Good night Kansas City, hello São Paulo
David K. Li
And that's a wrap on Game 1 of this long 2024-25 NFL season, as the gridiron focus shifts to Brazil for Friday night's Green Bay-Philadelphia contest.
The NFL's first game in South America will streamlive on Peacock with kickoff fromCorinthians Arenaset for 8:15 p.m. ET.
No complaints from Baltimore on final call
David K. Li
Ravens coach John Harbaugh didn’t have any beef with the heartbreaking, toe-length callthat went against his team on Thursday night's final play.
Harbaugh said he told tight end Isaiah Likely not to be down on himself for putting his toe an inch too far, nullifying a possible tying or winning TD.
“I thought Isiah played a great football game I was proud of him and lot of others guys too,” Harbaugh told reporters.
Mahomes already thinking about postseason
David K. Li
There are 16 games still to go and Patrick Mahomes is already thinking about the playoffs.
The Chiefs QB recognized that Thursday night's victory over a potential postseason foe could matter in January.
“That’s a team that’s going to be in the playoffs,” he told NBC Sports immediately after the Chiefs' thrilling 27-20 win over Baltimore. “I know it’s a long way away but that (win) could be home field advantage.”
Ravens touchdown wiped out by a toe
David K. Li
Lamar Jackson found Isaiah Likely for what looked like a potential tying or winning touchdown. But Likely's toe was out of bounds, ending the game in a 27-20 Chiefs win.
Will Baltimore go for the win if it gets the chance?
Rohan Nadkarni
The Ravens defense came up with a huge stop, giving Lamar Jackson the ball back after the two-minute warning and a chance to tie or take the lead.
Baltimore got a key third down stop, tipping a Patrick Mahomes pass — that he actually ended up catching himself — to prevent a conversion that would have effectively ended the game.
What’s most interesting to think about here is what the Ravens will do if they score a touchdown. John Harbaugh is one of the most aggressive coaches in the league and actually seems to appreciate his analytics staff. Baltimore could go for two and try to take the lead if it scores a touchdown.
Considering all the improbable game-winning drives we’ve seen Mahomes lead over the years, I’ll be surprised if the Ravens don’t try to take the lead. If they score, that is.
Ravens will get the ball back with 2 minutes, down 7
David K. Li
Baltimore will force a Kansas City punt and get the ball back with a chance to tie it.
The Ravens will likely have to go 80 or more yards for a potential tying score.
Lamar Jackson likes Isaiah Likely
Rohan Nadkarni
For our fantasy football players: Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely has received the second-most targets of any Baltimore receiver so far tonight.
Though tight end Mark Andrews has historically been Lamar Jackson’s security blanket in the passing game, Likely has been the go-to guy Thursday night. Late in the fourth, Likely was out-targeting Andrews seven to two.
Likely came on late last season after an ankle injury to Andrews. The two have played together often Thursday, but Likely has been the favored receiver.
Baltimore cuts Kansas City lead to 27-20
David K. Li
Justin Tucker's 32-yard field goal brought the Ravens a little closer as they trail the Chiefs 20-17 with just under 5 minutes left.
Facing fourth-and-4 from the K.C. 14-yard line , the Ravens opted to take 3 points now and bank on getting the ball back for a tying 7.
The Xavier Worthy pick is already paying off
Rohan Nadkarni
The Chiefs are looking like geniuses for grabbing receiver Xavier Worthy in the first round of April’s draft.
Worthy has two touchdowns in his first NFL regular season game — one on the ground and one via the air.
Kansas City effectively swapped a third-round pick for a fourth-round one with the Bills to move up and take Worthy in the first. He’s already added another explosive element to the Chiefs’ offense — and Buffalo may come to regret allowing one of its AFC rivals to add such a dynamic player.
