Football season has officially started, and it is safe to say that fans are already hooked. To kickoff the season, the reigning world champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, took on the intimidating Baltimore Ravens at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Ravens started off the game with possession of the ball, and thanks to the efforts of quarterback Lamar Jackson, they quickly scored a touchdown. However, the rest of the half was less smooth for Jackson and the Ravens. At the end of the second quarter, Ravens kicker Justin Tucker missed a 53-yard field goal attempt that would have given them the lead. Jackson also made quite a few errors such as incomplete passes, missing open receivers, and failing to escape tackles.
When the Chiefs gained possession of the ball in the first quarter, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and first round draft pick Xavier Worthy led the team to a touchdown in a mere two minutes and 30 seconds. Kicker Harrison Butker scored the extra point easily, but like the Ravens, the Chiefs had some struggles. Mahomes ended up throwing an interception to the Ravens, and the team missed out on a couple possible touchdowns, being forced to settle for field goal attempts. Although the first three quarters were eventful, nothing compares to the pure chaos of the fourth quarter.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Mahomes and the Chiefs were leading Jackson and the Ravens by 10 points, and the Ravens were hustling to catch up. 13 seconds into the fourth quarter, Lamar Jackson threw the ball to tight end Isaiah Likely, and the Ravens were in the race once again. With three points between both teams, Mahomes once again took possession of the ball. Mahomes and Worthy worked together to score another incredible touchdown. After a few more plays by the Ravens, they ended up scoring a field goal and were a touchdown away from tying the game. With 40 seconds left on the clock, Lamar Jackson attempted to throw a touchdown to his receivers to tie the game. After a few failed attempts, everything finally aligned and Likely was directly in line to catch the ball. As the clock ticked toward zero, Likley’s hands grasped the pass and his feet touched the ground in the endzone. The stadium erupted in cheers, thinking that the game was tied. After rewatching the replay, the referees determined that Isaiah Likely had one toe out of bounds when he caught the ball. The touchdown was recalled, and the Kansas City Chiefs won the 2024-2025 season opener game.
Many are calling this game the best opener of all time, and football fans cannot wait to see what is to come this season.
