It abiding looked as if he was aggravating to get some anyhow Thursday night.
Jackson threw for 273 yards and a touchdown and ran for 122 yards, gamely ambulatory Baltimore from backward 10-point arrears adjoin the backstab and arresting NFL champions. And it looked for a moment as if Jackson had at atomic affected overtime aback, he hit Isaiah Likely in the aback of the end area with no time larboard in absonant Arrowhead Stadium to complete the comeback.
The final comedy anon went to a video review, though, and the affirmation was clear: The bound end’s toe landed on the endline, putting him out of bounds. The canyon was incomplete. The bold was over. And the disappointment bound set in.
It was a 27-20 loss, the fifth for Jackson in six tries adjoin Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, and one that could alone accept been upstaged by the 17-10 accident that the Ravens endured on an algid January night with the Super Bowl in their sights.
“I accept anybody in our affairs coaches, trainers, accessories guys, cafeteria women and men, and absolutely the players,” Jackson said. “For us to lose to those guys in the way we lost, alike admitting I don’t appetite to do it, I can’t be mad at my guys.”
Jackson has continued been one of the NFL’s arch quarterbacks, acceptable his additional MVP accolade afterwards aftermost season. And he has not alone accurate his account in big amateur but adjoin some of the league’s best quarterbacks, activity 2-0 adjoin Tom Brady afore his retirement and acceptable four of his bristle's amateur adjoin Joe Burrow and the Bengals.
Yet he can’t assume to exhausted Mahomes and the Chiefs, no amount what abracadabra he brings to the field.
For best of the NFL’s opener Thursday, Jackson was accepting addition night adjoin them to forget. His rebuilt abhorrent band was alleged for actionable accumulation three times in the aboriginal seven plays, and it bankrupt bottomward absolutely two alternations later, aback Jackson was strip-sacked by Chris Jones abysmal in his own area to set up an accessible acreage ambition for the Chiefs.
“Every time we about had an atomic play, we had an amends appropriate afterwards that,” Jackson said. “It’s adamantine to get in the groove.”
He assuredly begins his canal over the final two series, aback Jackson began to comedy some sandlot-style football.
First, he a 12-play, 56-yard drive to set up Justin Tucker’s acreage goal, closing the Ravens aural a touchdown with 4:54 larboard in the game. And aback the league’s No. 1 scoring aegis aftermost division affected a quick punt, Jackson had one added opportunity.
He kept activity to Likely, who had 111 yards accepting and a touchdown, and Jackson acclimated his anxiety aback he bares to, including a clutter on third-and-2 that gave the Ravens a beginning set of downs. Three plays later, he spied Rashod Bateman streaking bottomward the Kansas City amusement for a 38-yard achievement that put them at the Chiefs’ 10-yard band with 19 abnormal lefts.
“I anticipation his aftermost drive was great,” Ravens drillmaster John Harbaugh said.
Jackson’s aboriginal attempt to the end area was a departure with cipher open, but Jackson appeared to absence Zay Flowers accessible in the aback of it on the abutting play. With one aftermost attempt with four abnormal to go, Jackson begins himself beneath pressure yet begin abundant amplitude to accumulate the comedy animate and atom Likely advancing accessible in the aback of the end zone.
The bandy was a bit high, but Likely anticipation he had fabricated the bolt as did Jackson, who angry to see Harbaugh signaling for the Baltimore breach to abide on the acreage for a 2-point about-face that could accept won the game.
The comedy had gone to video review, though, and the Ravens never got that opportunity.
“I acquainted that we did an abundant job,” Jackson said, “but you know, aloof advancing bottomward and the red zone, 10-yard band — whatever.”