Taylor Swift cheers on Travis Kelce
Rebecca Cohen
Taylor Swift was back in the box at Arrowhead Stadium tonight, sipping what appeared to be a vodka cran and hanging with Donna and Ed Kelce as they watched the Super Bowl Champion Chiefs.A series of video clips appeared to show Swift interacting with fans on the other side of the glass and even wearing a friendship bracelet to go with her denim set and red boots.She was caught cheesing and cheering at what is surely not her last NFL appearance of the season.
Kansas City hits deep TD, takes two-score lead
David K. Li
Patrick Mahomes hit Xavier Worthy for a 35-yards touchdown, taking advantage of an inexplicable blown coverage by the Ravens.
Worthy could not have been more open down the sideline as the Chiefs extended their lead to 27-17 with 10:25 left in regulation.
Lamar Jackson gives the Ravens a chance
David K. Li
Lamar Jackson somehow evaded a fierce Kansas City pass rush and found Isaiah Likely for an unlikely 49-yard touchdown toss, cutting the Chiefs lead to 20-17.
Had the Ravens failed to score on that drive, they would have been trailing by two scores with time against them.
Kansas City leads, 20-10, after three quarters
David K. Li
With 15 minutes left, the Ravens are in desperate need for points on this drive.
If Baltimore fails to get on the scoreboard, it’ll be a tough task to get ball back twice, score each time and shutout Kansas City along the way.
Rashee Rice becoming the Chiefs’ top target
Rohan Nadkarni
Rashee Rice looks to be Patrick Mahomes’s favorite receiver so far.
The second-year player is off to a hot start in Kansas City’s season opener, catching six passes for 98 yards (on eight targets) through nearly three quarters, helping the Chiefs get out to a 20-10 lead over the Ravens.
Baltimore is having trouble covering Rice in the slot, as he’s routinely getting open on slant routes over the middle of the field.
Rice caught 79 passes for 938 yards and seven touchdowns during his rookie season. With Marquez Valdes-Scantling gone and fellow receiver Xavier Worthy only a rookie, Rice is taking advantage of some of the extra opportunity.
Rice is playing despite facing an assault charge stemming from a high-speed hit and run during the offseason. The NFL is waiting for his legal situation to play out before deciding on discipline, a process that could carry over into December.
Swift's spirit moves Kelce to catch a first down
Rebecca Cohen
David K. Li
Rebecca Cohen and David K. Li
Swift got her moment in the spotlight midway through the third quarter, when the NBC broadcast highlighted Kelce's appearance on stage with her during "I Can Do It With A Broken Heart" at the Eras Tour this summer.
As if he knew his beloved was just being broadcast to millions, Kelce promptly completed a first down mere seconds after the small Swift segment aired.
NBC News
The financial footprint of fantasy sports is about $13 billion and counting. NBC News’ Sam Brock speaks with players and local businesses about fantasy football’s popularity.
Kansas City stretches lead to 20-10
David K. Li
Isiah Pacheco powered his way in from 1 yard out, as Kansas City extended its lead to 20-10 early in the third quarter.
The Chiefs were backed up to first-and-20 at the Ravens 28 before Nnamdi Madubuike was flagged for roughing the passer, giving Kansas City a key first down.
Chiefs, up 13-10 at half, will get ball to start third
David K. Li
Kansas City will receive the ball to start the second half, with a chance to take a two-score lead.
Baltimore leads in first downs, 12-8, and total yards, 204-139. Each team has turned it over once.
Baltimore cuts the lead going into halftime
David K. Li
Justin Tucker's 25-yard field goal cut Kansas City lead's to 13-10 in the dying moments of the second quarter.
Ravens take it back
David K. Li
Patrick Mahomes, throwing off his back foot, was intercepted by Roquan Smith and the Ravens have it back near midfield with 1:45 left in the half.
Justin Tucker wide left and Chiefs take over
David K. Li
Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker narrowly missed from 53 yards, wide left, leaving Kansas City with another short field.
The Chiefs will have nearly two minutes to score from their own 43-yard line, already leading 13-7.
