Football fans, hold onto your hats, because if you think “football is a game of inches” is just a cliché, the 2024 NFL season opener between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens might change your mind. The inches in this game weren’t just theoretical; they defined the contest. With all the jaw-dropping plays packed into the final seconds, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better argument for just how fine the margins are in the NFL.
This thrilling opener brought together the reigning Super Bowl champions and their AFC rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, for a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship. And, boy, did they deliver.
Let’s start with the numbers. Lamar Jackson, quarterback for the Ravens, racked up 9,828 inches through the air (273 yards) and added another 4,392 inches on the ground (122 rushing yards). Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes didn’t disappoint either, with 10,476 inches of passing (291 yards), reminding us why he’s one of the best in the league.
Add in some outstanding performances from Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (111 yards) and Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (103 yards), and you’ve got yourself a high-octane, back-and-forth contest.
With just two minutes left on the clock, the Chiefs were leading 27-20. The Ravens, backed up on their own 13-yard line, needed a miracle. Jackson led a nerve-wracking 77-yard drive, bringing the ball to the Chiefs’ 10-yard line with 18 seconds remaining. Everything was set for a nail-biting finish.
Jackson had three chances to win it. On first down, he overthrew an open Likely in the corner of the end zone. On second down, a miscommunication led to a missed opportunity with Zay Flowers, who was wide open in the middle of the end zone. By this point, Ravens fans were biting their nails down to the quick.
Then came the final play. Jackson found Likely in the back of the end zone for what looked like a game-tying touchdown. For a brief moment, it seemed the Ravens had done it. Head coach John Harbaugh was already signaling for a two-point conversion, eager to finish the game without going into overtime.
But wait—what’s that? The booth took a second look, and in a brutal twist of fate, the ruling was overturned. Jackson’s pass, despite all those glorious inches covered throughout the game, fell short by just one. Likely was out of bounds. Incomplete. Game over. Chiefs win.
It was a heartbreaker for the Ravens, especially considering their prime position to win. The decision to go for the two-point conversion was bold, especially with Derrick Henry showing clutch performances in short-yardage situations. Still, the missed throws and some clock management issues left Baltimore just shy of pulling off the upset.
In the end, it wasn’t the yards or the big plays that decided the game—it was a matter of inches. Just one inch too far. Case closed.
