He was out. But Isaiah Likely kept the Ravens in the game until the end.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs Kingdom has never towered so menacingly over the rest of the NFL. Within the walls of Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night, the sellout crowd was reveling in its team’s glory.

Shaking off the summer storm that blew through shortly before kickoff, the fans sang along to the Beastie Boys’ “Fight for Your Right” as their four banners — representing their Super Bowl championships — flapped in the breeze. The last glimmer of sunshine gave a sparkle to the Lombardi Trophy they brought home seven months ago.

And yet, in spite of all the festivities, Isaiah Likely was storming the castle gates.

If not for the slimmest sliver of toe, the Ravens tight end might have ended the Chiefs’ celebration on a sour note.

What will be remembered from Baltimore’s 27-20 season-opening loss in Kansas City are mere pixels on the replay tape — a razor-thin line of Likely’s right cleat overlapping on the white border of the end zone. In a game of inches, this one wasn’t even an inch.

Was it even a toe? Was it shadow? Some Ravens thought Likely’s final grab was actually what the referee initially signaled: a touchdown. Lamar Jackson was among those holdouts, saying in his own postgame press conference, “I still think it’s a touchdown.”

But Likely, whose career-high 111-yard receiving night came just 10 yards shy of being truly memorable, conceded he didn’t quite make the play.

“I take responsibility,” said Likely, looking down at the podium. “That’s on me. Gotta get my feet down.”

Of all the people who needed to take accountability after the Ravens’ second loss to the Chiefs in as many games, Likely was way down the list. He was more the reason the Ravens were in position to win at the end in the first place.

You could blame Jackson for missing Zay Flowers wide open one play before. You could point fingers at a Ravens defense that blew a hugely important coverage on what became the winning score by Xavier Worthy.

Three quarters in, the Ravens were languishing. On offense, they had gone five possessions without reaching the end zone, including two punts, a Jackson fumble and a missed 53-yard field goal.

In the last nine games, Jackson has had no better improv partner than Likely, the third-year tight end who has shown remarkable chemistry with the two-time MVP. They put together a play for the highlight reel to kick off the fourth quarter, as Jackson rolled right and hit Likely near the sideline.

It was simple enough for the catlike tight end to shake linebacker Nick Bolton. Up the line, Flowers managed to knock off Jaylen Watson. That left a footrace between Likely and Chiefs safety Brian Cook, whom he could see closing in in his peripheral vision.

“That close to the goal line, you’re usually gonna dive or something,” Likely said. “So I just seen how good his brakes were and stopped.”

His hitch step was enough to send Cook tumbling helplessly in front of him. The Internet was quick to note the uncanny resemblance to a famous high school highlight of Jackson’s when he stopped short of a would-be tackler and sauntered in for a score.

Jackson cited a key difference: “I say his was dope, because his was in the NFL, and mine was in high school.”

There were many dissatisfying aspects to an offense that sputtered so often in the game’s middle, including limited involvement by Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman. But Likely showed why he’s become Jackson’s favorite target, getting 12 throws his way and catching nine of them.

The second-to-last pass seemed like it might crush him. He was leveled in midair as Jackson’s pass sailed high, and he clutched his left shoulder as he rolled into the corner. Trainers surrounded him for a minute, then he popped back up in time to rejoin the offense for the game’s last play.

“[I was] shook a little bit. And adrenaline running,” he said. “I mean, it’s the last play of the game. You want to be in the game.”

Only by Likely lining up did the Ravens even have a shot. The narrow margin that pushed him out of bounds and ended the evening should not totally overshadow everything he did between the lines Thursday night.

It almost spoiled the party of the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. His step forward is enough to think he might spoil it — if there happens to be another rematch.

Likely certainly feels bold enough to think so.

“This is probably the worst game we’re going to play all year,” he said. “So, if this is the best that they got, good luck in the postseason.”