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kansascity.com Here’s what we learned about the Chiefs in their Monday Night Football win at Baltimore Nick Wass
Monday night’s game between the Chiefs and Ravens, two undefeated AFC powerhouses, was widely billed as the “Game of the Year” in the NFL.
And it didn’t disappoint.
The Chiefs took the Ravens’ best punch on the opening drive before rolling to a 34-20 win and a 3-0 start, the fourth consecutive such start to a regular season.
Kansas City’s offense finished the contest with an eye-popping 517 total yards while the Chiefs’ defense held the Ravens to 228 net yards, 166 below what Baltimore averaged through its first two games.
The Chiefs joined the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears as the NFL’s remaining undefeated teams.
Here’s what stood out from Monday night’s game.
MAHOMES MAGIC (AGAIN) In a game featuring Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, the past two league MVPs, it was Mahomes who commanded the spotlight on national television.
Mahomes had himself quite the ballgame against the Ravens, completing 31 of 42 passes for 385 yards and four touchdowns for a 133.5 passer rating. He added a three-yard rushing touchdown. Mahomes’ scoring passes went to four different players: Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, fullback Anthony Sherman and, yes, left tackle Eric Fisher.
Two of the scoring plays went down the field, the first to Hill for a 20-yard touchdown and the second on a 49-yard strike to Hardman. Mahomes bought time on the pass to Hill by floating back at least 12 yards from the line of scrimmage before launching the pass.
Since Mahomes became the Chiefs’ full-time starter in 2018, he has connected with three different receivers for a touchdown a total of 13 times.
Mahomes, who entered Monday night with 9,925 career passing yards in 33 games, also became the fastest quarterback in NFL history to pass for 10,000 career yards. Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner previously held the record when he did it in 36 career games.
The Chiefs’ signal-caller improved to an impressive 9-0 career mark in the month of September since taking over as the team’s starter.
LOOK AT THE CREATIVTY Chiefs coach Andy Reid might have been holding back in the Chiefs’ first two games, but the playbook was wide open Monday night against one of the NFL’s better defenses.
Reid utilized a variety of shifts, motions and misdirection to free up receivers, including tight end Travis Kelce, who caught a screen pass in the middle of the field in the first quarter after the offense rolled right to pull the defenders with them.
But perhaps his most creative play came early in the second quarter as the Chiefs marched down to the Ravens’ 5-yard line and faced a third-and-goal. After breaking the huddle, Sherman lined up a step back from right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, giving Mahomes an empty backfield. Wide receiver Hill then came in motion from the right side, where Sammy Watkins and Demarcus Robinson remained, and set up behind the quarterback.
At the snap of the ball, Sherman blocked Ravens outside linebacker Matt Judon before disengaging, while Hill went to the right for what looked like could’ve been a screen pass as Mahomes also rolled right. The motion prompted the defense to roll right, but Mahomes quickly threw an underhanded pass Sherman crossed the goal line untouched to give the Chiefs a 13-3 lead and cap a 13-play, 68-yard drive.
Mahomes then completed the creative night of play-calling by hitting Fisher, who had lined up as an eligible receiver, for a 2-yard touchdown.
DEFENSE WOKE UP After spotting the Ravens 67 yards and a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, the Chiefs put the clamps down by holding Baltimore to 30 yards the rest of the first half en route to a 27-10 halftime lead.
The Chiefs limited Jackson to 35 yards passing through the first two quarters to build the lead, then weathered the second-half storm to hold on.
Defensive end Chris Jones turned in a big game with five tackles, two sacks, two quarterback hits and two forced fumbles. Linebacker Ben Niemann and defensive end Frank Clark also recorded sacks against the dangerous Jackson, who finished the night with 83 yards rushing on nine attempts.
While the Ravens eventually put up points in the second half to make things interesting, the defensive wave in the first half was more than enough to withstand any comeback attempt.
Jackson finished the game with 97 passing yards.
BUTKER IS HUMAN A week after nailing two 58-yard field goals, including a game-winning kick, to be named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker had a night to forget.
Butker missed a point-after-touchdown attempt, which sailed wide left, and a 42-yard field goal late in the second quarter. The Chiefs, though, shook off the missed opportunities for points to seize control of the AFC West with a one-game lead over the Oakland Raiders (2-1).
INJURIES Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed suffered a collarbone injury in the first half and did not finish the game. Sneed hurt himself while making a diving attempt at an interception.
