The Athletic - Gap between Chiefs and Ravens is bigger than toe that decided game

[kcgreene]

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Gap between Chiefs and Ravens is bigger than toe that decided game
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 05
By Mike Jones
4h ago

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Yeah … a toenail separated the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens as the final second ticked off the game clock in Thursday’s 2024 NFL regular-season opener.

Ravens quarterback and reigning MVP Lamar Jackson directed an impressive 77-yard drive, and for a few moments, seemed to have tied the game as he delivered a pass that only tight end Isaiah Likely could catch in the back of the end zone. And Likely did seem to get both feet down to complete the would-be scoring play, prompting officials to signal “touchdown.”

But film review revealed a smidgen of Likely’s right toe landed on the white of the back boundary line of the end zone, meaning he was out of bounds. No catch. Game over. Chiefs win 27-20. Waves of relief and jubilance washed over the Kansas City faithful. Heartbreak suffocated Baltimore’s flock.

out by an inch 😱#Kickoff2024 pic.twitter.com/TUeV7bxF6z

— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2024

A toenail? That’s it? Yes and no.

The majority of the first 59 minutes and 59 seconds of the game reflected a far greater margin of discrepancy and the reality that even in a flawed performance, the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Chiefs remain the toast of the league. It also showed that the Ravens — one of the AFC’s elite teams, who also fell to Kansas City in gut-wrenching fashion in the conference championship game last January — have a ways to go if they expect to overtake the champs. So do the NFL’s 30 other teams.

There were plenty of disjointed moments as the Chiefs kicked off their quest for an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat. Three first-half drops in scoring position and an interception by Patrick Mahomes on a tipped pass prevented the Chiefs from taking a lopsided halftime lead. If not for defensive shortcomings that allowed Baltimore to score on a 49-yard catch and run by Likely to cut the score to 20-17 early in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs would have won comfortably.

But also on display:

• The unmatched adaptability and creativity that serve as the hallmarks of Andy Reid’s offense.

• A near flawless performance from Mahomes, who aside from the interception to Baltimore’s All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith off a tip by Trenton Simpson, completed 20 of 28 passes for 291 yards and a touchdown.

• The development of second-year wide receiver Rashee Rice, who recorded seven catches for 103 yards.

• The heroics of another new weapon in rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who had a 21-yard rushing touchdown and a 35-yard touchdown catch.

• The continued dominance of defensive lineman Chris Jones, who recorded a second-quarter strip-sack to position Kansas City to take its first lead of the game.

The list goes on.

This is the last thing the rest of the NFL wants to hear, but this Chiefs team is better than last season’s iteration. That was clear Thursday night.

Aside from the fact that Kansas City has the best quarterback of this generation and that Reid and Mahomes share a brain, the Chiefs appear poised to maintain their place atop the heap because Reid and general manager Brett Veach have built a juggernaut. They do so in a way that remains far from stagnant. There are core pieces, yes. But the evolution remains constant.

Year after year, whether it be draft picks or journeyman free agents, the coach and GM have excelled at finding talent capable of plugging holes and filling key roles — some for the short term, some for the long term.

It’s a player like 2021 fifth-round tight end Noah Gray, who has developed into the perfect complement to Travis Kelce. Or 2022 seventh-round running back Isiah Pacheco, who has grown into a workhorse. Or first-rounders turned defensive cornerstones Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis, or Rice, a second-round pick in 2023. The latest difference-making puzzle piece is Worthy, a Texas product, who boasts a 4.21-second 40-yard dash time and started opposite Rice on Thursday night.

Successful drafts and free-agent acquisitions have enabled Kansas City to keep rolling despite the departures of key players like Tyreek Hill, one of the best wide receivers in the game. Kansas City’s brass simply looks for another piece and figures out how to capitalize on the replacement player’s strengths.

The principles of Reid’s offense remain the same, as they have for more than a decade in Kansas City. But the Chiefs’ ways of attacking remain ever-changing. Part of this stems from the creative freedoms the coach affords Mahomes and Kelce. But that future Hall of Fame duo’s leadership and influence on their teammates also breeds cohesion and versatility.

“Everybody accepts everybody in this offense,” Mahomes said. “They learn so much from (Kelce) and they pick his brain and listen to him talking to me, and we build all throughout the year. You can see (Rice) picked up right where he left off, and (Worthy) made some big plays. … We’re going to continue building and building and we’re looking forward to getting Hollywood (Brown) back and see how good this offense can be.”

