ExtremeRavens Posted September 6 Posted September 6 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. Ravens vs. Chiefs, September 5, 2024 | PHOTOS 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. 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 Quote
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