Clap, clap clap clap.
Not just Arrowhead Stadium—Harbaugh was also applauding Lance's spectacular performance. At the same time, Harbaugh wasn't surprised at all by what he saw—
Facing the Kansas City Chiefs, the Baltimore Ravens were fully prepared for a war of attrition, ready for the Chiefs' explosive offensive potential at any moment—even Baltimore's vaunted defense couldn't be fully confident.
They needed patience.
Harbaugh turned to look at his rookie quarterback, Lamar Jackson.
Though Jackson was still young, both technically and mentally in need of polish, Harbaugh liked the way Jackson approached challenges.
Different from Lance—but showing the same hunger for challenges and victory.
Unconsciously, Harbaugh began looking forward to this young quarterback's growth.
Right now—this was it.
Harbaugh called out. Jackson's sharp, fighting gaze shifted from Lance back to his coach as he raised his voice with vigor:
That spirit deserved recognition—completely undaunted by Kansas City's brilliant play.
Harbaugh rubbed his hands together. Now it was time to test Jackson. He couldn't help but feel a little excited.
Jackson felt Harbaugh's gaze. He clenched his fists tight, fingers cracking audibly, and again glanced toward the figure in the end zone—
He had waited so long for this day. Too long.
Only God knew how torturous the past season had been for him. He wasn't afraid of hell anymore—because hell couldn't be worse.
Praise for Lance had flooded in endlessly, each reminder of Jackson's failure suffocating him. No words were needed—the sympathetic looks from teammates and fans alone crushed him. Their encouragement and "keep going" felt like knives stabbing his heart, making him feel insignificant.
Jackson had prayed fervently for the Chiefs—and that damn Lance—to get knocked out of the playoffs quickly, just so this nightmare could end.
Lance hadn't stopped—instead, he capped the season as Super Bowl MVP.
During sleepless nights, Jackson tossed and turned, consumed by a single obsession: enter the league, beat Lance, prove himself.
In some ways, that goal was even more enticing than a championship.
At last, this was his chance.
He wouldn't miss it. No way.
Lance could feel the burning glare on his back, sharp enough to sting through the air. He turned—and saw Jackson.
"Oh, our quarterback might have a crush on you—need me to pass along a love letter?"
A playful voice came from ahead. Lance turned and saw Humphrey's sweat-drenched, grinning face.
Lance shrugged lightly. "Too many admirers—I can't possibly respond to everyone. You can tell him: no need to give up the whole forest just for this one tree."
"Hahaha." Humphrey burst out laughing.
The two old friends exchanged high fives, shook hands, bumped shoulders—a simple gesture, but filled with warmth and familiarity.
Humphrey shook his head. "God, you're still a freak. No—worse than before. But I'm a freak too, so be careful next play."
Lance raised his left hand, thumb and forefinger pinched together. "Just a little scared."
Lance and Humphrey didn't say more—they each turned away. Plenty of time later for catching up. Right now, there were more important things demanding full focus.
Compared to Lamar Jackson, it was Humphrey who made Lance's fighting spirit burn even hotter—a former college teammate, now reunited as rivals in the pros. Lance was curious just how much Humphrey had improved. Their competition continued now on a whole new level.
"Kansas City strikes first!"
"As expected—once again this season, Kansas City has shown their brilliant form. This could be another classic."
"Both teams came out sharp, fully prepared—and even in this early probing stage, sparks flew immediately between Kansas City's offense and Baltimore's defense, two of the league's best units. In the end, Lance's extraordinary solo effort broke the deadlock for the Chiefs."
"That drive lasted 3 minutes 37 seconds—Kansas City covered 75 yards, capped by Lance's breathtaking 41-yard rushing touchdown, putting the AFC's top seed on the board first. Baltimore starts from behind."
"But without question, this is just the beginning."
"Wow—we haven't even had time to properly introduce Baltimore's defense, and we're already switching to the next matchup."
"So, Tony, what do you think?"
In the broadcast booth, Nantz made no attempt to hide his admiration—
Any game featuring Kansas City this season was synonymous with excitement. And today's game lived up to expectations.
"No question—Kansas City is one of the most entertaining teams this year. Maybe not even 'one of'—you could drop that qualifier and few would disagree."
"But the Chiefs have lacked a bit of luck. In their marquee matchups with Pittsburgh, New England, and the Rams, they went 1-2."
"Both losses came by a single-possession margin—heartbreaking finishes."
"Objectively, the Chiefs have performed at an elite level. They deserve to win—but luck hasn't been on their side."
"But the harsh reality is this: when people discuss those two games, they won't talk about Kansas City's bad luck. They'll just remember that they lost. In other words, against true contenders this year, Kansas City has come up short twice."
"Right now, the Chiefs remain the AFC's No. 1 seed, with only two losses all year. But because they've been so dominant, expectations keep rising—people want Kansas City to show even more when it really counts."
"Today is one of those chances."
"The Chiefs need to prove themselves—this upgraded, younger version of the team must demonstrate that they can compete and dominate in the playoffs. As defending champions, they are now every team's target. And I'm sure Harbaugh's Ravens would love to beat them."
It wasn't just about tactics—it was about the pressure and attention on and off the field.
Competitive sports have never been just about schemes and skill—mental toughness and resilience are essential.
As a former quarterback himself, long criticized for lacking those qualities, Romo understood this perfectly.
Over there—Lamar Jackson was trying to prove himself.
Here—the Kansas City Chiefs needed to prove themselves too.
Everyone had their own battle to fight.
And Romo's judgment quickly proved right.
The back-and-forth intensity that opened the game continued throughout the first half—both Kansas City and Baltimore playing as if this was all-or-nothing.
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