Mahomes stuns in OT as Chiefs edge Ravens: Live NFL drama explodes
01.02.2026 - 13:53:58
Mahomes vs. Lamar: Instant Classic in KC
This one had everything: lead changes, blown coverages, clutch 4th downs, and two MVPs trading haymakers. The Kansas City Chiefs edged the Baltimore Ravens in overtime, 30-27, on a chip-shot field goal set up by vintage Mahomes magic.
Key QB stats:
Mahomes: 31/44, 347 passing yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, plus 34 rushing yards.
Lamar Jackson: 22/32, 268 passing yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 81 rushing yards and another TD on the ground.
Early on, it looked like Lamar was about to run KC out of their own building. He ripped off a 42-yard read-option TD in the first quarter, broke three tackles, and left two safeties grabbing air. The Ravens went up 17-6 after Lamar threaded a dart to Mark Andrews in the red zone, capping a 13-play, clock-chewing drive that felt like classic Baltimore bully ball.
But you know how this script goes: you give Mahomes enough possessions, and he starts bending reality. Down 24-13 late in the third, he hit Travis Kelce on a 3rd-and-15 seam route with pressure in his face, then immediately no-huddled the Chiefs into a hurry-up tempo. Two plays later, Mahomes rolled left, pump-faked the corner into next week, and found Rashee Rice for a toe-tap TD in the back of the end zone. Suddenly, Arrowhead was alive again.
The wildest moment? Late in the 4th, Ravens up 27-23 and facing 4th-and-2 at the KC 39, John Harbaugh kept the offense on the field. Lamar tried to hit Zay Flowers on a quick slant, but L'Jarius Sneed jumped the route and nearly housed it the other way. That turnover on downs flipped the energy. Four plays later, Mahomes dropped an absolutely filthy back-shoulder dime to Kelce down the sideline, setting up the go-ahead field goal.
Baltimore answered with a calm, surgical two-minute drill. Lamar went 6/7 on the drive, including a gutsy 4th-and-6 conversion to Flowers on a deep dig, to set up the game-tying field goal as time expired. Overtime, baby.
In OT, the Ravens got the ball first but stalled after back-to-back sacks by Chris Jones, who wrecked the right side of Baltimore's line all night. That handed Mahomes the ball near midfield. You knew how this was ending. He found Kelce on 3rd-and-9 over the middle, then hit Justin Watson on a deep crosser to get into the red zone. From there, Andy Reid kept it simple: two Pacheco runs, timeout, walk-off field goal. Ballgame. Arrowhead exploded.
Other Big Results Shaking Up the Day
Josh Allen's roller coaster ride continues
In Buffalo, Josh Allen and the Bills survived a scare against a feisty division rival. Allen went full chaos mode again: 25/38 for 304 yards, 2 TDs, but 2 brutal interceptions, plus 51 rushing yards and a rushing TD. He threaded a late go-ahead strike to Stefon Diggs on a deep post, bouncing back right after an ugly red-zone pick. Classic Allen: terrifying and unstoppable at the same time.
Joe Burrow finds his groove
Joe Burrow, still managing that calf but looking closer to vintage form, put up a clean day: 28/36, 292 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs. He peppered Ja'Marr Chase all afternoon (9 catches, 121 yards, 1 TD), including a filthy back-shoulder fade on 3rd-and-goal that left the corner spinning. That win keeps Cincinnati in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt.
Defense wins it out West
Out in the NFC, a defensive slugfest tilted the playoff picture. A dominant pass rush racked up 6 sacks and held a high-powered offense under 20 points. A late strip-sack on 4th down sealed it, with the edge rusher coming off the blind side untouched. It wasn't pretty, but in February, you don't care about style points—you care about staying alive in the postseason race.
How Today's Results Hit the Standings
The Chiefs' OT win is massive. It keeps them right in the hunt for top seeding and tightens the gap in the AFC pecking order. Lamar and the Ravens drop a game they could've stolen on the road, which might come back to haunt them when we start debating tiebreakers.
Buffalo's narrow escape keeps them clinging to their spot in the playoff picture, while Cincinnati's win means the AFC wild-card race just got even more crowded. Every throw from Mahomes, Lamar, Allen, and Burrow today echoed through the postseason bracket.
What does this mean for the playoff race? Check the current NFL picture here
If you're scoreboard watching—and you should be—those standings are your second screen tonight. Seedings, tiebreakers, conference records: they all shifted with these results.
Social Media Spotlight: Mahomes vs. Lamar Meltdown
The Internet is Exploding: 3 Social Media Highlights
Beat Writer Take: That 4th-Down Call Changed Everything
I'm just going to say it: Harbaugh's 4th-and-2 decision at the KC 39 was the hinge of the entire night. Aggressive is who the Ravens are, and usually I love it—but with your defense actually getting some pressure on Mahomes and the crowd on edge, punting and pinning might've been the smarter call.
Instead, you hand Mahomes a short field, he gets life, and suddenly the whole tempo flips. That single play turned a potential dagger drive for Baltimore into a slingshot moment for Kansas City. And when you're playing the Chiefs, you can't give them extra lives.
On the flip side, Mahomes looked every bit like a guy who's sick of hearing about any "down year" talk. The off-script stuff was ridiculous—rolling left, throwing across his body, finding 3rd options like it's a walkthrough. Kelce is still the security blanket, but KC got just enough from role guys like Watson and Rice to keep the Ravens guessing.
Lamar wasn't the reason they lost—far from it. His pocket composure on that game-tying drive at the end of regulation was elite. But when you step into Arrowhead in February, the margin for error is microscopic, and today those tiny edges tilted toward the home sideline.
Closing Whistle: This Felt Like a Playoff Trailer
If today is any preview of what the postseason is going to look like, clear your calendar. The top-tier quarterbacks are in full chaos mode, defenses are either feasting or getting shredded, and every game is rewriting the narrative in real time.
Keep your second screen locked in, because the standings and tiebreakers are flipping with every final whistle and every OT thriller.
See full NFL stats & standings
Editorial Note: This article is for entertainment and information purposes regarding current sports events. Sports betting and financial investments carry risks. Please gamble responsibly. Always check odds and terms with the provider.
