Ravens Edge Chiefs

Score one for Lamar Jackson.

Winless in his first three meetings with Patrick Mahomes since the young quarterbacks became household names during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Jackson rebounded from a shaky start to deliver an electrifying performance while receiving some crucial help from his defense to give the Baltimore Ravens a 36-35 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium.

Jackson, the 2019 NFL MVP, and Mahomes, who won the same award the year before, offered no shortage of fireworks as their contest capped an entertaining evening in the NFL, which featured last-second victories by the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals and an overtime comeback triumph by the Tennessee Titans.

The loss was the first in September for the Chiefs, whom Jackson previously called his “Kryptonite,” during Mahomes’ run as starter.

Jackson rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries and completed 18 of 26 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown after shaking off two early-game interceptions. Jackson’s 1-yard touchdown run and flip into the end zone gave Baltimore it’s first lead of the game at 36-35 with 3:14 left to play. And then, with Kansas City driving, Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire fumbled at the Baltimore 34-yard line and the Ravens recovered. Four plays later, facing fourth-and-1 from the Ravens’ own 43, Jackson called rushed for 2 yards up the middle to give his team the first down, and then ran out the clock with a kneel-down one play later.

Mahomes completed 24 of 31 passes for 343 yards and three touchdowns and one interception. 

Jackson got off to a shaky start as two early interceptions by Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu (one returned for a touchdown) loomed large for much of the game. 

The Chiefs fully displayed their abundance of riches at the skill positions as Mahomes’ first two touchdown passes went to less-heralded players Demarcus Robinson (a 33-yarder) and Byron Pringle (a 40-yarder). Those two scoring plays sandwiched a touchdown run by backup running back Darrel Williams.

Not until the third quarter did Mahomes connect with one of his leading pass-catchers, finding Travis Kelce for a short dump-off that the tight end took 46 yards, breaking four tackles along the way to find pay dirt. That play put Kansas City up 35-24 midway through the third quarter. But Baltimore soon cut into the Chiefs’ lead again. 

Ravens cornerback Tavon Young intercepted Mahomes – the quarterback’s first career interception in the month of September– at the 44. The Ravens went 56 yards in five plays, finding the end zone on a 2-yard Jackson run. But Jackson’s pass for the two-point conversion failed. 

After one more Ravens defensive stand, Baltimore took the lead on Jackson’s second touchdown run. 

Although 3:14 seemed like too much time for Mahomes and Co. to operate, the Baltimore defense delivered, setting up Jackson to run out the clock and carry Baltimore to the team’s first win of the season.