Mahomes officially the Chiefs’ passing leader
Rohan Nadkarni
Somehow Patrick Mahomes was not the Chiefs’ all-time leader in passing yards before tonight. That is no longer true after this second-quarter pass.
Len Dawson, you truly had a great run.
Drops are still a problem for the Chiefs
Rohan Nadkarni
Patrick Mahomes has four incompletions so far — and three of them have been drops by his receivers.
This was an issue for Kansas City last season. (You may remember Marquez Valdes-Scantling dropping a potential game-winning touchdown vs. the Eagles on Sunday Night Football last year.) Rashee Rice, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Travis Kelce have all had drops in the first half tonight.
These drops sometimes feel like the only thing that can hold Mahomes back. The Chiefs have tried addressing the receiver position this year, adding Xavier Worthy in the first round to bring a new element to the group.
The latest drop — by Kelce — helped Baltimore hold Kansas City to a field goal after a turnover on downs. That could prove to be costly moving forward.
The Chiefs are scoring FGs and not TDs
David K. Li
Harrison Butker connected from 31 yards out to give Kansas City a 13-7 lead midway through the second quarter, but it's the Ravens who are grinning like the devil.
Baltimore gave up two short fields to Kansas City on consecutive possessions but stopped the Chiefs short of the end zone both times.
Travis Kelce made a big third-down catch on this latest drive but he let one go through his hands on second-and-5 at the Ravens' 13-yard line.
Not so much air time for Taylor Swift
Rebecca Cohen
One face has been relatively absent from NBC's broadcast of the Chiefs-Ravens game: Swift's.
Last season, she angered NFL fans by how often the cameras panned to her celebrating from the box above the field (a decision she had no control over) but so far this game, the cameras have been staying farther away from Swift than they have in the past.
Whenever she is shown on screen, though, she appears to be following and cheering along.
Swift also didn't bring any of her ultra-famous fans to this game, like she has in the past. The most famous face next to her in the box? Travis Kelce's dad.
Travis Kelce on the board in 2024
David K. Li
Travis Kelce made his first two catches of the season on this drive, a modest 1-yard pickup and then a huge 23-yard grab on third down.
Patrick Mahomes avoided multiple pass rushers before finding his favorite target on third-and-12.
Ravens turn it over on downs
David K. Li
Trent McDuffie stopped Zay Flowers on fourth-and-3 at midfield, setting up Kansas City in great field position.
Lamar Jackson's short pass to Flowers was doomed from the start, as McDuffie read the play well and made the possession-turning play.
No kickoff returns yet in the 2024 season
David K. Li
The new kickoffs are looking a lot like the ones so far, this young season.
The radical new kickoff rules have yet to yield a return after four boots of this season-opening game.
Chiefs take the lead, 10-7
David K. Li
The Ravens are the ones smiling after Harrison Butker connected on a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter.
After a Lamar Jackson fumble gave Kansas City a first down at the Ravens' 14-yard line, surrendering a field goal was a win for Baltimore.
The Ravens need an answer for Chris Jones
Rohan Nadkarni
Finding a solution to the Chris Jones problem is easier said than done, but the Ravens need to come up with something quick.
Jones just strip sacked Lamar Jackson, leading to a Kansas City recovery on Baltimore’s last drive.
Jones is taking advantage of the Ravens’ inexperienced offensive line. He also nearly sacked Jackson during Baltimore’s first possession. It may be time to get Jackson on the move in the pocket or find a way to double Jones, because he’s dominating early.
Chiefs force first huge turnover
David K. Li
Kansas City forced the first big turnover of the game as Chris Jones sacked Lamar Jackson, forcing the fumble recovered by Felix Anudike-Uzomah at the Chiefs' 14-yard line.
The Ravens might have to get Jackson out the pocket to avoid that pressure.
