Field hockey

Francis Scott Key 5, Frederick 0: The Eagles blanked Frederick led by a hat trick from Jena Stambaugh. She scored once in the first quarter and twice in the third. Josie Bachtel and Dory Kelley also found the cage for FSK. Audrey Baugher had two assists, while Carley Topper and Bella Mazan also handed out helpers.

Westminster 3, Bel Air 2: Vivian Dunn scored the game-winner in the second overtime for the Owls. Ava Piluk tallied Westminster’s first two goals with Dunn assisting on both. Bel Air got a goal from Bella Leon to open the game, and another from Paige Feick on a penalty stroke that tied the game late in the fourth quarter. In goal, Natalie Schultz made six saves for the Owls and Sydney Kennedy made eight saves for the Bobcats.

South Carroll 3, Linganore 2: Megan Maynard, Emily Maynard and Olivia Carter all had goals as the Cavaliers held off Linganore. Alayna Enoff, Dakota Clemens and Kayla Janyska all had assists. In goal, Caelin Lopes made four saves.

Franklin 4, Winters Mill 2: The Indians went on the road and neither the Falcons, nor their grass field, could stop Nora Tromble. The junior scored all four goals in Franklin’s win. Riley Dell and Cici Coco scored for Winters Mill. Addy Vanlandingham made 10 saves in goal.

John Carroll 4, Mercy 2: Four Patriots scored in the win with Sara Shorts, Cate Bianco, Annie Minoglio and Mia Castellano all recording goals.

C. Milton Wright 7, Harford Tech 0: Morgan Thomas led the Mustangs’ offensive eruption with three goals in the big win over the Cobras. Tressa Will, Raelynn Armenteros, Olivia Fox and Ellie Haynes also scored goals. Will, Autumn Rutkowski and Paityn Gossman each handed out two assists.

River Hill 3, Atholton 0: Katelyn Sauritch led the way for the Hawks (1-0) in the season-opening win with a goal and an assist. Carolyn Dzubak and Gabby Bergstrom also scored while Maya Chan had an assist. For Atholton (0-1), Adara Baldini made 24 saves.

Centennial 3, Howard 0: Caroline Cudzilo led the Eagles (1-0) in a season-opening win with a pair of goals. Claire Whipkey added a goal and an assist, while Jane Baldy pitched a shutout with four saves.

Reservoir 8, Oakland Mills 0: The Gators offense exploded in the season-opening win. Freshman Sam Feher netted a hat trick and added an assist in her first varsity action. Senior Claire Kimnach added two goals, while senior Sandra Salkini had a goal and a game-high three assists. Junior Annie Riley scored the game’s first goal, while Madi Ellis also scored on a feed from Radhika Shah.

Football

Patterson Mill 25, Digital Harbor 12: In the conclusion of a game suspended Friday because of a lighting issue, the Huskies scored the final 18 points. Digital Harbor went up 12-7 before RJ Wilhelm scored a touchdown for the Huskies and the extra point put them ahead, 13-12. Mason Hemelt had a pick-six for a touchdown and Brycen Hunter closed out the scoring with a 1-yard run.

Patterson Mill boys soccer gets 2 second-half goals from Kai Gibson in 3-1 win over Manchester Valley

Boys soccer

North Harford 4, Elkton 0: Matthew Deily scored twice and assisted on a third goal in the Hawks’ shutout win. Ryder Taylor and Sebasteyan McNally also scored, while Jamail Holmes tallied two assists.

Pikesville 2, Western Tech 1: Anderson Marquez hit the back of the net with less than five minutes remaining to like Pikesville to the win. Ablante Fesseha scored for the Panthers in the first half. In goal, junior Josh Kaplan made four saves.

Towson 5, Franklin 1: Zach Shrager scored twice, while Will Heacock, Jacob Martinez and Mason Westfall also tallied goals in the win. The Generals built a 3-1 lead by halftime.

Girls soccer

Catonsville 2, Mount de Sales 1: Ella Lesniewski scored off an Elin Mellendick assist for the Comets and Kaitlyn Bachtel scored the team’s second goal off a free kick.

Bel Air 3, North East 2: The Bobcats surged ahead after a 1-1 halftime tie. Ally Mace hit the back of the net twice to lead Bel Air to the win. Eve Krout also scored. Sarah Ravadge, Aubrey Blackburn and Kaitlyn Primus had assists and Emerson Schiller made three saves in goal.

