at getting open, too dynamic a downfield and red-zone threat. If Jackson had been a little more precise, he might have approached 170 yards instead of the 111 he put up on 12 targets. We call him a tight end, but he’s really a giant wide receiver, just like his biggest fans said after the Ravens stole him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft out of Coastal Carolina. Jackson recognized this from the start, treating Likely as a guy who would matter a whole lot even before his production caught up. Ravens running back Derrick Henry, carrying the ball in the third quarter Thursday night against the Chiefs, will keep defenses from throwing everything at Lamar Jackson. (Christian Petersen/Getty) We saw an early glimpse of the problems posed by Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry Jackson alone has guaranteed the Ravens an elite running game since the day he took over for Joe Flacco midway through the 2018 season. He’s that dynamic with the ball in his hands and demands that much attention from opposing defenses. Any running back becomes a high-efficiency problem when taking advantage of No. 8’s gravitational pull. So what might happen if the Ravens plugged the most productive running back of the last decade — an all-time physical specimen who easily cruises past 20 mph at 6 feet 2, 247 pounds — into that equation? The pairing of Jackson and Henry was the equivalent of a football sugar plum dancing through our collective imagination, and Thursday’s opener was Christmas morning. Finally, we’d get to see it in real life. It took less than one drive for us to see the horror defenses will confront when they try to account for both. As the Ravens pushed toward the red zone, Jackson faked a third-and-1 handoff to Henry and glided untouched around left end for 11 yards. He went left for 8 on the next play. Then he took a snap from under center and handed to Henry, who powered through a gap cleared by fullback Patrick Ricard to finish his first Ravens drive with a touchdown. Left, right, speed, power. Which poison would you like, sirs? There were questions coming in. How would Henry adapt to taking a higher percentage of his handoffs from shotgun formations? Would he and Jackson have instant chemistry on the read-option handoffs the Ravens have used to devastating effect? Would an overhauled offensive line have the mobility to set up the wide zone runs that were Henry’s bread and butter in Tennessee? The Ravens mixed up Henry’s looks Thursday, going to him from under center, from the shotgun and from the pistol. His role diminished when they had to play from behind in the second half, and his 13 carries for 46 yards won’t stand out in a career full of blazing stat lines. But we saw that as much as Jackson might set up Henry, Henry will keep defenses from throwing everything at Jackson. It was the quarterback who went off in Kansas City. Don’t be surprised if it’s the running back the next time we see this promising partnership in action. View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens (0-1) graded out at every position after dropping their season opener, 27-20, to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium. Quarterback The Ravens need to get Lamar Jackson outside the pocket more because that’s where he does most of his damage. Their best play is still him scrambling around and improvising, which resulted in a 49-yard touchdown pass to tight end Isaiah Likely in the fourth quarter. Jackson, though, missed running back Justice Hill on a short crossing pattern late in the first half, which should have been a touchdown. Jackson also underthrew Flowers streaking down the right sideline early in the third quarter after he beat cornerback Jaylen Watson. He also missed Flowers in the back of the end zone on the Ravens’ last drive. Jackson did find Likely in the back of the end zone on the last play of regulation to seemingly pull Baltimore within a point, but the tight end stepped out of bounds to end the game. Jackson is still the best offensive weapon the Ravens have, but he has to make the big plays for the team to take the next step. He completed 26 of 41 passes for 273 yards and rushed 16 times for an additional 122 yards. Grade: B+ Running backs The Ravens should have used running back Derrick Henry more, as he had only 13 carries for 46 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown run to open the game. The Ravens, though, are becoming too predictable using backup halfback Hill in passing situations and throwing to him in the flats. Hill had six catches for 52 yards. The Ravens need a change-of-pace running back, and they won’t get one until Keaton Mitchell returns from a knee injury later in the season. Grade: C- Offensive line Left tackle Ronnie Stanley kept getting called for illegal formation penalties, especially in the first half, and that cost the Ravens. Baltimore needs to cut down on the rotation at right tackle with Patrick Mekari and rookie Roger Rosengarten and just play Mekari for a couple of games. Mekari needs to get his timing down, and the more work, the better. Both guards, Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele, struggled, and