KANSAS CITY, Missouri – After the Baltimore Ravens narrowly lost on Thursday night, quarterback Lamar Jackson could only shake his head.
Jackson said he didn’t believe the referees should have disallowed Isaiah Likely’s last-second touchdown that resulted in a painful 27-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the season opener. A referee initially ruled Likely had both feet in the back of the end zone, which would have put Baltimore in position to win with a two-point conversion, but a replay confirmed the front of Likely’s right foot had touched the white out-of-bounds line.
“I thought it was a touchdown,” Jackson said. “I still think it’s a touchdown.”
Jackson and the Ravens fell behind 5-1 against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, but nearly pulled off one of their most exciting comebacks ever. With five seconds left and at the Kansas City 10-yard line, Jackson stepped into the pocket, ran in a circle and threw a pass to Likely in the back of the end zone just as time expired.
Likely jumped up to catch the ball and landed with Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton on his back. The referee put both hands in the air to signal the touchdown, and Likely threw the ball in the air in celebration.
“The ref looked at me, I looked at the ref, and when he signaled touchdown, I thought it was what it was,” Likely said. “Then it was obvious we were going to win the game.”
If the touchdown had counted, Baltimore would have been down 27-26 with no time left. The Ravens were about to score two points and try to win the game when the referees changed the decision.
“The runner’s toe went out of bounds,” announced referee Shawn Hochuli. “That’s an incomplete pass. Game over. Kansas City wins.”
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said he didn’t have a good idea whether Likely was on the field.
“The guys upstairs saw it and knew he was gone,” Reid said. “After that, we just waited.”
Likely, who set career highs with nine catches and 111 yards, appeared to have injured his shoulder two plays earlier when he landed in the corner of the end zone. Jackson then threw an incomplete pass into the end zone and Likely returned to the field and nearly scored the biggest touchdown of his three-year career.
Had the Ravens pulled off the upset, it would have ended the Chiefs’ streak of 23 consecutive victories in which they led by 10 points or more at the start of the fourth quarter.
“At this point, you just have to live with the decision,” Likely said. “You have to watch, obviously watch the film and see where we can improve to not put ourselves in a position of leaving it up to the referees to make that decision.”
Ravens middle linebacker Roquan Smith said he was surprised the touchdown was disallowed.
“I didn’t think there was enough evidence to overturn the verdict,” Smith said. “But I think the arbitrators will have to deal with it when the time comes, and that’s out of my control.”