Harford Tech 8, Elkton 2: Laney Weaver and Brooke Pollack each recorded hat tricks in the Cobras’ blowout win, and Abby Downes scored twice.

John Carroll 4, Elizabeth Seton 0: Clara Madore had a hand in all four Patriots goals, scoring two and assisting on two. Bella Ottone and Cali Fridel also hit the back of the net. Lily Baumgartner had an assist.

Severn 5, Glenelg Country 2: The Admirals jumped out to a 3-0 halftime lead. Five players scored in the win: Tessa Patel, Layla Epps, Sophia English, Madison Watson and Irelyn Beaulieu. Patel, Eliza Grace Beard, Carys McKenzie and Nina Ambro all had assists.

Westminster 2, Dulaney 0: Clara Kemp (6 saves) and Andi Zaslow (4) split time in goal to combine for the shutout over the Lions. For the offense, Emmerson Hill and Jenny Vasquez scored goals with Riley Taylor and Mikayla Britz handing out assists.

Golf

Dulaney 161, Western Tech 216: The Lions topped the Wolverines led by Quinn Collins with a 37 and Eli Mace with a 39.

Boys volleyball

Patterson Mill 3, Edgewood 0: The Huskies cruised, 25-8, 25-13, 25-10. Cullen Young led the win with eight kills and five aces. Jake Rakaczky also served fived aces for the Huskies. Aidan Mackowiak chipped in four kills.

North Harford 3, C. Milton Wright: The Hawks swept the Mustangs, 25-11, 25-12, 25-16. Mike DeJesus picked up 21 digs in the win and Jackson Armiger tossed up 23 assists. Chance Kobus and Jordan Bogarty shared the team lead with eight kills each.

Girls volleyball

Annapolis 3, Frederick Douglass 0: Christen Brisbane put down 12 kills to lead the Panthers in their sweep. McHale Hughes tossed up 15 assists while getting three kills of her own. Lindsay Lyman had four kills and six blocks, and Carolin Heyder chipped in four aces and three kills.

Century 3, Francis Scott Key 1: The Knights won, 25-21, 23-25, 27-25, 25-16. Stephanie Villanueva had nine aces and served the match’s final nine points with the set tied at 16. Corinne Zepp added six aces. Gabby Zajaczkowski and Hannah Heffernan each put down 11 kills. Heffernan added 15 digs for a double-double. Zepp led the defense with 28 digs. Julia Boone set up a balanced Eagles offense with 20 assists. Samantha Miller led with six kills. Ripleigh Maring and Kiersten Johannes each added five kills and Maring adding six blocks and Johannes five.

Perry Hall 3, Oakland Mills 1: Abbie Znamirowski had 10 aces and Addison Dunlap was close behind her with eight as the Gators won, 25-14, 23-25, 25-12, 25-17. Dunlap also tossed up 13 assists. Milana Scaccio had six kills and three aces.

To submit scores and stats, email mdscores@baltsun.com with a full box score, including first and last names of the players.

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The game could not have started better for Morgan State, as Bears defensive back Carlvainsky Decius intercepted a pass from quarterback Carlos Davis on the Tigers’ opening play from scrimmage. But Morgan State’s drive stalled at the Towson 23-yard-line, leading to a 40-yard field goal by Beckett Leary.

That 3-0 lead was short-lived, as Towson wide receiver Sam Reynolds caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Davis with 7:06 left in the first quarter to put the Tigers up 7-3. Davis, a Mervo graduate and UMass transfer, started the drive with a 45-yard pass to receiver Jaceon Doss.

Morgan State (1-1) had a chance to go into the locker room trailing by just one possession, but the Tigers added to their lead when running back Christopher Watkins scored on a 6-yard touchdown run with 33 seconds left in the half.

It did not take long for the Bears to answer after the break. On the second play of the third quarter, quarterback Tahj Smith threw a 74-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Joseph Kennerly Jr., cutting the deficit to 14-9 after the extra point attempt was blocked.

Morgan State threatened to pull even closer, but Rion Roseborough blocked Leary’s 39-yard field goal attempt with 5:28 remaining in the third quarter.

