You can understand why we’re skeptics, yes?

We’ve been in the last 6 AFC Championships, while Lamar has never played in one.

Well sure, but in this QB driven league that position typically has the most impact on a team as a whole and games specifically. Thus, all the attention it receives.

This feels exactly like the game against phili last year.

Sure. But he wouldn't be the first great player to hit a wall early in his career only to get past it. Those narratives exist until they don't. Does anyone call Manning a playoff choker anymore? That was the book on him until... it wasn't. If you'll only believe it when you see it then I get it, but often times it pays to be ahead of the curve rather than behind it.

Definitely. Can't think of a single position more important in any sport than quarterback. But at the same time, there's no sport where the whole team matters more than any individual player than football.

oops, I hit the wrong thumb, sorry...

Of course not. I do think the "franchise QB vs complete team" thing is well proven at this point, favoring the franchise QB. You obviously can't surround a franchise QB with a bunch of scrubs and expect miracles, but one guy sure can cover up a lot weaknesses.

And of course, the Chiefs are a pretty complete team this year as well.

Oh absolutely

You don't have any All-Pro's on your DL. Hamilton and Rowuan are very good but you guys are probably not stupid enough to blitz Mahomes. I don't have faith in your front 4 getting consistent pressure on Mahomes.

"Digger" making a late push to be biggest hater on the board. Taking the torch from rydogg58 to dislike every single comment I make.

Gotta give it to these guys. Really taking advantage of the lack of a cap on thumbs downs here. Very similar to Mahomes taking advantage of every rule in the book like when he tip toes down the sideline to squeeze out extra yards and yet flails wildly when a defender dares to actually push him out.

Don't hate the player; hate the game.

You removed the Chiefs line, but we won 3 Championships, 2 AFL and one Superbowl in our early years as well with multiple HOF's. And no, you are not the Browns... When your franchise is 70 years old with the same ownership family, you can talk to us about Great franchises. You have done pretty good for the first 26 years...

Coaching also a pretty big X-factor. We may have the greatest offensive play caller/coach of all-time and the Ravens have a…special teams coach?

and another one off the deep end... LMAO

If you don't know you Michael Pierce and Travis Jones are, that's a you problem. The Ravens' interior o-line is elite.

And I would argue it has been constructed specifically to beat Mahomes. The Ravens knew they would need to go through KC more years than not, but instead of going for an elite edge to generate pressure with four, they built from the inside of the line out to collapse the pocket from the interior. They have the most sacks in the NFL without a top-tier edge rusher and without blitzing very much. That should tell you what you need to know about the d-line.

you: 2>13
the rest of the world: Math don't Math son...

This was surprising to me as the #1 sack team. If you look at the odds for recording sacks, all of the Ravens front are +150 or higher. That surprised me, Vegas thinks the Chiefs Oline will do OK... Not saying that will play out, but that's what Vegas is saying by the odds out there.

We're talking about the ownership family that cornered the silver market and led to market panics/crashes for personal gain, correct? :D

The Chiefs are a great franchise. I wish the Colts hadn't left Baltimore and there was more history between the KC/Baltimore franchises, but alas, the Ravens have turned out well for us.

Eagles had the third most sacks of all time last season. How'd that turn out, dawg?

Red looks better on you... come back next year, if you can make it back to the playoffs...

Now it all makes sense. The red thumbs down and red negative reputation... you're involuntarily coopting me into being adorned with traditional Chiefs colors just like how your franchise has involuntarily appropriated Native American imagery! There's that Midwest charm!

Turned out with the refs gifting the Chiefs a penalty to decide the game in the final few seconds.

Learn son...

Hardly makes KC infallible. Does tend to hide a lot of warts, when there are a lot of warts, like this season.


Personally, I had BAL beating KC in this game a few weeks ago, when we were kind of prognosticating what the playoffs would look like.

Imo, BAL is the more complete team this season, with a much better group of weapons than they've had in the past (is Mark Andrews going to play in this game, btw?) and a defense the equal of, possibly even better than, the Chiefs' defense. Though the margin is pretty thin in that regard. Again, imo.

But really, this game probably will be decided by whether Pacheco will be effective running the ball vs. your DL/LBs (something I'm not confident about) and if Pat can elevate the play of his receivers not named Travis Kelce/Rashee Rice, something else that I have doubts about. And KC is dependent on Pacheco being able to run the ball effectively, this season more than any other. And our WRs, outside of Rice, are basically varying degrees of trash.