Chiefs 7, Ravens 7 after 1 quarter
David K. Li
The first quarter came to an end with the score tied 7-7 and big blank space for Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
He did not have any catches or targets in the first 15 minutes of play, as his girlfriend Taylor Swift cheered him on from up in the luxurious bleachers.
Chiefs finally get off the field
David K. Li
Kansas City finally stopped Baltimore on third down and got off the field.
The Ravens had converted their first three third downs before Lamar Jackson's pass to Justice Hill gained just one yard on third-and-6.
Justin Reid made the stop for Kansas City, forcing the punt.
Keep an eye on Xavier Worthy
Rohan Nadkarni
The Chiefs rookie receiver, who scored their opening touchdown, was Kansas City’s first-round pick out of Texas in April, and he should have plenty of opportunities to contribute this season.
The Chiefs’ wide receiver room is a bit of a mixed bag, and Worthy brings explosiveness: He ran the fastest time ever in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, posting an absurd 4.21.
And we're tied, 7-7, just like this
David K. Li
That response didn't take long.
It took just five plays for rookie WR Xavier Worthy to come around the right end for 21 yards and the tying score.
Making sense of Ravens penalties
Rohan Nadkarni
Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley was flagged three times for the same infraction. According to the NFL rulebook, seven players have to be on the line of scrimmage before the snap.
For offensive tackles, that typically means they have to have their helmet be at the waist of the center before the snap. Stanley, like many offensive tackles do, was taking an extra step back to give himself an advantage against opposing pass rushers.
Ravens draw first blood
David K. Li
Derrick Henry punched it in from five yards out and Baltimore jumped on top, 7-0 early in the first quarter.
Baltimore converted two third-and-long plays to keep this drive rolling.
Lamar Jackson hit Henry for 18 yards on third-and-11 and then connected with Zay Flowers for 19 yards on third-and-9.
The NFL season is finally underway!
Rohan Nadkarni
After 207 and an extra 20 minutes, the Ravens have received the opening kickoff from the Chiefs and the 2024 NFL season is finally underway!
This is the first regular season kickoff under the new rules, and but we did not see a return. Now let’s see what Baltimore can do on offense.
Chief honor parade shooting victim Lisa Lopez-Galvan
David K. Li
Fans at the Ravens-Chiefs game observed a moment of silence for Lisa Lopez-Galvan, the fan killed at the team's Super Bowl celebration.
Lopez-Galvan was the co-host of “A Taste of Tejano,” a celebration of Tejano, or “Tex-Mex,” music, on a weekly radio show on local station KKFI 90.1
The DJ played local weddings and promoted charity fundraisers.
Chiefs once again primed for a title run
Brian Hamilton, NBC Sports
Kansas City is the favorite (+500) to win the Super Bowl for a third straight season. Of all Super Bowl futures tickets, 17% are on the Chiefs.
Baltimore (+1000) is the fourth favorite with 9% of all futures tickets on the Ravens.
Kickoff in 10 minutes
Greg Rosenstein
The first game of the NFL season will begin at 8:40 p.m. ET after a short delay for inclement weather.
Eagles and Packers featured in NFL Opening Night No. 1A
David K. Li
The Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers open their season Friday night in São Paulo with thousands Birds backers and Cheeseheads happily winging it south.
But not everyone is happy about this special game, particularly Philadelphians who are being denied weeks of traditional Sunday afternoon football.
This Brazilian event counts as a home game for Philadelphia so Iggles fans will only get eight (and not nine) dates at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles real home opener is a "Monday Night Football" contest on Sept. 16 and their first Sunday afternoon at The Linc won't come until Oct. 13, much to the chagrin of Iggles fans who punch a 9-to-5, Monday-through-Friday clock.
"If you’re a season ticket holder with a tailgating routine and preference for Autumn weather, this schedule straight up blows for you. I am sorry," as the Phialdelphia sports fan site Crossing Broad politely put it.
What are the NFL’s new kickoff rules?
