Chiefs Flourish as Underdogs in 34-20 victory on Monday Night Football
For the third straight season, the Kansas City Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes got the best of the Baltimore Ravens with a 34-20 victory over their closest AFC competition on Monday Night Football.
While the Ravens’ first drive looked destined for the endzone, the Chiefs defense didn’t allow quarterback Lamar Jackson and his variety of weapons to find paydirt. Kicker Justin Tucker knocked in a 26-yard field goal to give the home team the early lead.
Mahomes would make sure he wasn’t outdone on his first drive. Mahomes capped off a 75-yard drive with a 3-yard run for the first touchdown of the game. The Chiefs’ hero a week ago, kicker Harrison Butker missed the extra point to only put Kansas City up three with six minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The Chiefs defense, aided by a questionable penalty, stopped the Ravens and were able to position the offense nicely for the first points of the second quarter. Mahomes used the shovel pass to find the Chiefs’ secret weapon, fullback Anthony Sherman, for a 5-yard touchdown pass.
Baltimore didn’t waste any time responding as Devin Duvernay took Butker’s short kickoff 93 yards to the house to narrow the Chiefs’ lead to three early in the second quarter.
Both defenses forced stops and but Kansas City was able to put together a drive to lengthen their lead. Mahomes found wide receiver Tyreek Hill for his third touchdown in three games to bring the Chiefs’ lead back to 10 with 6:45 left in the half.
That wouldn’t be the last time this potent Kansas City offense would find the endzone in the first half. Just after the two-minute warning, Mahomes connected with wide receiver Mecole Hardman for a 49-yard pass on third-and-14.
The Chiefs looked primed to score again as they started the second half with the ball but a fumble from running back Darwin Thompson halted the dive and gave the ball to the Ravens.
Much like its first drive of the game, Baltimore’s rushing attack moved the Ravens down the field but the production was stalled and it resulted in a 42-yard Tucker field goal.
Baltimore’s defense was able to force a turnover on downs on the Chiefs’ next drive which set up Jackson for its first touchdown drive of the game. Jackson’s 5-yard pass to tight end Nick Boyle narrowed Kansas City’s advantage to seven five seconds into the fourth quarter.
It didn’t phase the Chiefs though as Kansas City marched down the field with a drive that lasted longer than 10 minutes and ended with a 2-yard touchdown pass to offensive tackle Eric Fisher.
The Ravens didn’t have an answer as the Chiefs’ defense forced a turnover on downs and the offense was able to run the game out.