So Pat will have to play a really great game. No average performance is going to get it done. i expect BAL to score somewhere in the mid-20s, maybe as many as 27, after watching how they dismantled SF's defense. The Chiefs offense is going to have to elevate their play above anything we've seen so far in 2023.

This is where I'm hoping that your DL won't be able to generate consistent quick pressure on Mahomes. That somehow Andy will find a way to keep them at bay long enough for Pat to get through his reads and execute the offense.

If not, we're probably toast.

But none of that is extraordinary. Every offense needs to be able to protect the passer and run the ball to win. If our defense can stuff the run and pressure Lamar but keep him from running all over the place, we have a legit shot at beating BAL. Simple. Not easy by any stretch, but simple.

Alright, I'm done. Don't want to derail this thread any further than I already have. Will only post about football stuff now if I'm not banned. Hoping for a great game and the first of many in the playoffs.

Now you're getting it.:thumb:

Tappout accepted...

Regarding the representation of your fanbase, that might be accurate. I do not know. All I know is what I read and continue to read. I will take your word for that.

I get what you mean regarding the other contenders, but my point was not how those teams fared during the season or DVOA numbers. It was simply the extreme overconfidence of those fans. It is that overconfidence that we have heard time and again.

Being confident in your team and providing reasons for that confidence is one thing. It's another when it's overconfidence because you believe your own press. Those are the fans that I am referring to and keep seeing a lot of. It's this mindset that "There is no way KC wins and we will blow them out" only for the results to play differently.

It's so bad that Bengals fans were claiming "Scripted" when a hobbled Mahomes knocked them out of the AFCCG. There was no way that KC should have won, so the only logical conclusion was "script". Same thing leading up to and after the SB because Philly fans could not envision any scenario where they lose. Despite all the evidence to the contrary they blame the holding penalty (which was the right call) for why they lost and glossed over every other factor.

Now most on here will acknowledge that Baltimore is a good team and could very well knock off KC. We just aren't willing to hand over the Lamar Hunt trophy until Baltimore earns it. KC's playing in their 17th playoff game in the Mahomes era. They do not lack for playoff experience or knowing what it takes to win when it matters. I do think the game will be closer than expected and not some sort of UGA-GA Southern outcome.

Good takes. Agree with most of this.

I really do think the operative matchup is the Chiefs' IOL vs Ravens' DTs. Both because that's how the Ravens generate pressure without blitzing and because run stopping is the one relative weakness the defense has had. I hope Thuney plays so that we get a true test of those two units against each other.

As to Andrews, there was a report today that he is good to go for Sunday. Tough to tell whether that's a smokescreen, but I think this was the game they've been targeting. He doesn't rely on athleticism, so it's not the end of the world if he's gimpy. I think his being on the field would be valuable as a distraction/decoy if nothing else.

It was the correct call, but let’s not act like the Ravens haven’t been the beneficiary of a correct (yet controversial) no-call in a key moment of the Super Bowl:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/gameo...avens/1889389/

it was legal and a reaction to the gov't increasing debt and printing money. The government started regulating silver and that caused the price to drop, which caused them to lose considerable amount of money. They also fined them to save face, but it wasn't criminal, and left without governemnt interference would have been brilliant as inflation did go through the roof.

Touche! Although I would argue the refs are better to err on the side of a no-call in those instances than the other way around. Hopefully this game doesn't come down to that.

I can respect this. It's also an entertaining flex that you guys all call it the "Lamar Hunt" trophy. Never heard anyone else refer to it that way, but it makes sense obviously.

:spock: That is literally what the trophy is called every time it is presented to the AFCC.

Might want to watch that second SB win for Manning again before saying he "won" it. He was the beneficiary of an elite defense. It has zero to do with justifying him as not a choker.

I think I read somewhere that it's basically a coinflip whether Thuney plays. Obviously, we'd want him to play, but Allegretti is a serviceable backup if it comes to it. He's not great, but he's not a turnstile either.


Andrews will pose a real problem if he plays. He's a great TE/pass catcher and we'll have to spend real resources to keep him under wraps. And we will, because my guess is that Spags will want to make Lamar as uncomfortable as possible, and if he can't consistently go to Andrews, that'll make Lamar pretty uncomfortable.

Turnover battle decides this.

If the Chiefs don't turn it over they are damn near impossible to beat. History confirms this.

Hell, even when the Chiefs spot an opponent +2 or +3 in the turnover department it's a nail-biter.

