By DAVE SKRETTA
KANSAS CITY — Patrick Mahomes threw for 291 yards and a touchdown, and the Kansas City defense kept Lamar Jackson and the Ravens out of the end zone on three consecutive plays in the closing seconds, allowing the Chiefs to begin their pursuit of a third straight Super Bowl title with a 27-20 victory over Baltimore on Thursday night.
The game ended with a video review after Jackson appeared to connect with Isaiah Likely in the back of the end zone with no time remaining for a touchdown. The video clearly showed Likely’s toe landing on the endline, though, and the call was overturned, sending the Chiefs streaming off the bench in celebration.
Xavier Worthy had touchdowns rushing and receiving, and Isiah Pacheco also had a TD run for the Chiefs, helping them not only win a rematch of last season’s AFC title game but beat the Ravens for the fifth time in their last six meetings.
That lopsided ledger has been especially frustrating for Jackson, who has called Kansas City their Ravens’ “kryptonite.” He was sublime on Thursday night, throwing for 273 yards and a touchdown while adding 122 yards on the ground, but a video review of the final play of the game left him to rue another missed chance to finally upstage Mahomes and Co.