The Chiefs and Ravens got off to a frenetic start on Sunday Night Football, with a pair of touchdowns scored within the first five minutes. But both teams settled in, with Kansas City taking a 21-17 lead into halftime.
After Baltimore tied the game at 14 with running back Latavius Murray’s 5-yard touchdown run, Kansas City answered with a Darrel Williams 2-yard TD.
The Chiefs got down the field with an efficient seven-play, 67-yard drive that took just 2:30 off the clock.
Kansas City never faced a third down on the possession, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes completing passes to receiver Tyreek Hill, tight end Travis Kelce, and a 20-yard screen to tight end Blake Bell. After running back Jerrick McKinnon’s 14-yard reception to the 2-yard line, Williams did the rest to give Kansas City a seven-point advantage.
But the Ravens overcame a first-and-25 situation to get a field goal before halftime. Quarterback Lamar Jackson 14-yard run to the Kansas City 33 put his team in field-goal range. Then an 8-yard pass to Sammy Watkins meant it was a 43-yard attempt for the near-automatic Justin Tucker. He sent it through the uprights, cutting Kansas City’s lead to four.
Mahomes is 13-of-17 passing for 179 yards with a touchdown at the break. While Kelce has three receptions for 38 yards, Hill has been limited to just two receptions for 11 yards. Receiver Demarcus Robinson leads the club with 43 yards on two receptions. Receiver Mecole Hardman has three catches for 42 yards.
Baltimore ran the ball well in the first half, netting 165 yards on the ground from running backs Ty’Son Williams, Latavius Murray, and Devonta Freeman, along with Jackson. Baltimore is averaging 8.7 yards per carry. Jackson leads the team with 55 yards on five carries. Williams has 53 yards on eight attempts, Murray has 26 on five attempts, and Freeman took one carry for 31 yards.
But Jackson has been inconsistent throwing it, with safety Tyrann Mathieu picking off a pair of his passes in the first quarter. Mathieu returned the first interception to the house, giving the Chiefs a 7-0 lead before Mahomes ever touched the football.
Jackson finished the first half 11-of-17 passing for 106 yards.
Kansas City will have the ball to start the third quarter.