Chiefs Edge Ravens, 27-24, in Overtime Thriller

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 27-24, at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, pulling ahead in overtime for their 11th victory of the year.

Kicker Harrison Butker’s 35-yard field goal was ultimately the difference, sailing through the uprights with 4:42 left in overtime to push Kansas City in front and – as the Chiefs’ defense held Baltimore out of the end zone on their final possession – secured a playoff berth for a fourth-consecutive season.

The game required an additional period following a wild final few minutes of regulation in which Kansas City converted multiple fourth downs to tie the game with just under a minute left.

Facing a fourth-and-nine deep in their own territory, Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes found wide receiver Tyreek Hill for 48 yards downfield to push Kansas City inside the red zone until, four plays later, the Chiefs converted yet another fourth down when Mahomes hit tailback Damien Williams on a nine-yard strike.

The score knotted things up at 24-points apiece with under a minute left, and to further incite the energy booming throughout Arrowhead Stadium following the touchdown, Kansas City had possession of the ball just a few plays later when linebacker Justin Houston ripped it free from Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson deep in Baltimore territory.

Houston’s efforts set up a potential game-winning field goal for Butker in regulation, but the kick flew wide right as the clock hit zeroes.

The Chiefs’ young kicker soon had another shot, however, as Mahomes led Kansas City on an 11-play, 58-yard drive to position Butker for yet another game-winner, and given another opportunity, he didn’t miss.

It marked Kansas City’s first overtime victory since Week 12 of the 2016 season.

Mahomes completed 33-of-53 passes for 377 yards and two touchdowns in the game, finding Hill a team-leading eight times for 139 yards and tight end Travis Kelce seven times for 77 yards and a score.

Kelce’s touchdown – a 15-yard scoring strike late in the first half – was the All-Pro tight end’s 10th of the year, adding to what’s already been a career-season finding the end zone.

Williams also contributed on the scoreboard early, plunging ahead for a 1-yard score during the first quarter.

The efforts of both players helped Kansas City carry a seven-point lead into halftime, but Baltimore came firing back with a pair of unanswered touchdowns over the contest’s next 26 minutes of play to take the lead.

The latter score – a nine-yard strike from Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson to wide receiver John Brown – took place with just over four minutes remaining in the contest, providing Kansas City with one final drive to tie the game.

Plenty of fireworks soon followed, but as the dust cleared, Kansas City was on top.

The Chiefs will return to Arrowhead Stadium in just four days to take on the Los Angeles Chargers in a pivotal divisional matchup.