BALTIMORE — There were, on paper, countless reasons that the Baltimore Ravens had no business beating the Kansas City Chiefs here at M&T Bank Stadium. There were the injuries. There was Patrick Mahomes. There were the mistakes, including the pick-six, not even a minute into Sunday’s primetime showdown, that gifted the NFL’s best player a seven-point head start.
But there was one reason, one explosive, irresistible reason, that the Baltimore Ravens would not lose.
And his name is Lamar Jackson.
Jackson led the Ravens back from an 11-point deficit, led two brilliant fourth-quarter drives, capped both off with touchdown runs, and beat Patrick Mahomes for the first time in his career. He somersaulted into the end zone on the second, and hurled the ball up into the air after giving his team a 36-35 lead with just over three minutes remaining.
Mahomes and the Chiefs then waltzed down the field, into field goal range, and looked certain to retake the lead. But Clyde Edwards-Helaire fumbled with under two minutes left, giving the ball back to Baltimore.
The Ravens then converted a 4th-and-1 in their own territory to ice the game, and upset the two-time reigning AFC champs.