Faalele looked lost in pass protection for most of the first half. Grade: D Receivers The Ravens need to get their receivers involved more in the game plan because this looked more like the Zay Flowers (six catches for 37 yards) show for most of the game. Where were the two-tight end formations the Ravens talked about a lot during the offseason with Mark Andrews and Likely? Andrews had two catches for 14 yards. Did Nelson Agholor play? The Ravens need Rashod Bateman to have a breakout season and he wasn’t involved much in the offense until the second half, when he had two catches for 53 yards. The Ravens need to use these players more. Grade: C+ Defensive line The Ravens handled Kansas City’s running game, holding the Chiefs to 72 yards on 20 attempts, and they kept Isiah Pacheco in line by holding him to 45 yards on 15 carries. But the Ravens failed to get pressure on quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and when they did, he still moved around in the pocket. The Ravens didn’t play nose guard Michael Pierce and tackle Nnamdi Madubuike in the preseason, and it showed. Madubuike had only two tackles; Pierce finished with four. Both will get better as the season goes on, but they need help from backups Broderick Washington and Travis Jones, who combined for three tackles. Madubuike added half a sack. Grade: B- Linebackers Kansas City took advantage of middle linebacker Roquan Smith in pass coverage, and he couldn’t keep up with receiver Rashee Rice on crossing patterns over the middle. Smith also needs to cut down on the cheap shots on opposing players, which has become an annoying habit since the second half of last season. There were times when he was getting blown out on running plays. Malik Harrison missed several tackles and the Ravens’ outside linebackers missed several assignments covering the Chiefs running backs out of the backfield. Grade: D Secondary The Ravens had a lot of blown coverages on the back end and were questioning themselves in the second half. Overall, the group was still a strength of the defense and played well enough for the Ravens to win, but they just couldn’t cover long enough. Safety Marcus Williams had six tackles and cornerback Brandon Stephens had four. The Ravens need to get a stronger game out of safety Kyle Hamilton. He is good near the line of scrimmage, but he got exposed in coverage. Mahomes, regardless of the situation, always finds a way to beat the Ravens. He threw for 291 yards and finished with a passer rating of 101.9. Grade: B Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 1 of 2024 NFL season: Packers vs. Eagles, Steelers vs. Falcons and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens have grit, but they need to fix familiar problems to dethrone Chiefs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs Baltimore Ravens | Isaiah Likely’s career day nearly led Ravens to comeback victory vs. Chiefs: ‘He was just open’ Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson does it all but Ravens’ rally comes up short in 27-20 loss to Chiefs Special teams Justin Tucker missed a 53-yard field goal attempt in the first half and the Ravens also allowed a 28-yard kickoff return, which helped lead Kansas City to its first touchdown of the game. Tucker, though, converted on field goal attempts of 25 and 32 yards. Jordan Stout averaged 37.5 yards on two punts, both finishing inside the 20-yard line. Neither team had much of an advantage in the return game. Grade: C+ Coaching Coach John Harbaugh gambled and made a poor decision to go for it on fourth down with 9:45 left in the second quarter. The move handed Kansas City a short field and a 31-yard field goal by Harrison Butker about four minutes later. Clock management was poor as usual for most of the game and some of the play calling, especially on the offensive side, was poor. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken needs to get more out of his players and defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s linebackers looked lost in coverage. Harbaugh seemed willing to go for a 2-point conversion after the near-touchdown reception by Likely, but that probably would have failed on that, too. The coaching staff was a mess. Grade: D View the full article

The Ravens had one more chance. Lamar Jackson knew who to go to. Jackson darted around the pocket, evading defenders to give his receivers enough time to get open. Isaiah Likely wasn’t, but it didn’t matter. The quarterback placed a throw where only the tight end could reach it. Likely hauled it in, then looked at the back judge staring back at him in — he thought — the end zone. But there was white paint under his toe. No touchdown, they ruled. Game over. “That’s on me,” Likely said. “I gotta get both feet in.” “I thought it was a touchdown,” Jackson said. “Still think it was a touchdown.” “I didn’t think it was enough evidence to overturn it,” middle linebacker Roquan Smith said. “That’ll be something that the refs will have to deal with.” Likely’s heroics were almost enough in the Ravens’ 27-20 season-opening loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The tight