I was so hoping that this would be the game Blackledge redeemed himself.

Sure but I've never heard any other fanbase say "Lamar Hunt" trophy with their chest like I've seen here. It's technically called that, but no one says it colloquially, they just say "AFC champs" or whatnot. No shade, I just find it funny.

Tell us you're new to football, without telling us you're new to football...

AFC champs works if talking about a team, not when talking about handing over the trophy. It’s not weird and it’s not a flex.

Lamar Hunt Trophy-AFC...George Halas Trophy-NFC


https://www.profootballnetwork.com/h...r-hunt-trophy/

Not sure I'd go that far....
8 plays/65 yards, FG
11 plays/53 yards, TD
4 plays/-3 yards, FG
11 plays/64 yards, TD
3 plays/44 yards, TD
1 play/9 yards, TD
11 plays/89 yards, FG

....they were given short field after short field with all of the interceptions and it was taking them 11 plays to go 50-60 yards.

Not saying it wasn't an impressive game all around and they still took advantage of the short fields... it's just what kind of sucks about having so few games to look at, you get one with 5 interceptions and it really throws it off.

I get it, guys. All I'm saying is that I just haven't heard the full name of the trophy used in pretty much any context other than maybe when the ceremony happens after the AFC title game. Except here I've seen it used multiple times. And I get why. If the Trophy was the MVP was called the "Johnny Unitas" trophy, people from Baltimore would make sure to use that full title too. Just entertaining is all.

I mean, you have a point. However, given SF's roster defensively, and it's a really great roster, imo, they just shouldn't have allowed all those points. But when I was watching them, they looked so predictable/ineffective. My buddy, who's a BAL fan, even blurted out something along the lines of "if Spags had that D, BAL wouldn't score half those points."


Which was funny at the time, because I had no idea he thought that much of Spags.


I'm impressed with SF's defensive players; not so impressed with their DC and how he calls games.

Ummm no it doesn't. He is already a first ballot HOF QB......at 28. His legacy is ensured. This is why we keep saying that the pressure is on Baltimore and Jackson. Mahomes and KC have nothing to prove. Lamar and the Ravens do.

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Sorry if Q but wanted to post these 2 from YouTube...

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Gotta be honest: I kinda like OneWinningDrive. Genuinely think he came here with honest intentions of good, spirited discussion but has been dragged into our cesspool and has become one of us. And now he’s battling a bunch of CP zombies coming at him from all angles. Can you imagine having to respond to Megatron and DJLN back to back?

It’s so easy and fun to co-opt these softies. Welcome to CP, OWD. Enjoy your slice of **** Pie and be sure to wash it down with anti-freeze. And legitimately: good luck on Sunday. No one thinks we’re unbeatable but we don’t think you are either.

You should probably Google what the AFCCG trophy is called.

Appreciate that! I don't usually post on opposing fans' message boards. But I've always been morbidly fascinated by the cretins on Chiefsplanet, so I couldn't resist. Believe me that if this game was against the Jaguars or some such, I wouldn't care enough to engage. It's just the fact that it's the Chiefs that makes me feel like this is a moment in time worth engaging with. Will try not to get sucked into the back and forth anymore. That's never a good look as a visitor.

I do think this Ravens team are worthy challengers to the Chiefs. This roster is the culmination of DeCosta's first real effort as the GM, and I think in many ways it was designed with the knowledge that the Ravens would have to go through the Chiefs. But I can accept that until and unless the Ravens beat the Chiefs, they're still just the challengers and you're the champs.

We just need rfaulk in here to battle him.

Toney is up next

I could not agree more with anything you’ve said here. You beat us on Sunday (I think you will 60% of the time) and you’re in the conversation and deservedly so. Your regular season says you will. Our postseason success says we will. It’s all gravy for Chiefs fans here at this point after a supremely frustrating regular season, and believe me, I would’ve never believed walking out of Arrowhead after losing that first AFCCG against the Pats that I would’ve thought we had a “house money” experience in the AFCCG.

A lot of irony that some of the posters more aggressively disagreeing with you were those who were so quick to give up when the regular season was going so tremendously unevenly.

But **** it. Here we are. In the AFCCG against one of the statistically most impressive teams of our generation. Believe me I’d rather this challenge than some pushover team.