Both teams struggled with penalties, as Morgan State was penalized nine times for 58 yards and Towson earned six flags for 70 yards. The Tigers (1-1) also fumbled three times but lost only one, while the Bears recovered their only fumble. With Towson looking to extend its lead early in the fourth quarter after a 44-yard run by Devin Matthews, wide receiver Da’Kendall James fumbled at the Morgan State 18, and the Bears recovered.

“We just left too much out there on offense,” Towson second-year coach Pete Shinnick told reporters after the game. “I thought we easily could have gotten in the end zone a couple more times, but credit to Morgan. They played really tough.”

In his home debut after losing, 38-20, at Cincinnati last week, Davis finished 21-for-28 for 209 yards. Matthews had 11 carries for 95 yards and Doss finished with three catches for 67 yards for Towson, which leads the all-time series 23-6.

Smith, who was sacked five times, completed 13 of 20 passes for 163 yards and added 11 carries for 24 yards, while Jason Collins led the Bears with 34 yards on six carries.

Arturo Mattocks recorded a game-high nine tackles and Elijah Williams had two sacks for Morgan State.

Division II

Lenoir-Rhyne 32, Bowie State 19: The host Bears (1-0) outscored the Bulldogs (0-1) 16-6 in the second half and never trailed. Bowie State safety Samuel Graham (North County) intercepted a pass from Lenoir-Rhyne quarterback Jalen Ferguson and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 16-6 with 17 seconds left in the first half. The Bulldogs’ Curtis Murray (Towson University) had a 62-yard touchdown run with 26 seconds left in the third quarter.

Division III

Johns Hopkins 27, Ithaca 23: Bay Harvey completed a second-half comeback with a 15-yard touchdown pass to EJ Talarico with 8:44 left in the game to lift the visiting Blue Jays (1-0) over the Bombers (0-1). Ithaca opened with a 17-0 lead in the first half. Hopkins strung together four scoring plays to take a 20-17 lead near the end of the third quarter. The Bombers took the lead back, 23-20, with 14:53 left before the Blue Jays’ game-winning drive. Harvey completed 17 of 28 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 21 carries for 132 yards and two scores.

Salisbury 48, Washington & Lee 26: The host Sea Gulls (1-0) took a 28-0 lead over the Generals (0-1) and rolled to victory. Dario Belizaire (four carries for 137 yards) and Archbishop Curley graduate Ronald Clark (13 for 134) each had two rushing touchdowns for Salisbury. Gage Katzenell-Hall completed 6 of 12 passes for 269 yards, including an 89-yard touchdown pass to Micah Brubaker. Katzenell-Hall also had an 8-yard rushing touchdown. Salisbury will host Muhlenberg at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

McDaniel 7, Catholic 3: Micajah Cobbs had a 17-yard touchdown run and Braylon Johnson added the extra point to lift the host Green Terror (1-0) over the Cardinals (0-1) on Friday night. Catholic took a 3-0 lead on a 23-yard field goal by Andrew Petrino (Calvert Hall) with 4:43 left in the third quarter, but McDaniel answered with 25 seconds left in the quarter to take the lead for good. Cobbs had 20 carries for 83 yards. The win ended an 11-game losing streak overall, a three-game slide to Catholic and a three-game losing streak in season openers.

Football

South Carroll 7, Chesapeake-AA 0: Manny Rodrigues had a 23-yard rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter to lift the host Cavaliers over the Cougars. Rodrigues had 15 carries for 70 yards. Anthony Rodrigues led the team with 12 carries for 74 yards. Quarterback Caleb Evans was impressive, completing 7 of 9 passes for 107 yards and rushing seven times for 19 yards. Jake Miller made a huge impact with two receptions for 63 yards.

Francis Scott Key 22, Smithsburg 15: The opportunistic Eagles forced Smithsburg into four turnovers including two interceptions — one returned for a touchdown — by Colton Feister. Chase Replogle led the defense with 12 tackles. Sophomore starting quarterback Jacob Etzler went 6-of-12 for 116 yards and two touchdowns in his first varsity start. Jermaine Dawson rushed nine times for 54 yards and a score.

Williamsport 40, Winters Mill 16: The Falcons cut the lead to 26-16 late, but Williamsport pulled away. Braydon Jones had a pick-six and a receiving touchdown in the loss.