end was the star of the unfavorable result, confirming the hype he spread with an impressive summer and stamping himself as perhaps Jackson’s most dependable target. The 24-year-old tight end led the Ravens with nine catches for 111 yards, highlighted by a 49-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to pull his team within one score. He was a popular option on the final drive, which he exited briefly after coming down hard on an incompletion in the back of the end zone. But he returned one play later and nearly evened the score. “It’s the last play of the game,” Likely said. “Would you wanna be out?” The tight end’s long fourth-quarter touchdown impressed himself, but onlookers even more. Likely knew he had to make Zay Flowers’ key block worthwhile, so he darted around defenders until he had just one between him and the end zone. Then, Likely wanted to “see how good his brakes was” with a subtle step-back move in front of the goal line. Jackson likened it to a similar move the quarterback once put on a defender in high school, but said Likely topped his. Likely surpassed 100 yards just once in his career before Thursday and never reached 111. Nine catches is also a career high. Jackson ran more in the defeat, displayed his new slimmer frame and was unafraid to lower his shoulder for extra yards. But when he did have time to scan the field behind an inexperienced offensive line, Jackson often lasered on his No. 2 tight end. “He was just open,” the quarterback said. Likely’s position-mate Mark Andrews was largely silent Thursday. The All-Pro finished with just 14 yards, his fewest since 2022, on two catches, seven fewer than Likely, and was never a focal point for Jackson and the offense. Andrews was never targeted near the goal line or in the end zone. It was instead Likely who garnered those opportunities and proved why more two-tight end sets could be in the Ravens’ future. “Isaiah played just a great football game,” coach John Harbaugh said. “So many plays, especially down the stretch.” Likely had two catches for 16 yards in the Ravens’ postseason loss to Kansas City in January. He was a nonfactor for an offense that sputtered. Thursday, he was the spark that powered it. Baltimore’s offense had other faults that Jackson and Likely masked. If those can be cleaned up, Likely thinks, the next outcome will be different. “This is the worst game we’re gonna play all year,” Likely said. “If this is the best that they got, good luck in the postseason.” Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely, center, celebrates after scoring a 49-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter Thursday night. (Charlie Riedel/AP) View the full article

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — New season, more drama, same outcome. The Chiefs began Thursday night by unfurling another Super Bowl championship banner — their third in five years — in front of a raucous crowd at Arrowhead Stadium and ended it with a 27-20 victory over the Ravens in a rematch of last season’s AFC championship game. And just like when the teams last met at M&T Bank Stadium in January, Baltimore hung around until the end, with another call in the end zone that didn’t go their way and more silly and self-inflicted wounds that proved too much to overcome against the two-time defending champions. Still, the Ravens had their chances — until they ran out of them. In the first showdown of players who have each won at least two NFL Most Valuable Player Awards to kick off a season, quarterback Lamar Jackson, incredibly, kept Baltimore within reach until the game’s final play. With the clock expiring and the Ravens needing a touchdown from 10 yards out, he found Isaiah Likely in the back of the end zone for leaping grab between two defenders. Although it was initially ruled a catch, the celebration was short-lived after the call was overturned by replay, which showed the tight end’s toe ever so slightly out of bounds. “I thought it was a touchdown,” Jackson said. “Still think it was a touchdown. … I stand on that.” Instead, it was the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes who were the ones who standing victorious again. For the fifth time in six meetings between the two quarterbacks, Kansas City came out on top. And it felt like deja vu, with the Ravens’ own mistakes putting them in a hole from which they could not escape. Baltimore committed seven penalties, four of which were on a revamped and inexperienced offensive line for illegal formation for lining up in the backfield, a point of emphasis for officials this season after Chiefs tackle Jawaan Taylor was often criticized for doing so last season but not flagged for it. Three of Thursday night’s calls were against Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who was critical of the officiating afterward. “I really feel like they were just trying to make an example and they chose me to be the one to do that,” he said. “As far as I saw, they weren’t doing it on both sides of the ball and I know that I was lined up in good position the majority of those calls they made.” Jackson said the penalties were “very frustrating,” while Ravens coach John Harbaugh was likewise unhappy with how the illegal formation penalties were officiated. “They put a thing out that they said they were going to call that differently,” he said. “ [Not] understanding how differently, we were the first offensive series of the season with that, and I think they saw probably everybody watching it. It’ll be interesting to see if they call it the same way the whole season.” Stanley, a nine-year veteran, added there was “plenty of dialogue” with officials during the game. “They just kept saying, ‘You need to move up.’ And I’m like, ‘How much more do I need to move up?’” he said. “It’s not my first year playing in this league. I know where to line up and I was lining up a lot ahead of of where I usually do. I know my helmet was breaking the center’s butt. … It’s their call to make, but like I said, I think they were trying to make an example out of me. “It definitely hindered us as an offense. There’s a lot of big plays that were made that we had to come back and we were able to overcome a lot of those things.” Those were hardly the only penalties that set them back, however. Inside linebacker Roquan Smith was flagged for a horse-collar tackle on the Chiefs’ opening possession, helping set up a 21-yard touchdown run by speedy rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy on an end-around to even the score at 7 after Derrick Henry (13 carries, 46 yards) gave Baltimore the early lead with a 5-yard touchdown run. Then in the second quarter, Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman was hit with an offensive pass interference call for blocking downfield before Zay Flowers caught a short pass, wiping out a 4-yard gain and eventually leading to a punt three plays later. On their next possession, a delay of game pushed the Ravens back 5 yards and Justin Tucker eventually missed a 53-yard field goal attempt. “A lot of the things that happened were self-inflicted,” Smith said. “They made us pay for it, and hey, it’s a game of inches.” And for the Ravens, a game of costly miscues — again. That included in the third quarter, when defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike was flagged for roughing after a hit on Mahomes. Instead of facing third-and-20 from Baltimore’s 28-yard-line, the foul gave Kansas City a first down on the 14. Two plays later, Isiah Pacheco bullied his way into the end zone from a yard out to give the Chiefs a 20-10 lead. Other mistakes by Baltimore included mismanaging the clock at the end of the first half by burning 20 seconds with all three timeouts in hand before settling for a 25-yard field goal by Tucker, as well as using two timeouts by midway through the third quarter. “We just had some issues with the substitutions back and forth,” Harbaugh said. “They were running different groups on the field and stuff like that. We did have some communication problems.” In between, the Ravens’ defense and first-year coordinator Zach Orr had their own problems, with few answers for the Chiefs’ speedy and potent offense. Mahomes, who was the league’s MVP in 2018 and 2022, completed 20 of 28 passes for 291 yards and a touchdown, while wide receiver Rashee Rice had seven catches for 103 yards and Worthy had two catches for 47 yards, including what ended up being the deciding score when he got loose behind cornerback Marlon Humphrey on a busted coverage for an easy 35-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter that put the Chiefs up 27-17. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 1 of 2024 NFL season: Packers vs. Eagles, Steelers vs. Falcons and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens have grit, but they need to fix familiar problems to dethrone Chiefs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 27-20 loss to Chiefs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Isaiah Likely’s career day nearly led Ravens to comeback victory vs. Chiefs: ‘He was just open’ Most devastating was Mahomes’ play against the Ravens’ single-high coverage. He finished 12 of 14 for 151 yards for a plus-13.8% completion percentage over expected, per Next Gen Stats, for his highest mark against the formation since Week 17 of the 2021 season. Still, Jackson kept pulling the Ravens back from the abyss. The reigning NFL MVP completed 26 of 41 passes for 273 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown to Likely in the third quarter. He also rushed for 122 yards on 16 carries to lead Baltimore’s rushing attack. When the Ravens finally did stop Mahomes, forcing a Kansas City punt with 1:55 remaining, they got the ball back at their own 13-yard line with no timeouts. Jackson drove Baltimore to the Chiefs’ 10, highlighted by Bateman’s leaping 38-yard grab that helped set up the game’s final play. “Our offense battled, and we battled through the third and fourth quarter,” Jackson said. “Unfortunately, these ugly games, we have to overcome them.” Home opener Raiders at Ravens Sunday, Sept. 15, 1 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 7 1/2 Chiefs safety Chamarri Conner, right, reacts to a missed field goal attempt by Ravens kicker Justin Tucker in the first half Thursday night. (Charlie Riedel/AP) View the full article

Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 27-20 loss to the host Kansas City Chiefs in Thursday night’s NFL season opener at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Brian Wacker, reporter: The Ravens showed once again they go as Lamar Jackson goes. Despite the offensive line’s issues with presnap illegal formation penalties, the defense getting exposed by Patrick Mahomes much of the night and a lack of communication along with several self-inflicted wounds on both sides of the ball, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player kept Baltimore within reach on a night when the game could have gotten out of hand. Jackson made his share of spectacular plays with his arm and his legs and was every bit the Ravens’ best player all night. Unsurprisingly, an offensive line with three new starters along with a few costly penalties were too much to overcome against the two-time defending Super Bowl champs in their own building. Mahomes made Baltimore pay by playing fast and efficient, particularly in the first half, and the Chiefs are a difficult team to come back against. Meanwhile, outside of Jackson and tight end Isaiah Likely, the Ravens’ offense was lacking, whether it was running back Derrick Henry rushing for just 46 yards on 13 carries, or no wide receiver having more than 53 yards. Until the Ravens clean up their mistakes and get more from other players, they’re playing second fiddle to the Chiefs. Childs Walker, reporter: Offseason story lines came into play quickly as the Ravens sought revenge for their AFC championship loss to the Chiefs. We saw the dilemmas Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry will create playing off each other as the Ravens rumbled for an opening touchdown drive. We saw expected growing pains from the Ravens’ inexperienced offensive line, with All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones wreaking havoc and officials calling a string of penalties on tackles Ronnie Stanley and Patrick Mekari for lining up behind the line of scrimmage. We saw Patrick Mahomes and Rashee Rice outmaneuver first-year coordinator Zach Orr’s defense in the middle of the field, and we saw Orr’s guys crash the pocket and break up passes when it was time to keep the Chiefs out of the end zone on several key drives. We saw tight end Isaiah Likely make the case that he just might be Jackson’s most potent target. We saw Jackson fight his heart out and come a fraction of Likely’s toe short of a game-tying touchdown pass. Ultimately, Mahomes took advantage of a blown coverage by Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey and a nonexistent safety to throw the decisive touchdown pass. The Chiefs remain the big brother in this rivalry, if only by a little. The Ravens have the components to challenge, but they’ll need to make major strides on the offensive line and in defensive communication if they’re going to win a rematch in January. Sam Cohn, reporter: It’s only Week 1, but the difference between the two offenses looked obvious. The Chiefs were far more dynamic and big plays seemed to come easier (Xavier Worthy’s speed is a cheat code). The Ravens didn’t muster an offensive play over 19 yards until the fourth-quarter score by Isaiah Likely that went half the distance of the field with a 0.3% touchdown probability, according to Next Gen Stats. Yes, Lamar Jackson showed off the shiftiness that accompanies his slimmer frame and still invited contact. But Baltimore’s offense is going to need more explosive plays and input from a variety of skill-position players to make a run in January. The two-minute drill was a golden opportunity for vengeance squandered because of a toe on the line. Taylor Lyons, reporter: Until the fourth quarter, Thursday felt eerily similar to last January’s AFC championship game: an opening drive Ravens touchdown followed by a series of self-inflicted roadblocks that kept them from clawing back. Ten fourth-quarter points gave Baltimore a chance, but ultimately Isaiah Likely’s toe was the difference. Lamar Jackson and Likely nearly engineered an epic comeback over the team that’s hurt the Ravens for years. Jackson displayed his slimmer frame and an unafraid running style that masked deficiencies in other areas — Derrick Henry was largely ineffective, the defense allowed too many big plays and a slew of procedural penalties stunted the offense. The Ravens are 1-5 against the Chiefs under Jackson. Baltimore, by mere inches in the end, proved again to still be a tier below the league’s best team. C.J. Doon, editor: There’s a lot to chew on from this one. The Ravens’ offensive line was expected to be a work-in-progress, but those illegal formation penalties will certainly frustrate coach John Harbaugh as much as the missed blocks. Lamar Jackson didn’t have time to throw all night, as evidenced by his lack of downfield passing. He needed to get the ball out quickly, and the Chiefs’ aggressive defense didn’t make many mistakes. Jackson didn’t get much help, either. Derrick Henry looked like a game-changer on the opening drive, then virtually