Derrick Henry starts Ravens career with first TD of the NFL season vs. Chiefs

Welcome to the Baltimore Ravens, Derrick Henry.

The two-time rushing champion joined the Ravens this offseason after eight seasons with the Tennessee Titans. He kicked off his time with the team by scoring the first touchdown of the 2024 NFL season.

Henry plowed through the Kansas City Chiefs defense for a five-yard touchdown run on the first drive of Thursday's NFL season opener against Kansas City.

The score capped an opening drive heavy on Henry. The drive took 11 plays and spanned 70 yards. Henry carried the ball on five of those plays, tallying 17 rushing yards. He finished the game with 13 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Lamar Jackson led the Ravens with 122 yards on 16 carries.

It's a likely sign of things to come for a Ravens team that projects to use Henry early and often this season as part of one of the league's most dynamic one-two running punches alongside Jackson. Unfortunately for the Ravens, the Chiefs prevailed in a 27-20 thriller that came down to the last play.

Baltimore scored the touchdown despite an otherwise sloppy opening drive. The Ravens were flagged for three illegal formation penalties en route to the touchdown, but managed to secure three first downs and the touchdown despite the setbacks.

The Ravens' lead didn't last long. Kansas City responded with a quick-strike scoring drive of its own capped by a 21-yard touchdown run from rookie speedster Xavier Worthy on the first touch of his NFL career.

The Chiefs went into halftime with a 13-10 lead and didn't trail again as the Ravens' last-ditch effort to tie the game came up painfully short when an would-be Isaiah Likely touchdown was ruled out of bounds in the back of the end zone.