The Chiefs' DEFENSE was the story of the game! - Booger McFarland | NFL Primetime

Summary

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship to advance to the Super Bowl and defend their title. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes praised his team's resilience and mindset after a season of adversity. Mahomes made a key late pass to receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to seal the win. The Chiefs relied on strong defensive play and smart offensive game planning from coach Andy Reid to limit the dynamic Ravens offense. Mahomes continues his exceptional playoff success, while Ravens QB Lamar Jackson was hurt by costly mistakes. The veteran Chiefs confidently overcame doubts and are headed back to the Super Bowl seeking a repeat championship.

Takeaways

• 😊 The Chiefs defeated the Ravens 27-20 in the AFC divisional playoff game to advance to the Super Bowl.
• 👏 Patrick Mahomes had a great performance, making clutch throws like the touchdown pass to Travis Kelce.
• ⚡ The Chiefs relied more on their quick passing game rather than their usual explosive offense.
• 😤 The Chiefs defense played outstanding, limiting the Ravens offense with an excellent game plan by Steve Spagnuolo.
• 👍 Andy Reid and the Chiefs coaches had a great complementary game plan on both offense and defense.
• 🏈 The Chiefs took away the Ravens strength up the middle and forced them outside.
• 🤔 Lamar Jackson struggled when the Ravens had to come from behind.
• 🧠 The Ravens and coach John Harbaugh need to work on playing from behind in the offseason.
• 🏆 The resilient Chiefs are heading back to the Super Bowl to defend their championship.
• 😢 The Ravens had a great season but came up short against the defending champion Chiefs.

Q & A

What was the final score of the Chiefs vs Ravens playoff game?

The final score was Chiefs 20, Ravens 3.

What was significant about the Chiefs only scoring 17 points against the Ravens defense?

The Ravens had a great defense this season, but the Chiefs were still able to win while scoring far below their season average by relying more on their own defense and playing complementary football.

How does Patrick Mahomes' early playoff success compare to other great quarterbacks?

Mahomes has a 14-3 record so far in his playoff career, which is the second best winning percentage for a quarterback with at least 10 postseason starts. Only Bart Starr had a better record to start his playoff career.

What adjustments did the Chiefs make on offense to counter the strength of the Ravens defense?

They focused more on getting the ball to the outside to avoid the strength of the Ravens defense up the middle with players like Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen. They also used short, quick passes to convert third downs.

How did the Chiefs defense stifle the Ravens offense?

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo used a similar game plan to what the Texans used effectively against the Ravens earlier this season. The Chiefs have better personnel in the secondary to cover receivers, allowing them to blitz Lamar Jackson more.

What does Travis Kelce attribute the Chiefs' success to this season?

He credits the team's camaraderie and ability to come together after facing adversity early in the season. He also emphasizes that their job is not done yet.

What did Lamar Jackson say the Ravens need to work on during the offseason?

He admitted they need more practice playing from behind. They were unaccustomed to trailing in games this season, so were not as prepared in this game when put in that position.

What coaching advantage did the Chiefs have in this game?

Andy Reid and his staff put together an excellent game plan tailored specifically to limit what the Ravens do best. The Ravens offense seemed unprepared to adjust.

How did the Chiefs change their offensive approach late in the regular season?

After losing to the Raiders in Week 18, they committed more to just doing whatever necessary to win games rather than trying to match their high-flying identity from previous seasons.

What does Lamar Jackson need to work on over the offseason to take the next step as a quarterback?

He and the Ravens coaching staff admitted he needs more work playing from behind in games and in making throws into tight coverage.