Patrick Mahomes’ bittersweet day was made a little easier after the Baltimore Ravens steamrolled the Buffalo Bills 35-10 to hand them their first loss of the season.
The Ravens set the tone on their very first play of the game, as running back Derrick Henry rushed for an 87-yard touchdown to stun the Bills who were forced to punt on their opening drive. Henry also scored a rare receiving touchdown and ended the night with 209 scrimmage yards.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson didn’t throw much, but he made it count after going 13 for 18 with 156 yards and two touchdowns. Justice Hill was his main target on the night, finding him on six occasions for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Jackson also rushed for 54 yards and a touchdown, and the offensive pressure was matched by a relentless defense. Josh Allen was sacked three times on the night to double his tally for the season and went 16 for 29 and 190 yards with no touchdowns as Baltimore unleashed the blitz.
- Derrick Henry reached ‘insane’ speed on incredible Baltimore Ravens touchdown run
- Patrick Mahomes makes Travis Kelce admission as injury leads to ‘critical’ warning
The Ravens improved to 2-2 after an unexpected slow start to the season, but in Week 4 they matched the levels from last year which saw them reach the AFC Championship game. The Ravens are hoping to reach that stage again and advance to the Super Bowl but may face a rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The primetime victory would have been celebrated by the Chiefs, who are now the only team in the AFC to start the season 4-0. The Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers were the only other teams in the AFC to enter Week 4 unbeaten, but both suffered losses on Sunday.
It may be early in the season, but the Chiefs already have an advantage as they look to secure the No. 1 seed and home advantage in the playoffs. However, their comeback 17-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers was overshadowed by the injury to wide receiver Rashee Rice.
Mahomes threw an interception in the first quarter and in an attempt to tackle Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton, collided with Rice’s knee. The Chiefs receiver was carted off the field and ruled out of the game, and it’s feared that he’s suffered an ACL injury which would rule him out for the season.
Rice will undergo an MRI scan on Monday, but Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was already fearing the worst when conducting his brief on-screen interview at halftime. “I feel terrible for Rashee,” he said. “… We will hope for the best.”
Mahomes also spoke out about the incident after the game and issued a challenge for the rest of the roster if they are down a key receiver. “Obviously, the corner made a good play,” Mahomes said. “I was trying to fire it to Travis (Kelce) on his body. I overthrew him a little bit and turned the ball over.
(
2024 Getty Images)
“I thought Rashee really made a good play. I was trying to tackle the guy and obviously rolled up on him. But if I just don’t turn the ball over, that never happens. You’ve just got to try to get better at that.”
“I mean, I didn’t know exactly what happened because obviously I was trying to make the tackle. But I know Rashee and how tough he is, so him being down like that, I knew it wasn’t good. All you do is pray that the X-rays, MRIs, and stuff like that are better than what it looked [like]. Next man up until he’s back.”
The Chiefs are already facing injury issues this season after starting running back Isiah Pacheco fractured his right fibula and could miss the rest of the year. The injury forced the Chiefs to sign free agent and former player Kareem Hunt, and if Rice has sustained an ACL injury, they may be assessing the market once more.
Want to watch more live sports? Peacock has your favorite sports, shows, and more all in one place. Peacock offers plans starting at $7.99 so you can stream live sports like NFL, Premier League, and Big Ten Football.