Mahomes on Thursday passed for nearly 300 yards and spread the ball around to seven pass catchers NOT named Kelce. The All-Pro tight end had a very pedestrian three catches for 34 yards, but that’s because the ever-increasing comfort and effectiveness of Rice, Gray (three catches, 37 yards) and Pacheco (two catches, 33 yards) means Mahomes doesn’t have to force-feed Kelce just to get the offense rolling.

The versatility extends to the backfield. One third-quarter sequence perfectly reflected this. Pacheco (15 carries for 45 yards) came out of the game after a 3-yard carry. Free-agent addition Samaje Perine replaced him, caught a pass out of the backfield and gained 10 yards. On the next play, rookie Carson Steele entered and rushed for 5 yards. The machine just keeps rolling because every contributor clearly understands his role, and the coaches have a firm grasp on how to use them.

Contrast that with the lack of consistency in options and production for Baltimore’s offense, and the gap between contender franchises feels far more significant.

The Ravens have an all-world quarterback of their own in Jackson. And this offseason, they signed running back Derrick Henry in hopes that the longtime Tennessee Titans workhorse could help ensure balance and ease pressure on Jackson.

But Baltimore’s offense encountered the same problems Thursday night that it has throughout Jackson’s six seasons as the starting quarterback. Unless Jackson does it all, there is next to no spark. Outside of Jackson, who may go down as the greatest dual-threat quarterback the game has seen, versatility is scarce.

The Ravens are counting on second-year wideout Zay Flowers to continue to ascend. But Thursday, he was used in a similar fashion to his rookie season, when he primarily snagged quick hitters and tried to use his speed and elusiveness to break those short throws for big gains. Likely did rack up nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown, but the Ravens struggled to get No. 1 tight end Mark Andrews involved (he finished with only two catches for 14 yards).

The struggles of a revamped offensive line left Jackson either scrambling to elude defenders or quickly dumping the ball off before plays could develop downfield. (If anyone could use a burner like Worthy, it’s the Ravens, who until hitting on Flowers’ draft selection last season have annually swung and missed at wide receiver prospects.)

It was one game, but Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken will have to go back to the drawing board because his offense looked a lot like it did last year. Unless the Ravens have the lead, they struggle to establish a run game.

As time started to wane, you could sense Jackson’s frustration growing as his line afforded him little time to operate from the pocket. So he donned the cape once again and started calling his own number.

Jackson willed the Ravens back into the game, delivering 273 passing yards and a touchdown and 122 rushing yards on 16 carries. But although he’s capable, 122 rushing yards from Jackson is not the recipe for sustained success.

Lamar keeps the @Ravens drive alive

📺: #Kickoff2024 on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/JzTSnEAv1F

— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2024

Henry, meanwhile, finished with 46 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. But he’s traditionally at his best in the second half of games, where after pounding away at defenders in the first half, his bruising runs begin to take their toll on the opposition and turn into big gains. But because the Ravens trailed for the majority of the game, they couldn’t afford a methodical, run-heavy approach.

Jackson and the Ravens said they drew encouragement from their game-ending drive, even if it did come up short by the centimeters of Likely’s cleat.

Self-inflicted wounds from penalties, missed connections on open passes (two in the end zone before the last play), blown pass coverages on defense — and not the Chiefs — cost them the game, Jackson and his teammates insisted.

“They’re not my kryptonite,” Jackson said when asked about his history of struggles against Kansas City. “They’re not my kryptonite. … The whole game gives me encouragement because guys fought. We have to clean up penalties, clean up incompletions and work on scramble drills, make those throws and catch those. … It’s very frustrating, but we were busting our behinds out there. We’re trying to win a game out there, and it felt like every time we had a big play there was a flag and we can’t be having that.”

It’s a long season, the Ravens understand. But they missed an opportunity to make a statement against the Chiefs. They believe another opportunity will present itself. And when it comes, they expect to deliver.

“That’s the worst game we’re going to play all year,” Likely said, vowing that he and his teammates will improve as the season progresses, “and if this was the best they’ve got, then good luck.”

You have to like the mindset, but who wants to break it to him?

That certainly wasn’t Kansas City’s best. And while the Ravens did manage to hang with the champs thanks to some late-game heroics, they’ll need much more growth to overtake them.