Susan Baek
Standard kickoffs will continue to start at the 35-yard line but the rest of the set-up looks pretty different, involving an area called the “landing zone” between the receiving team’s end zone and 20-yard line. You might have seen this zone highlighted by a rectangle in preseason broadcasts.
Here’s what the kickoff setup now looks like:
The 10 players on the kicking team will line up on the receiving team’s 40-yard line and cannot move until the ball hits a player or the ground in the landing zone or the end zone.
The returning team can have a maximum of two returners anywhere in the landing zone, while at least nine players line up between their 30- and 35-yard lines (or the “setup zone”) with at least seven players touching the 35. Only the kickers and two returners can move until the ball hits a player or the ground in the landing zone or the end zone.
By bringing teams closer together at the start and restricting their movement, players have less space and speed for high-force collisions that have plagued the league in the past.
Here are the key changes to touchbacks and returns:
If the ball reaches the end zone in the air, the receiving team can return it or opt for a touchback and possession at the 30.
If the ball hits the landing zone and then goes into the end zone, the receiving team can return it or opt for a touchback and possession at the 20.
Any kick that hits the landing zone (but doesn’t go into the end zone) must be returned.
Any kick out of bounds or short of the landing zone places the ball at the 40.
This could incentivize teams to kick the ball just short of the end zone, forcing a return and creating more room for an exciting play. But kickers might still kick the ball deep to put it at the 30, even though it gives the receiving team a better starting position than in previous seasons.
Read the full article here
No new Chiefs gear for Taylor Swift tonight
Rebecca Cohen
Swift is sporting a denim corset and denim shorts set paired with thigh-high red boots at tonight's game in Kansas City, but she didn't appear to be wearing any new — and unique — Chiefs gear to tonight's game.
Last season, she made a habit of wearing some one-of-a-kind designs in Chiefs red and gold. She'll have plenty of opportunities to break out some new fashion later this season.
Kickoff delayed to 8:40 p.m. ET
David K. Li
The Chiefs and Ravens are back on the field to warm up, with kickoff pushed back to 8:40 p.m.
Metro Kansas City hopes to be rid of rain that poured down on the region through the late afternoon and early evening.
It’s pouring rain in Kansas City right now
Maddie Ellis, TODAY
What started as a light shower around 6:15 p.m. CT turned to heavy storms by 6:30—with less than an hour before the scheduled kickoff at 7:20 p.m. CT.
Lightning strikes were visible from the stadium, with loud thunder claps sounding seconds after.
Press originally huddled in a tunnel onto the field have had to slowly retreat from the entrance, as the rain pelts sideways.
It was not immediately clear if the game start time would be delayed as a result of the weather. Warmups have been interrupted and the players have returned to their sidelines and locker rooms to wait out the storm.
NBC News
Baltimore Ravens fans at the Reckless Shepherd Brewing Company and Kansas City Chiefs fans at Union Station are getting fired up to kick off the NFL season.
WBAL’s Jennifer Franciotti and KSHB’s Lindsay Shively join "TODAY" live from the pep rallies.
Miss Americana has arrived at Arrowhead
Rebecca Cohen
The most anticipated question surrounding the first NFL game of the season has finally been answered: Taylor Swift has made it to Arrowhead stadium.
Swift is on a break from her marathon Eras Tour, which picks back up in the States next month, giving her a few chances to cheer on boyfriend Travis Kelce as he and the Chiefs kick off football season.
Video via Rob Collins of FOX4 Kansas City.
NFL season expected to spur record $35 billion in legal sports wagers
Contessa Brewer, CNBC
Jessica Golden, CNBC
Contessa Brewer, CNBC and Jessica Golden, CNBC
Football is back, and it’s expected to bring with it record-breaking betting.
U.S. adults will wager $35 billion this NFL season, according to projections from the American Gaming Association.
That would mark more than 30% growth over the $26.7 billion Americans wagered over the course of last year’s season of the National Football League, according to the AGA, and would set a fresh record. Since last NFL season, Maine, North Carolina and Vermont have allowed sports betting operators to launch in their states. And court decisions have permitted Hard Rock International to relaunch sports betting in Florida.
