If the 2024 season unfolds how the Ravens and Chiefs expect, they will face each other again in the playoffs.
That was the sentiment echoed by players on both teams following Kansas City's 27-20 victory to open the season that was decided on the final play. The Ravens remain undaunted after the narrow defeat, believing they're on a collision course for another date with the back-to-back Super Bowl champs in the postseason.
"They won the game, but we'll definitely see them again," All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith said.
Kansas City's All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones doesn't disagree. Jones gave the Ravens props for the resiliency they showed on their final two-minute drive led by Lamar Jackson.
Starting from their own 13-yard line with 1:50 left to play and no timeouts, the Ravens marched to a 1st-and-goal at the 10 with 18 seconds remaining. The Chiefs barely escaped with the victory after on the game's final play, when Jackson's 10-yard completion to Isaiah Likely was overturned by replay after it was originally called a touchdown on the field.
Likely's toe was ruled a fraction of an inch out of bounds, sending Baltimore to a loss by the narrowest of margins. However, the Chiefs know they have little margin for error against the Ravens.
"First off, heck of a job by them to even get it in the red zone with like 40 seconds left to go," Jones said. "There was a lot of effort and a lot of grit that was played in the last few plays by our defense. We were able to hold on. We were inches away from going into overtime in the first game of the year. We knew it was going to be a battle. It was an exciting game that came down to literally the end. That's a playoff caliber team right there with an MVP quarterback. We look forward to seeing them later on down the road."
Even Patrick Mahomes thinks the two teams could face each other in the playoffs.
"It's a great football team and I'm sure we'll see them again at some point in the playoffs," Mahomes said.
If the Ravens get the rematch they expect against Kansas City, they won't lack confidence. The loss dropped Jackson's career record against the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes to 1-5, but Jackson scoffed at a reporter afterwards suggesting that the Chiefs are his "kryptonite."
"They're not my kryptonite," he said after going 26-of-41 for 273 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 122 yards on 16 carries.
Likely had a monster game with nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown and made a couple Jackson-like juke moves on his 49-yard catch and run for a touchdown.
Likely is looking forward to a potential playoff rematch, and believes the Ravens have a special team that is ready to turn the tables on Kansas City should they meet.
"I'd say this is probably the worst game we're going to play all year, so if this is the best that they've got, good luck in the postseason," Likely said.