disappeared. Rashod Bateman had as many penalties (two) as catches — though his 38-yard grab with 43 seconds left gave the Ravens life. Mark Andrews was barely mentioned. Zay Flowers couldn’t shake loose all night (though Jackson missed him on two potential touchdown passes). How about Isaiah Likely, though? The Ravens liked what they saw from the third-year tight end all offseason, and he backed it up with a long touchdown catch and some powerful blocking. And that near-touchdown grab on the final play was a thing of beauty, toes be damned. Nothing against Justice Hill, but if he looks like your second-best offensive playmaker, you don’t have a shot to take down the defending champs on the road. Tim Schwartz, editor: Lamar Jackson showed Thursday night that he should be the front-runner to win his second straight and third NFL Most Valuable Player Award. The bad news is that this game showed all of the Ravens’ other flaws and how few playmakers they have around him. Yes, the Chiefs are probably the league’s best team and are always going to be hard to beat, but they are the standard, and Baltimore isn’t good enough to beat them — still. It’s only Week 1. January is a long ways away, and I’d guess that these teams will meet again in a win-or-go-home showdown at some point in the postseason. These are elite teams with elite quarterbacks. But the Chiefs have more talent than the Ravens do — and their number. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for Week 1 of 2024 NFL season: Packers vs. Eagles, Steelers vs. Falcons and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens have grit, but they need to fix familiar problems to dethrone Chiefs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s report card: Position-by-position grades for Ravens’ 27-20 loss to Chiefs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Isaiah Likely’s career day nearly led Ravens to comeback victory vs. Chiefs: ‘He was just open’ Bennett Conlin, editor: That’s a brutal loss for Baltimore, which nearly put together an incredible comeback leaning on Lamar Jackson’s arm. Instead, the Ravens just weren’t quite sharp enough to beat the two-time defending Super Bowl champions on the road. Baltimore’s offensive line looked shaky at times, racking up early illegal formation penalties, and rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten didn’t look ready for prime-time. A few defensive mistakes — Kansas City wide receiver Xavier Worthy’s second touchdown reception came without any defensive backs anywhere near him — were costly against Patrick Mahomes and company. Returning home against the Raiders is an easier second test, and Lamar Jackson, Isaiah Likely, and Zay Flowers demonstrated solid chemistry in the passing game. Regardless, Baltimore needs to clean up its play in future weeks. If it does, it can hang with anybody in the league. View the full article

The first stirring moment of the NFL’s season opener wasn’t some quarterback mastery or a thundering hit. It was three illegal formation penalties against the Ravens on their first seven plays. Then again late in the second quarter. What gives? The formation fouls were reviewed with teams “extensively” before, during and after training camps, according to Football Zebras, an NFL officiating account with 35,000-plus followers on X. The officiating-focused account said the NFL’s Competition Committee said the “bowing of the linemen” is an advantage in pass rush situations and needed to be addressed. Players must have their helmet aligned with at least the belt line of the center to avoid being flagged. The Ravens were the first victim of greater enforcement. Particularly Baltimore’s right tackle Ronnie Stanley who was responsible for three of the four calls in Thursday’s opening half. Patrick Mekari took the other one. Kansas City did not receive an illegal formation call in the first half. NBC color analyst Cris Collinsworth went as far as to note on the opening drive that the officiating crew was calling the penalty “razor-sharp.” There are three main prongs to the official rulebook on illegal formation: teams must have seven or more players on the line, eligible receivers must be on both ends of the line with all the players between them ineligible and no player may be out of bounds. All five offensive linemen must be aligned before the play otherwise they’re susceptible to a flag for illegal formation and a five-yard penalty. Teams have gotten leeway in the past. Although maybe not Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor who, in 2023, was flagged for illegal formation three times in two weeks in 2023. His 20 infractions worth 140 yards led the NFL by a wide margin. View the full article