I seldom interact with these drive by for game week opposing fans - that I have been some today is no reflection OWD, it’s more about the mood I’m in. While he has certainly been dealing in many of the typical inconsistencies so many other opposing fans do in these situations, he has handled it with more grace and respect than the vast majority of those others.

In short, I agree.

As much as I want to hate that Cincy ****er, he’s earned his stripes around here.

Likewise! The way I see it, neither the Ravens nor Chiefs are desperate for a title the way the Lions/Bills/Bengals are. The Ravens need it more to justify the Lamar era, but there are titles in the rearview in Baltimore and it's realistic to expect sustained contention. So I wasn't rooting for the easiest possible path. Because if this team wants to be remembered as dominant, and based on how the players themselves have referred to themselves as the "2023 Ravens" I think they do, then there's no better way to do that than by going through the dynasty. May the best team win.

Ravens franchise 5 AFCCG

Mahomes 6 AFCCG

This is the first AFCCG at The Bank (stupid name btw)

Nuff said!

**** it.
We made it to a 6th consecutive AFCCG. Anything more than this is just icing on the cake for me. And we ended Buffalos season. Feels good. I’ve got nothing against Baltimore. They are a solid squad.

This is house money.

L.
F.
G!

rfaulk to me is the GOAT. They lost that charged AFCCG against us and the dude was back that night engaging and playfully telling people to eat **** pie. Love that guy.

OWD has some potential. But very raw. Still susceptible to being threatened with a beat down from the AIDS tree and lashing out. He’ll learn.

Ravens franchise 5 AFCCGs (1996-2023)

Chiefs franchise 1 AFCCG(s) (1970-Mahomes)

:D

Agree that the Bank is a dumb name because it comes from a corporate sponsor. Arrowhead has gotta be the coolest name for a stadium. The Ravens' have done pretty well with their branding/colors for an "expansion" (not technically) team though. The name is after the Edgar Allen Poe poem, and they've somehow made purple and black work together.

I might be more likely to come back immediately after a loss than a win. I'm getting messages to drink antifreeze now, so I can only imagine what that would look like if it appears I'm gloating.

It really is impressive how quickly rfaulk figured it out. Most have a bit more (if not a lot more) of a learning curve.

Isn’t this the same rerun that didn’t realize the Ravens were the Browns? Their message board reminds me of Napster, it looks old and dated. These Ravens fan… while not as annoying as Bengals/Bills fans. Are the most lame/vanilla fans we’ve encountered in our 6 year and counting run. Even the Browns fans were better than these dumbasses! Embarrassing….

I think the Chiefs play Baltimore at home next year, not sure, but I know we play as division winners. If we do play in KC, and you decide to come, let us know. We have a great tailgate right by the George Brett Statue at every home game. Wouldn't need to bring anything but yourself.

RSR doesn't really hold a candle to CP. There used to be an old Baltimore Sun message board that was as old as CP, but the newspaper folded that, so RSR only somewhat recently became the default. If that Sun board was still around, it would have festered to similar levels as this place. I can tell that a good amount of the brain rot on this board comes from the boomers with creation dates in 2000. But like the Colts, the Sun board was taken from us.

Tell us you can't google without telling us you can't google...

Very much appreciate that! Arrowhead is at the top of my bucket list for NFL stadiums. I've been to Kauffman and said then that one day I would need to return to the Great Parking Lot for a football game :D Looking forward to the schedule dropping.

It's a bit unfair of a cutoff date since the AFCCG only started in 1970 after the merger and the Chiefs had great success in the 60s, but thems the breaks.

kelce much healthier now

2:25

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Son not boomers most old school here are Xers...

1967 smart guy...

I prefer to think of boomer as a state of mind rather than a literal age. For instance, calling me son makes you a boomer. Hi, dad!

Well I'm a grand dad, so that would make you a gen alpha...

Just MAKE SURE you go stand and wait by the George Brett statue.

Technically the first "AFC Championship Game" to decide the representative from the AFC was the Baltimore Colts beating the Oakland Raiders in Baltimore in 1970.

For the first four Super Bowls in 66, 67, 68, and 69, it was the champion of the AFL vs. champion of NFL.

:D

It's generally agreed that the Super Bowl era started with the first game.
Not the 5th...

Be a genius like Fitzpatrick but dont have elite physical ability or average smarts and elite ability like Mahomes. Pretty easy choice.

This sounds vaguely threatening. Which is rude because I'm already scarred for life from the Royals emerging from nowhere to steal the 2014 WS from the Orioles before promptly returning to the abyss again.