Annapolis 40, Old Mill 20: The Panthers stormed the field, celebrating the program’s first win over the Patriots in at least two decades. Senior running back Tyler Womack rushed for 217 yards and six touchdowns, as well as a 55-yard return. Jordan Johnson scored on a fumble return. Quarterback Darrian Carter threw once for 50 yards. Kyonte Brown-Siscoe recorded three tackles for a loss, two sacks and a forced fumble. Calvin Smith collected an interception as the Annapolis defense held Old Mill to 185 all-purpose yards.

Severna Park 14, Glenelg 9: The Falcons took the lead in the second quarter and matched the Gladiators touchdown for touchdown in the fourth quarter to keep it.

Dundalk 36, Crofton 0: Donte Gause rushed for 98 yards and three touchdowns to lead the win. Micah Williams completed 11 of 13 passes for 141 yards. Williams and Phil Jones also rushed for scores. Cardinals quarterback Logan Davis collected 14 passing yards, Jaden Dawins had 55 rushing yards and Dylan Bayne made two catches for 65 yards in the loss.

Severn 35, Seed 18: Charlie Runco collected 173 yards and two touchdowns off 24 carries for the Admirals (2-0), while Jules Floyd rushed 14 times for 107 yards. Ty Bussard was 10-for-17 with 156 yards, two touchdowns and an interception and Daniel Growney caught five passes for 101 yards and a touchdown, while also collecting an interception on defense.

South River 22, Southern 20: The Seahawks were forced to defend a 22-0 first-quarter lead from their rival Bulldogs. For South River, Ben Adams rushed in the opening touchdown following a 65-yard pass. JP Simpson caught a touchdown for the Seahawks and Korey Warren ran in another.

Broadneck 28, St. Mary’s 13: Ian Mauldin rushed in two touchdowns for the Bruins while Aaron Foote ran in one and Tyrin Chinn-Thompson hauled in a pick-6. Dom Scali scored both times for the Saints (0-2).

Spalding 45, Archbishop Stepinac (NY) 0: The Cavaliers rolled to 3-0 behind a committee performance. Antonio Ledbetter and Myles McAfee had 30-yard and 13-yard receiving touchdowns from Malik Washington, respectively. Cam Pinson rushed for a three-yard touchdown, as did Washington for 19 yards and Chase Gorman for 10. Cooper Welch went 5-for-5 on extra point attempts and booted a 26-yard field goal. Kam Miller ran in a 55-yard punt return.

Marriotts Ridge 42, Mt. Hebron 0: The Mustangs (1-0) earned a dominant season-opening win led by a stout defense. Ashton Clark rushed for 101 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns, while Julian Clay had five carries for 94 yards and a touchdown.

Perryville 39, North Harford 0: The visiting Panthers took a 32-0 lead over the Hawks in the first half in the victory.

Digital Harbor at Patterson Mill, postponed: The game between the Rams and Huskies was postponed because of an issue with the stadium lights. Patterson Mill led 7-0 in the first quarter when play was halted. The game will resume at a later date to be determined..

Girls soccer

Eastern Tech 5, Friends 2: Ineza Ross-Reidel opened the season with a hat trick to lead a strong offensive showing from the Mavericks. Seniors Ava Chenowith and Marie Vanschoorisse each scored once, while Lillian Hutchings handed out two assists.

Towson 6, Gerstell 0: Gia Celenza scored two goals and had an assist to lead the visiting Generals (1-0) over the Falcons. Madden SySantos made three saves in goal to earn the shutout. Koto Davis, Jolie Bull, Lizzie Corvera and Mikayla Bull also scored, with Davis and Bull also delivering assists. Amelia Culbertson and Tatiyana Chase also gave out helpers.

St. Mary’s 8, St. Mary’s Ryken 0: Elizabeth Schummer had one goal and two assists and Leah Hamilton had a goal and an assist to lead the host Saints (1-0) over the Knights (0-3).  St. Mary’s travels to Mount de Sales on Wednesday.

Severn 4, Glen Burnie 1: The Admirals had four players score in the win. Eliza Grace Beard, Tessa Patel, Eleanor Bear and Carys McKenzie all scored goals with Peach Wellschlager, Madison Watson and Sophia English providing assists. Stephanie Ohl scored for the Gophers and Dania Eguizabal made 13 saves.

