Chiefs Stifle Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens came into Sunday as favorites to make their first Super Bowl of the Lamar Jackson era.

But it was Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs who left Baltimore on top.

The Chiefs, after taking a 17-7 halftime lead at M&T Bank Stadium, held on late to secure a return trip to the Super Bowl. They beat the Ravens 17-10 in the AFC championship game, ending the Ravens’ run in the AFC.

Mahomes — who has already been to three Super Bowls — was on a mission in the first half while leading the Chiefs to a 17-7 halftime lead. Kansas City dominated the ball and the box score, holding a 20:39 to 9:21 advantage in time of possession. Baltimore got on the board with a big pass play from Jackson to Zay Flowers, but Mahomes and Kansas City otherwise controlled the first half. Travis Kelce, who surpassed Jerry Rice’s postseason receptions record in this game, caught the first touchdown of the day for Kansas City.

The second half brought more of the same. The Ravens, despite holding the Chiefs scoreless, struggled to get much of any offense going. In the fourth quarter, Jackson threw a bad interception into triple coverage in the end zone. The Chiefs held Baltimore to just three points in the second half and secured the seven-point win.

Mahomes went 30-of-39 passing (opening with 11 consecutive completions) for 241 yards with one touchdown resulting in a 100.5 passer rating. Kelce added 11 receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown. In the first half, Kelce passed Jerry Rice to claim the all-time postseason receptions record.

Mahomes and Kelce capped off Kansas City’s first possession when the two connected on a 19-yard touchdown pass midway through the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead. Tailback Isiah Pacheco punched in a 2-yard TD run on the Chiefs’ second possession to go up 14-7 early in the second quarter. Harrison Butker nailed a 52-yard field goal with four seconds left in the half to extend Kansas City’s lead to 17-7.

Baltimore’s offense only showed life in one first-half possession making it 7-7 when Jackson hit Zay Flowers on a 30-yard deep ball for a touchdown. Other than the TD connection, the offense stumbled most of the game, including critical fourth-quarter turnovers involving Flowers and Jackson.

Four plays after Flowers hauled in a 54-yard reception, the Ravens rookie receiver opened the fourth quarter by fumbling the ball into the end zone after the Chiefs’ L’Jarius Sneed knocked it out at the Chiefs’ 1-yard line. Kansas City’s Trent McDuffie recovered the ball for a touchback. Then with 6:54 left in the game, Jackson threw an interception in the end zone to the Chiefs’ Deon Bush as tight end Isaiah Likely was covered by two Kansas City defenders.

Justin Tucker hit a 43-yard field goal with 2:34 remaining in the game, but the Ravens couldn’t complete a comeback.

Jackson, the favorite to win the 2023 NFL MVP, went 20-of-37 passing for 272 yards and one TD against one interception resulting in an 75.5 passer rating. The offense as a whole only tallied 110 yards in the first half.

In the end, the Chiefs defense was the difference, and Kansas City has cemented themselves as an NFL dynasty.