Taylor Swift, center, cheers a Kansas City Chiefs touchdown standing next to Ed Kelce, right, during the first half an NFL football gameagainst the Baltimore Ravens, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann) Taylor Swift watches as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) Taylor Swift is seen in a suite during the first half of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Taylor Swift cheers before the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Baltimore Ravens at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Taylor Swift cheers before the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Baltimore Ravens at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Taylor Swift is seen in a suite before the start of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Taylor Swift is seen in a suite before the start of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 05: Taylor Swift arrives ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs v Baltimore Ravens game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on September 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) Taylor Swift arrives ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs v Baltimore Ravens game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) View the full article

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A rematch of the AFC championship game will have to wait a little while longer. The start of the Ravens’ season opener against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chief has been delayed to 8:40 p.m., per the NBC broadcast, by lightning near Arrowhead Stadium. Heavy rain and wind started pounding the area shortly before 7:30 p.m. ET, just over an hour before the original kickoff. With flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder, fans and personnel were cleared from the stands and the field. The inclement weather was due to move through the area by around 8 p.m. and fans were allowed to return to their seats, but the players need time to continue their warmups before kickoff. Baltimore is looking to avenge its 17-10 loss in last season’s AFC title game. The highly anticipated matchup also for the first time pits two players who have won multiple NFL Most Valuable Player Awards in Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes. This article will be updated. View the full article

The 2024 NFL season kicks off tonight with a rematch of the AFC championship game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs. The highly anticipated matchup between Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes at Arrowhead Stadium (8:15 p.m., NBC) will mark the first time that two quarterbacks who have won multiple NFL Most Valuable Player Awards will meet to kick off a season. Follow along here throughout the night for live coverage. View the full article

Most of the Ravens’ rookie class will be out for Thursday night’s NFL season opener against the host Kansas City Chiefs. Safety Beau Brade, cornerback T.J. Tampa, outside linebacker Adisa Isaac, center Nick Samac and wide receiver Devontez Walker were among seven players declared inactive before kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium. Veteran defensive lineman Brent Urban and second-year offensive lineman Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu will also not play. Urban is perhaps the most surprising name, leaving the Ravens with Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones, Michael Pierce and Broderick Washington along the interior defensive line. Brade, a former River Hill and University of Maryland star, was the only undrafted player to make the 53-man roster, but the Ravens have a deep safety room led by All-Pro Kyle Hamilton, Marcus Williams, Eddie Jackson and seventh-round draft pick Sanoussi Kane. Isaac, a third-round pick, missed practice this week as he recovers from a hamstring injury. Tampa, a fourth-round selection, missed time earlier this offseason after having sports hernia surgery. Walker, a fellow fourth-round pick, dealt with a rib injury during the preseason and did not make a push to unseat veteran Nelson Agholor as the team’s third wide receiver behind Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. Running back Rasheen Ali, a fifth-round pick, was listed as doubtful before the game and later placed on injured reserve, sidelining him for at least the first four games. The Ravens signed linebacker Josh Ross to the active roster and also activated defensive back Ka’dar Hollman and running back John Kelly from the practice squad for Thursday’s game. For Kansas City, former Ravens wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown was declared out Wednesday with a separated shoulder. Also inactive are tight end Peyton Hendershot, offensive lineman C.J. Hanson, offensive tackle Ethan Driskell and defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu. View the full article

John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens head coach, arrives before taking on the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 05, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce arrives before the start of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson warms up before the start of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson catches a ball thrown back to him during warmups before an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann) Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes warms up before the start of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) View the full article