St. Paul’s 1, Bel Air 0: Reese Flaherty scored the game-winner in the second half to lift the Gators over the Bobcats  in the Public vs. Private Challenge at Mercy. Emerson Schiller made nine saves for Bel Air.

Marriotts Ridge 1, Wilde Lake 0: Allison Custer scored the game-winner to lift the visiting Mustangs over the Wildecats in the season opener for both teams.

Boys soccer

Fallston 3, Rising Sun 1: After falling behind by a goal at halftime, the Cougars hit the back of the net three times in the second. Ariya Khairghadam, Levi Tanguay and Dominic Witherspoon all scored in the come-from-behind win in the season opener.

Eastern Tech 1, Patterson Mill 0: Anthony Baca-Fuentes made six saves to earn his first career shutout in the Mavericks’ win. Jake Locklear scored the game’s only goal from the left edge in the 10th minute.

Towson 2, Crofton 0: Andrew Kammann and Tyler Hudacek each scored off corner kicks and the host Generals (1-0) shut out the Cardinals (0-1) in Friday’s season opener.

Hereford 3, North Harford 2: The Bulls got past the Hawks with the game-winning goal in overtime. For North Harford, Ryder Taylor assisted Cole Schultz on a goal. The Hawks also took advantage of a Hereford own-goal.

Chesapeake-AA 3, Severn Run 0: Byron Klohr, Cade Shannon and Colton Keeter each scored and the visiting Cougars shut out the Wolves. Ethan Kiniry made five saves for Chesapeake. The Cougars led 2-0 at the half.

Glen Burnie 2, Westminster 0: Nick Bezek scored both goals for the Gophers in the second half. Adolfo Contreras Florian made an assist while Dylan Cunningham recorded two saves.

Volleyball

Perry Hall 3, Harford Tech 0: The Gators survived three close sets to beat the Cobras, 25-20, 28-26, 25-23. Addison Dunlap had six aces, 13 assists and three blocks to lead the win. Milana Scaccio added four aces and three kills.

Aberdeen 3, Edgewood 2: The visiting Eagles beat the Rams, 25-15, 25-13, 23-25, 22-25, 15-10. Edgewood was led by Peyton Parise with seven  digs and four aces and Mo Rohner with five aces, and Lisette Ahlijah with two kills.

Perryville 3, Elkton 0: The Panthers won, 25-11, 25-18, 25-14.

Glen Burnie 3, North County 2: Cici Wilkerson had 14 kills and Lelahni Ladipoh had 11 kills to lead the visiting Gophers over the Knights.

To submit scores and stats, email mdscores@baltsun.com with a full box score, including first and last names of the players.

Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil (Friday, 8:15 p.m.)

Brian Wacker: Eagles

Childs Walker: Packers

Mike Preston: Eagles

C.J. Doon: Packers

Tim Schwartz: Packers

Bennett Conlin: Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m.)

Wacker: Falcons

Walker: Falcons

Preston: Steelers

Doon: Falcons

Schwartz: Falcons

Conlin: Falcons

Arizona Cardinals at Buffalo Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m.)

Wacker: Bills

Walker: Bills

Preston: Bills

Doon: Bills

Schwartz: Bills

Conlin: Bills

Tennessee Titans at Chicago Bears (Sunday, 1 p.m.)

Wacker: Bears

Walker: Bears

Preston: Bears

Doon: Bears

Schwartz: Bears

Conlin: Titans

New England Patriots at Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m.)

Wacker: Bengals

Walker: Bengals

Preston: Bengals

Doon: Bengals

Schwartz: Bengals

Conlin: Bengals

Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m.)

Wacker: Texans

Walker: Texans

Preston: Colts

Doon: Texans

Schwartz: Texans

Conlin: Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins (Sunday, 1 p.m.)

Wacker: Dolphins

Walker: Jaguars

Preston: Dolphins

Doon: Dolphins

Schwartz: Dolphins

Conlin: Dolphins

Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m.)

Wacker: Saints

Walker: Saints

Preston: Saints

Doon: Saints

Schwartz: Saints

Conlin: Saints

Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants (Sunday, 1 p.m.)

