Chiefs Get 'B' Grade for Week 1 Win Over Ravens, Should 'Worry' NFL

Week 1 is in the books for the Kansas City Chiefs, and their win over the Baltimore Ravens might send the league a message.

Sep 5, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid reacts during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

While the NFL's Sunday slate did feature a few thrilling matchups, there was plenty of ugly football in the opening weekend of the season. The Kansas City Chiefs, however, got to watch from home thanks to a big-time win on Thursday night.

Now that most Week 1 games are in the books, how does Andy Reid's team stack up? Relatively well, if you ask John Breech of CBS Sports.

In his Week 1 grades, Breech gives the back-to-back Super Bowl champs a respectable 'B' for their Thursday performance. Citing inconsistencies in the run game and finishing drives as stoppers, Breech also pointed to an opportunistic approach as something that keeps the Chiefs afloat anyway. With Patrick Mahomes picking up right where he left off last season, Breech believes the rest of the NFL should be on notice.

"The Chiefs weren't perfect -- they couldn't run the ball and they struggled in the red zone -- but they did what the Chiefs always do: They came up with big plays when they needed them," Breech wrote. "Rookie receiver Xavier Worthy became an instant household name in this game after scoring two touchdowns on just three touches, including a 21-yard rushing TD on the first touch of his career. Although the Ravens did a good job of shutting down Travis Kelce, that left things wide open for Rashee Rice, who caught seven passes for 103 yards. As for Patrick Mahomes, he still looks like Patrick Mahomes, which should worry the rest of the NFL. "

Despite throwing just one touchdown and tossing an interception, both the box score and advanced stats were fans of Mahomes's Week 1 outing. Completing 71% of his passes and throwing for 291 yards, Mahomes posted a 101.9 passer rating that ranks sixth among all signal-callers entering Monday's play. Additionally, the two-time MVP averaged a scorching 0.42 EPA/play against a tough Baltimore defense.

That's just the tip of the iceberg for Kansas City. Elsewhere on offense, Rice was magnificent and Worthy's impact showed up in more ways than one. Add in a solid defensive performance (including a breakout game from linebacker Leo Chenal), and it's easy to come away from Thursday feeling solid about the Chiefs' rest-of-season outlook.

With the Cincinnati Bengals coming to town for Week 2, it'll be a rematch of the AFC Championship Game from two seasons ago. In that contest, Kansas City will look to keep building its 2024 resume and potentially receive an even higher grade as September rolls on.

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