Today, sports betting islive and legal in 38 states and Washington, D.C.
Betting nuggets ahead of Ravens-Chiefs
Brian Hamilton, NBC Sports
A couple interesting stats that may be of particular interest to sports bettors:
- Mahomes is 3-1 vs. Baltimore straight up & against the spread since 2019
- Baltimore has not won in Kansas City since Oct. 7 2012
- Baltimore is 1-5 straight up vs. Kansas City since 2015
- Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has recorded 73+ receiving yads in each of his last six games vs. Baltimore.
Lamar Jackson looking for revenge
Greg Rosenstein
Jackson and the Ravens were eliminated from the postseason last year in a 17-10 loss to the Chiefs at home in the conference title game. Will the reigning MVP get at least a bit of revenge Thursday night?
Which team boasts better offensive weapons?
Greg Rosenstein
This is such a tough call, but I have to go with the team with the better signal-caller and that's easily Mahomes. The Kansas City QB has three Super Bowls and might lead the Chiefs to a third consecutive title. The only edge I give Baltimore is at running back but Derrick Henry is now 30 and we've seen what happens when that position hits a certain age. Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco, 25, is entering his prime and has the potential to be among the NFL's top running backs this season.
Patrick Mahomes has arrived
Greg Rosenstein
The Chiefs superstar QB — a three-time Super Bowl champion, three-time Super Bowl MVP and two-time NFL MVP — has arrived at Arrowhead Stadium ahead of his team's matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
Chiefs WR Hollywood Brown ruled out vs. Ravens
NBC Sports
Head coach Andy Reid previously announced Brown would not play in Week 1 after the receiver suffered a shoulder injury in the team’s preseason matchup with Jacksonville last month.
But, Brown should return sometime within the next couple of weeks.
While the Chiefs had several other players listed on the injury report, all were listed as full participants throughout the week.
Defensive lineman Chris Jones (shoulder), linebacker Nick Bolton (elbow), guard Joe Thuney (pectoral), defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (triceps), cornerback Nazeeh Johnson (hamstring), cornerback Joshua Williams (hamstring), offensive lineman Wanya Morris (knee), and long snapper James Winchester (shoulder) all do not have a game status and are set to play. – Myles Simmons.
Will Taylor Swift be at the game?
NBC Sports
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelcehad a remarkable year on and off the field. He led Kansas City in receiving yards (984), receptions (93), and targets (121), and his girlfriendTaylor Swiftwas in the audience 13 times last season, watching him shine.
The 14-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter has no shows scheduled for September so there is a chance that she could be at Thursday’s Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs game. – Mary Omatiga
Chiefs trying to win third straight Super Bowl
Greg Rosenstein
No team in NFL history has won three consecutive Super Bowls. Will that change this season? The Chiefs have won eight straight division titles -- the longest active streak in NFL -- and have made the playoffs nine straight seasons (also the longest active streak in the NFL).
What Derrick Henry means for Baltimore
Greg Rosenstein
The Ravens signed All-Pro running back Derrick Henry in free agency on a two-year, $16 million deal that could be up to $20 million with incentives.
Henry comes over from the Tennessee Titans. He has rushed for at least 1,500 yards in three of his last five seasons. The 30-year-old led the league in rushing in both 2019 and 2020 and has at least six straight seasons with 10+ rushing scores.
Rematch of last season's AFC title game
Greg Rosenstein
The Chiefs won last season's postseason matchup 17-10 on the road in Baltimore. In that game, the Ravens committed three turnovers (including two in the end zone) and raised questions about star QB Lamar Jackson.
Jackson, who claimed MVP last year, fell to only 2-4 all-time in the playoffs.
Mahomes was 30-for-39 for 241 yards and a touchdown in that game. Travis Kelce exploded for 11 catches, 116 yards and a score.