[Stewie]

Lamar was going "off script" way too much. I don't know if he was impatient or the D was too harassing, both at the line and down field. Maybe he doesn't trust himself to make a tough throw. I don't know.

I do know the Ravens are going to struggle if they continue to play like they did last night.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

A what?

Man I'm not even sure what then hell I was trying to say.

Something about beating the ravens 3 times in a year and how the Bengals lived off that for another 10 months. I think.

[BWillie]

I didn't know the Mahomes int was tipped

[Bump]

The throw to Perine on 3rd down would have been a big play

JuJu dropped a TD, kicked a FG

Kelce dropped it in the red zone which would have been a first down at least, kicked a FG


Those 3 plays aren't ****ed up, we win by a much wider margin.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by neech

Didn't know where to place this, so many threads in the last 16 hours or so.

Ravens OLB Kyle Van Noy suffered a fractured orbital bone.

An orbital bone fracture, also known as an eye socket fracture, occurs when one or more bones around the eye break. This can happen when the face is struck by a hard object, such as in blunt force trauma.

I commented in the game thread that he may have broke it.

It looked like his face was moving when they were poking on it.

Big loss for them. Van Noy is good.

[Fishels]

The chiefs dropped 3 easy first downs not worried

[Bwana]

Not a bad read. So when is Brown due back? I have been doing nothing but flying this week, so I missed it.

[wazu]

Originally Posted by Bwana

Not a bad read. So when is Brown due back? I have been doing nothing but flying this week, so I missed it.

Sounds like he may practice next week, but with 4 weeks essentially completely “off” he may not be game ready for Week 2.

[lcarus]

Originally Posted by Shields68

Yes we out played them. But if Likely TD counts, I have no doubt they go for two and the odds of Ravens getting two would be 50-60%. Our dee was gassed at the end.

It sure felt like that 2 point try would've been 90%

Fortunately we never get to find out

[ChiefsFanatic]

I am going to say something, and I may get flamed for it, but IDGAF because I am high, and CP is a cesspool. I mean, it's a cesspool I have been playing in for over 20 years, but you know what I mean.

If the Ravens don't win the Super Bowl this year (I don't think they are) John Harbaugh should do whatever it takes to hire Eric Bienemy. It doesn't matter how bad UCLA, or their offense in particular, is this year.

Lamar Jackson has talent. He may speak in a way that makes him sound stupid, but I don't think he is at all. He may not be Mahomes or Manning upstairs, but he isn't Michael Bishop either.

I say this because I absolutely believe that EB could flash his rings, and Lamar would know that now he has a SB winning OC, and someone that Patrick Mahomes has personally said was a great coach and helped him a lot, and he needs to do whatever EB says to get better.

I think EB could help him settle his feet when he throws while moving around, and I am obviously no expert, but I feel like he doesn't always have a good base in the pocket because his arm is so strong. EB could help with his mechanics, but I think Lamar would really latch on to EBs teachings.

I don't follow the Ravens, but it seems like his OCs have been old white men. If I am wrong, please let me know. I don't care how many black players they have coached, they are just never going to have a relationship with Lamar other than coach/player.

EB would change that, and I think he would really provide Lamar with the mentor he has needed his entire career.

And I think EB gives the ball to Henry more than 13 times.

So, if they don't win it this year, and Baltimore really doesn't want to waste Jackson's career, they need EB.

EB is younger, and obviously Black.
EB has been personally endorsed by Patrick Mahomes, who is the current GOAT (and someone Lamar respects)
EB has Super Bowl rings as the OC for Patrick Mahomes
EB is a former running back and probably would run Lamar less, helping him focus on improving his passing.

I have personally arrived at the conclusion that it's time for Baltimore to move on from Harbaugh. The same way it was time for us to move on from Marty, and time for the Eagles to move on from Reid, etc.

I feel like this season will be exactly like the past 7 or 8 years for Harbaugh. They will win their division, will look like the best team in football at some point, and they will lose a home playoff game where their QB wasn't clutch, and the OC abandoned the run with the running backs to everyone's dismay, except Harbaugh, who will have to be told in the press conference that they were averaging 5 ypc when they decided to stop running the ball.

So, I hope they don't hire EB, and continue to waste Lamar Jackson, while retaining Harbaugh until Reid retires.