Wacker: Giants

Walker: Giants

Preston: Vikings

Doon: Vikings

Schwartz: Vikings

Conlin: Vikings

Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m.)

Wacker: Chargers

Walker: Chargers

Preston: Chargers

Doon: Raiders

Schwartz: Chargers

Conlin: Chargers

Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks (Sunday, 4:05 p.m.)

Wacker: Seahawks

Walker: Seahawks

Preston: Seahawks

Doon: Seahawks

Schwartz: Seahawks

Conlin: Seahawks

Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.)

Wacker: Cowboys

Walker: Cowboys

Preston: Cowboys

Doon: Cowboys

Schwartz: Cowboys

Conlin: Cowboys

Washington Commanders at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday, 4:25 p.m.)

Wacker: Buccaneers

Walker: Buccaneers

Preston: Buccaneers

Doon: Commanders

Schwartz: Commanders

Conlin: Buccaneers

Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions (Sunday, 8:20 p.m.)

Wacker: Lions

Walker: Rams

Preston: Lions

Doon: Lions

Schwartz: Lions

Conlin: Rams

New York Jets at San Francisco 49ers (Monday, 8:15 p.m.)

Wacker: 49ers

Walker: Jets

Preston: 49ers

Doon: Jets

Schwartz: Jets

Conlin: 49ers

Brian Wacker, reporter: The Ravens showed once again they go as Lamar Jackson goes. Despite the offensive line’s issues with presnap illegal formation penalties, the defense getting exposed by Patrick Mahomes much of the night and a lack of communication along with several self-inflicted wounds on both sides of the ball, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player kept Baltimore within reach on a night when the game could have gotten out of hand.

Jackson made his share of spectacular plays with his arm and his legs and was every bit the Ravens’ best player all night.

Unsurprisingly, an offensive line with three new starters along with a few costly penalties were too much to overcome against the two-time defending Super Bowl champs in their own building. Mahomes made Baltimore pay by playing fast and efficient, particularly in the first half, and the Chiefs are a difficult team to come back against. Meanwhile, outside of Jackson and tight end Isaiah Likely, the Ravens’ offense was lacking, whether it was running back Derrick Henry rushing for just 46 yards on 13 carries, or no wide receiver having more than 53 yards. Until the Ravens clean up their mistakes and get more from other players, they’re playing second fiddle to the Chiefs.

Childs Walker, reporter: Offseason story lines came into play quickly as the Ravens sought revenge for their AFC championship loss to the Chiefs. We saw the dilemmas Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry will create playing off each other as the Ravens rumbled for an opening touchdown drive. We saw expected growing pains from the Ravens’ inexperienced offensive line, with All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones wreaking havoc and officials calling a string of penalties on tackles Ronnie Stanley and Patrick Mekari for lining up behind the line of scrimmage. We saw Patrick Mahomes and Rashee Rice outmaneuver first-year coordinator Zach Orr’s defense in the middle of the field, and we saw Orr’s guys crash the pocket and break up passes when it was time to keep the Chiefs out of the end zone on several key drives. We saw tight end Isaiah Likely make the case that he just might be Jackson’s most potent target. We saw Jackson fight his heart out and come a fraction of Likely’s toe short of a game-tying touchdown pass.

Ultimately, Mahomes took advantage of a blown coverage by Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey and a nonexistent safety to throw the decisive touchdown pass. The Chiefs remain the big brother in this rivalry, if only by a little. The Ravens have the components to challenge, but they’ll need to make major strides on the offensive line and in defensive communication if they’re going to win a rematch in January.

Ravens vs. Chiefs, September 5, 2024 | PHOTOS

Sam Cohn, reporter: It’s only Week 1, but the difference between the two offenses looked obvious. The Chiefs were far more dynamic and big plays seemed to come easier (Xavier Worthy’s speed is a cheat code). The Ravens didn’t muster an offensive play over 19 yards until the fourth-quarter score by Isaiah Likely that went half the distance of the field with a 0.3% touchdown probability, according to Next Gen Stats. Yes, Lamar Jackson showed off the shiftiness that accompanies his slimmer frame and still invited contact. But Baltimore’s offense is going to need more explosive plays and input from a variety of skill-position players to make a run in January. The two-minute drill was a golden opportunity for vengeance squandered because of a toe on the line.

