Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs claimed a dramatic 27-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the first game of the 2022 NFL season, with the quarterback sharing his thoughts on the game
Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes conceded that he was wowed by Lamar Jackson’s performance and labelled the Baltimore Ravens “great” following their nail-biting Week 1 clash.
Taylor Swift, often spotted at Arrowhead Stadium, might have thought she’d be the centre of attention at the Kansas City Chiefs game, but it was the heart-stopping end to the game that took everyone’s breath away. The rematch of the previous AFC Championship saw the Chiefs triumph over the Baltimore Ravens 27-20 amid a whiff of controversy, thrilling the hometown fans.
The Ravens were left reeling after a potential touchdown was rescinded in the dying seconds when Jackson passed to Isaiah Likely in the end zone, only for the score to be nullified upon review due to Likely stepping out of bounds.
While the Ravens faced disappointment, elation erupted for the Chiefs in an electrifying show in Missouri to start the new NFL season. Reflecting on a tense duel, QB Mahomes acknowledged the pressure-packed final moments before their victory was confirmed.
“It was nerve-wracking. It’s a game of inches, that’s what they say,” Mahomes expressed, and didn’t hold back his admiration for the opposite team: “That’s a great football team, to come out here and get a win at Arrowhead, that’s a way to start a season. I feel like the guys responded well, that’s a great start.”
Mahomes pulled out all the stops with a 291-yard performance, while Baltimore Ravens’ Jackson wasn’t far behind with 273 yards as both quarterbacks shone in their encounter. Mahomes, after the match, remarked: “That’s a team that’s going to be in the playoffs. I know it’s a long way away but that (win) could be home field advantage.”
Patrick Mahomes lavished Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens with praise following a dramatic encounter in Week 1 ( Image: David Eulitt/Getty Images)
On the flip side, Jackson was convinced he had scored, reflecting: “I thought it was a touchdown, I still think it’s a touchdown. We were just hoping. I saw 32 and 20 turning to pursue him when he realised where the ball was going, so I threw it so he could make a play on it. Great job, acrobatic catch, I believed it was two feet in.”
Ravens’ coach John Harbaugh couldn’t hide his admiration for the team’s grit, as they came agonisingly close to upsetting the hosts. His words: “I thought our guys (overcame) setbacks at times, and fought like crazy to overcome. It looked like we had an opportunity there to tie the game up and try to win. Didn’t happen at the end, but our guys fought.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid also owned up to Lady Luck smiling down on them, saying: “It was a fight down to the end. When they say it’s a game of inches, might be shorter than that.”
