Chiefs Defense Stifles the Likely MVP to Advance to Second Straight Super Bowl
Photo Credit: Matt Slocum, AP Photo
In a game that featured two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes and soon to be two-time MVP in Lamar Jackson, all the focus was on how the two offenses would perform for the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens in Sunday’s AFC Championship game in Baltimore. However, it was a defensive war in which Kansas City won 17-10 to win their fourth AFC crown in five years.
Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive unit for Kansas City came ready to play from the jump. The Chiefs shut down Baltimore’s high-powered offense, allowing just three third-down conversions, forcing three turnovers, and surrendering 10 points.
Baltimore got the ball to start the game and went three-and-out in just over 90 seconds. Mahomes and the Chiefs turned around and marched 86 yards down the field to open a 7-0 lead on a 19-yard back shoulder fade from Mahomes to Travis Kelce.
Kelce played arguably his best game of the season, finishing with 11 catches on 11 targets for 116 yards and a touchdown.
Baltimore struck back quickly, as Jackson maneuvered around the pocket and found wide receiver Zay Flowers in the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown to tie the game. Flowers was the only Baltimore receiver that consistently contributed to the passing game.
That score was followed by another long Kansas City touchdown drive which spanned over nine minutes. Running back Isaiah Pacheco bulldozed his way into the end zone on a two-yard touchdown to put the Chiefs back up.
Turnovers and punts filled the rest of the first half, and a 52-yard Harrison Butker field goal put the Chiefs up 17-7 going into the locker room.
The Ravens defense didn’t show up at the start of the game, but after the first two Kansas City touchdown drives, that unit locked down for the rest of the game. However, their offense provided no help to them.
The second half opened with five straight punts when Baltimore’s offense finally found a spark. Flowers broke free for a 54-yard gain towards the end of the third quarter but was penalized for taunting which cost the Ravens 15 yards. After making those yards up and some, Jackson found Mahomes over the middle for what looked like a sure touchdown.
Flowers caught the ball over the middle on a shallow cross, turned up field, and dove for the goal line to cut the Kansas City lead to three. As Flowers extended the ball, Kansas City cornerback L’Jarius Sneed punched it out inches before reaching the goal line, forcing a fumble which the Chiefs recovered in their own end zone for a touchback.
Baltimore’s defense stood tall again and gave the ball back to the offense with the score still 17-7. This time, the drive ended on another turnover in the end zone after Jackson forced the ball into triple coverage over the middle looking for tight end Isaiah Likely. Kansas City’s Deon Bush picked it off and silenced the crowd at M&T Bank Stadium once again.
Kansas City’s offense still couldn’t put the game away, and Baltimore got the ball back with five minutes left in the game down 10 still. This time, they were able to come away with a 43-yard field goal from Justin Tucker to cut the deficit to seven.
Baltimore’s defense had one final chance to stand tall and give the ball back to Jackson and the offense. The Chiefs had a third and six at the Baltimore 46-yard line. If the Ravens got the stop, the offense would get the ball back with around 1:50 on the clock to score a touchdown.
Mahomes took the snap, dropped back, and launched the ball downfield off his back foot. Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling broke free behind the defense and made an impressive catch while falling at the 22 yard line to ice the game and end any hopes of a Baltimore comeback.
Mahomes took a couple kneels to end the game and advance to the Super Bowl once again in what is arguably the greatest start to a career anyone has had in NFL history. He finished Sunday’s game with 241 yards and a touchdown while completing 30 of 39 pass attempts.
The Chiefs will have a rematch of Super Bowl 54 in Las Vegas in two weeks when they take on the San Francisco 49ers. Kansas City won that matchup 31-20 for the first title of the Mahomes era.