Taylor Lyons, reporter: Until the fourth quarter, Thursday felt eerily similar to last January’s AFC championship game: an opening drive Ravens touchdown followed by a series of self-inflicted roadblocks that kept them from clawing back. Ten fourth-quarter points gave Baltimore a chance, but ultimately Isaiah Likely’s toe was the difference.

Lamar Jackson and Likely nearly engineered an epic comeback over the team that’s hurt the Ravens for years. Jackson displayed his slimmer frame and an unafraid running style that masked deficiencies in other areas — Derrick Henry was largely ineffective, the defense allowed too many big plays and a slew of procedural penalties stunted the offense.

The Ravens are 1-5 against the Chiefs under Jackson. Baltimore, by mere inches in the end, proved again to still be a tier below the league’s best team.

C.J. Doon, editor: There’s a lot to chew on from this one. The Ravens’ offensive line was expected to be a work-in-progress, but those illegal formation penalties will certainly frustrate coach John Harbaugh as much as the missed blocks. Lamar Jackson didn’t have time to throw all night, as evidenced by his lack of downfield passing. He needed to get the ball out quickly, and the Chiefs’ aggressive defense didn’t make many mistakes. Jackson didn’t get much help, either. Derrick Henry looked like a game-changer on the opening drive, then virtually disappeared. Rashod Bateman had as many penalties (two) as catches — though his 38-yard grab with 43 seconds left gave the Ravens life. Mark Andrews was barely mentioned. Zay Flowers couldn’t shake loose all night (though Jackson missed him on two potential touchdown passes). How about Isaiah Likely, though? The Ravens liked what they saw from the third-year tight end all offseason, and he backed it up with a long touchdown catch and some powerful blocking. And that near-touchdown grab on the final play was a thing of beauty, toes be damned. Nothing against Justice Hill, but if he looks like your second-best offensive playmaker, you don’t have a shot to take down the defending champs on the road.

Tim Schwartz, editor: Lamar Jackson showed Thursday night that he should be the front-runner to win his second straight and third NFL Most Valuable Player Award. The bad news is that this game showed all of the Ravens’ other flaws and how few playmakers they have around him. Yes, the Chiefs are probably the league’s best team and are always going to be hard to beat, but they are the standard, and Baltimore isn’t good enough to beat them — still. It’s only Week 1. January is a long ways away, and I’d guess that these teams will meet again in a win-or-go-home showdown at some point in the postseason. These are elite teams with elite quarterbacks. But the Chiefs have more talent than the Ravens do — and their number.

Bennett Conlin, editor: That’s a brutal loss for Baltimore, which nearly put together an incredible comeback leaning on Lamar Jackson’s arm. Instead, the Ravens just weren’t quite sharp enough to beat the two-time defending Super Bowl champions on the road.

Baltimore’s offensive line looked shaky at times, racking up early illegal formation penalties, and rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten didn’t look ready for prime-time. A few defensive mistakes — Kansas City wide receiver Xavier Worthy’s second touchdown reception came without any defensive backs anywhere near him — were costly against Patrick Mahomes and company.

Returning home against the Raiders is an easier second test, and Lamar Jackson, Isaiah Likely, and Zay Flowers demonstrated solid chemistry in the passing game. Regardless, Baltimore needs to clean up its play in future weeks. If it does, it can hang with anybody in the league.

The highly anticipated matchup between Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes at Arrowhead Stadium (8:15 p.m., NBC) will mark the first time that two quarterbacks who have won multiple NFL Most Valuable Player Awards will meet to kick off a season.

Follow along here throughout the night for live coverage.

Brian Wacker, reporter

Chiefs 23, Ravens 17: Questions on the offensive line, sweeping coaching changes, a first-year starter at inside linebacker and Arrowhead Stadium at night? None of that portends a successful outcome for Baltimore. Derrick Henry will get a lot more than six carries and Lamar Jackson and a defense that is still one of the top units in the league will keep the Ravens in it. But the combination of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, speedy rookie receiver Xavier Worthy and the mastery of coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will be too much to overcome.

