The Baltimore Ravens had their wings clipped on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Baltimore suffered a 37-20 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday in a relatively non-competitive matchup that saw quarterback Lamar Jackson injured midway through the third quarter.
Kansas City had their way with their AFC rivals in the matchup. Patrick Mahomes tallied four touchdowns in the throttling, with a late touchdown by Ravens running back Justice Hill maybe icing the bruise a bit, with the score not indicating the type of game it was.
Perhaps the most telling was what CBS analyst Tony Romo said at the end of the fourth quarter, his voice filled with foreboding:
‘There’s cause for concern,’ Romo said about the Ravens.
But was this game more about the Chiefs accomplished, or what the Ravens didn’t? Here’s what USA TODAY Sports NFL experts felt about the game:
Ravens vs. Chiefs instant reactions
The Ravens are in trouble
The Ravens are sitting at 1-3 and were in a bad way even before Lamar Jackson’s hamstring injury. Yes, the Chiefs are the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes is Patrick Mahomes – but the Ravens simply did not look crisp, prepared, or like an any way AFC championship contenders in their Week 4 loss. It’s probably not too early to sound the alarm bells, either: They were stunned in Week 1 vs. the Buffalo Bills and got punched in the mouth by the Detroit Lions in Week 3, both teams who have Super Bowl aspirations. – Joe Rivera
The X(avier) factor
Xavier Worthy is back like he never left. After missing Week 2 and 3 with a shoulder injury he suffered in Week 1, Worthy led the Chiefs in targets (8) and yards (83) on Sunday against the Ravens in addition to tying for the team lead in catches (5). His return to the field seemed to open up the Chiefs’ verticality on offense once again and helped lead the Chiefs to a second straight win. – Jack McKessy
Baltimore’s black and blues piling up
The Ravens are legitimately in trouble because of the injuries they have suffered. Their defensive line was already struggling to generate consistent push without Nnamdi Madubuike. Now, they are dealing with key injuries at every level of the defense, as star linebacker Roquan Smith and cornerbacks Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey all left Sunday’s game and did not return. Add in Jackson’s hamstring injury and the Ravens are simply too banged up to be competitive as presently constructed. Their Week 7 bye can’t get here soon enough. – Jacob Camenker
Return of the Chiefs?
The defending AFC champs are alive and well. Kansas City’s red-zone struggles disappeared against the Ravens defense. Baltimore is extremely banged up on that side of the ball but the Chiefs did what any contender would do and took advantage. Xavier Worthy provided a massive boost to the offense, and Rashee Rice’s return approaching next month, the rest of the AFC should be worried…again. – Tom Viera