Childs Walker, reporter

Ravens 26, Chiefs 24: Normal rules of quality go out the window with a Thursday night opener. Just look at last season, when the Chiefs dragged their feet through a home loss to the Detroit Lions. The Ravens will be hyped to face their nemesis and seem unlikely to keep their Derrick Henry-powered running game in the holster this time around. Patrick Mahomes, meanwhile, will start without a full set of targets. The Ravens will pull the upset in a battle that won’t tell us much about what might happen if these teams meet again in January.

Mike Preston, columnist

Chiefs 21, Ravens 18: Until proven otherwise, the Chiefs will stack the line of scrimmage and force quarterback Lamar Jackson to beat them downfield with the passing game. That strategy has paid off well against the Ravens in the postseason for the past six years. The Ravens are on the road playing in perhaps the loudest stadium in the NFL, and the Chiefs will be celebrating last year’s Super Bowl win as they try to three-peat. If there is one team that could pull the upset, it would be Baltimore, but Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes is a miracle worker. This should be an interesting game.

C.J. Doon, editor

Ravens 24, Chiefs 23: This feels like the best time to meet the Chiefs at Arrowhead. Wide receiver Marquise Brown is out, and it’s unknown how well speedy rookie Xavier Worthy will connect with Patrick Mahomes in his first game. Tight end Travis Kelce has been a thorn in the Ravens’ side, but he’s about to turn 35 and is going to get plenty of attention from Baltimore’s deep group of defensive backs. The question is whether new defensive coordinator Zach Orr can have as much success as Mike Macdonald did in shutting down the Chiefs’ offense for the majority of the AFC championship game. This is a huge test for Orr and the Ravens’ young pass rushers, who must be relentless in their pursuit of a special scrambler like Mahomes.

Of course, it will be fascinating to see what Derrick Henry looks like running behind a largely unproven offensive line with three new faces. Lamar Jackson and Henry are good enough to overcome subpar blocking, but for how long? This Chiefs defense is formidable at all three levels, and coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has had Jackson’s number with this game serving as another data point in the star quarterback’s ability to beat the blitz. It might take an explosive play or two from Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman or Isaiah Likely to flip this game in the Ravens’ favor — or perhaps a few long runs from the slimmer and faster two-time NFL Most Valuable Player.

It always feels like a coin flip when Jackson and Mahomes meet, and this should be no different. In the end, the Ravens are fueled by the sting of last year’s heartbreaking playoff loss and prove that they’re the team to beat in the AFC until an inevitable rematch in January. Put me down for a game-winning field goal by Justin Tucker as a measure of revenge for last year’s beef with Kelce.

Tim Schwartz, editor

Chiefs 27, Ravens 24: So they meet again. All eyes will be on this AFC championship game rematch, and it’s hard to believe Kansas City would lose its season opener two years in a row. The Ravens had plenty of roster (and coaching) turnover and might need a little time to hit their stride. Facing Mahomes and the Chiefs on the night they receive their Super Bowl rings and raise another banner in front of a sold-out Arrowhead Stadium is a tall task for Baltimore. Anytime these two teams square off, one should expect a close game. It will be no different tonight, but I’ll take the Chiefs by a hair.

Bennett Conlin, editor

Ravens 24, Chiefs 20: Fair or not, Lamar Jackson receives plenty of criticism for his 2-4 postseason record. In the regular season, however, Jackson’s 58-19 mark as a starter puts his winning percentage (75.3%) on par with Mahomes’ (77.1%) in non-playoff games.

Jackson is historically great as a regular-season underdog, going 12-1-1 against the spread in his career, according to ESPN’s Stats & Information. Defending Super Bowl champions are 0-3 against the spread in Week 1 over the past three years, with two outright losses. While the Chiefs might still three-peat, give me Kansas City opening with a loss for the second consecutive season.

The order essentially restarts the process after the Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office filed a motion to vacate Syed’s conviction for the 1999 killing of Hae Min Lee.

Now, a new hearing will take place under the administration of a different state’s attorney, Ivan Bates, and be handled by a new prosecutor after Becky Feldman’s departure from the office. Bates, who took office in January, said while campaigning that he believed Syed’s conviction was flawed and he should be freed.

“We need some time to figure out what’s going on with this 185-page opinion,” Bates told reporters after the ruling.

Now that the state’s highest court has reinstated Syed’s convictions, should Bates pick up where his predecessor left off and seek to vacate Syed’s conviction for the 1999 murder?

The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll.

To read the results of previous reader polls, click here.