Let's Talk About Baltimore (AFC Championship)

[SHOWTIME]

Headed back to the AFC Championship Game!!!! Discuss.

[OneWinningDrive]

Originally Posted by DRM08

I still can't believe the Bengals signed him after watching him struggle against the Cincy pass rushers in a bunch of games. Pretty strange decision by them. "We've torched this guy in the past and it helped us disrupt Mahomes. Let's sign this dude to protect Burrow!"

Right! I would be worried if I was a Bengals fan. Their honeymoon period of having a roster full of guys taken high up in the draft and lots of cap room is over now. They just paid Burrow and will need to do Chase now. To enter that period by giving a big contract to Orlando Brown Jr. only for him to look terrible should be foreboding given that the owner is already a miser. Bungles gonna bungle.

[Johnny8]

Originally Posted by BWillie

One thing that surprised me looking at the stats is that the Ravens have some of the least amount of 4th down attempts in the National Football League. I feel like years prior they had some of the most. That makes me feel alot better that they may choose to punt on those 4th and 4s. Maybe it has just been a product of the game environment, them being up, protecting leads etc.

Yeah, I think it's a combination of things, but one of the biggest factors is the trust in the defense. There isn't the need to take unnecessary risk with the top scoring D in the league. Although our actual punter is not good whatsoever lol

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by OneWinningDrive

Respectfully, the Ravens are in a different class than those franchises.

The Ravens have won more Super Bowls in their 28-year history than the Titans, Bills, Bengals, and Eagles have combined in their entire histories. And for as touted as San Francisco is as a franchise, they haven't won a title since the Ravens have existed, and the Ravens are 6-2 against them all time. The Ravens have a pedigree that those other franchises don't.

As to this season, the 2023 Ravens team aren't just a normal number one seed; by advanced metrics, they're historically great. Weighted DVOA has them as the best team ever tracked (the forum won't let me embed a link since I'm new, but here's the link: twitter.com/ASchatzNFL/status/1749454434705211633). The 2019 Chiefs are also on that list, and the 2020 Chiefs beat another team on that list, so anyone doubting the Chiefs is a fool. But again, the idea that the Ravens are no different than the Titans or Bengals is insulting.

As a Ravens fan, I was rooting for the Chiefs to beat the Bills last week. Not because I think the Chiefs are an easier matchup; to the contrary, the Chiefs are the boogeyman even in a "down" year. The reason why I wanted the Chiefs is because if this Ravens team wants to be remembered as historically great, I want them to go through one of the best QBs/coaches of all time who are defending their crown.

I'm confident in saying that the best team will win on Sunday; I'm just not sure which team that is.

Ravens are a great team having a great season but honestly none of that matters.

As Chiefs fans know all too well our games almost always come down to a couple plays and wins or losses depend on turnovers, goofy penalties, and ill-timed drops. When the Chiefs don’t do that they win. Every time in the Mahomes era. Every single time.

I do find it amusing on the Ravens boards how they point to the Raider game as an example of how we get pushed around. They don’t seem to realize we were starting a rookie tackle because of injuries. Since Smith came back for the playoffs? Not a single sack surrendered.

[Chieftain]

Rat fans,

Mahomes would be undefeated against Lamar if it weren't for MEH fumbling the ball in the game winning drive, the last time they played. He OWNS your team. Furthermore, he owns so called "nr.1" defenses of this league every time he plays them. His record against Top 5 defenses is 12-2.
He is the greatest QB ever, statistically, in Championship title games.

You will find out this coming Sunday when the greatness that is Patrick Lavon Mahomes the 2nd snatches the souls of your fandom and the city of Baltimore.

[New World Order]

Oh good, the Ravens fans are here

[New World Order]

Originally Posted by RINGLEADER

Ravens are a great team having a great season but honestly none of that matters.

As Chiefs fans know all too well our games almost always come down to a couple plays and wins or losses depend on turnovers, goofy penalties, and ill-timed drops. When the Chiefs don’t do that they win. Every time in the Mahomes era. Every single time.

I do find it amusing on the Ravens boards how they point to the Raider game as an example of how we get pushed around. They don’t seem to realize we were starting a rookie tackle because of injuries. Since Smith came back for the playoffs? Not a single sack surrendered.

We’re just a completely different beast in the playoffs. This team looks like the 18 Patriots. Struggled a bit in the regular season, lost the 1 seed to us but won on the road to go to the sb.

[DRM08]

Originally Posted by RINGLEADER

Ravens are a great team having a great season but honestly none of that matters.

As Chiefs fans know all too well our games almost always come down to a couple plays and wins or losses depend on turnovers, goofy penalties, and ill-timed drops. When the Chiefs don’t do that they win. Every time in the Mahomes era. Every single time.

I do find it amusing on the Ravens boards how they point to the Raider game as an example of how we get pushed around. They don’t seem to realize we were starting a rookie tackle because of injuries. Since Smith came back for the playoffs? Not a single sack surrendered.

The entire OL got pushed around in that Christmas Day game. It felt to me like nobody showed up. I'm gonna include Andy in there too with the stupid trick play from his own 10 yard line. If they were sleep-walking on Christmas Day because of holiday activities and so forth, they have no excuses for sleep-walking at this point in the Playoffs. Show up or get whipped by a very strong Baltimore team. It's that simple.

[OneWinningDrive]

Originally Posted by RINGLEADER

Ravens are a great team having a great season but honestly none of that matters.

As Chiefs fans know all too well our games almost always come down to a couple plays and wins or losses depend on turnovers, goofy penalties, and ill-timed drops. When the Chiefs don’t do that they win. Every time in the Mahomes era. Every single time.

I do find it amusing on the Ravens boards how they point to the Raider game as an example of how we get pushed around. They don’t seem to realize we were starting a rookie tackle because of injuries. Since Smith came back for the playoffs? Not a single sack surrendered.

It will be fascinating to see whether this game does come down to that. Because the Ravens haven't just beaten good teams this year, they've destroyed them.

If the Chiefs can win this game, then I think you could argue it's Mahomes' greatest win. On the road in one of the most difficult stadiums to be a visitor (the Ravens have the second most wins at home since 2000 after New England), against one of the best teams ever statistically (best weighted DVOA ever recorded), with perhaps the worst supporting cast Mahomes has had since his rookie year.

This is a legacy game for whichever QB/team wins.

[DRM08]

Originally Posted by OneWinningDrive

If the Chiefs can win this game, then I think you could argue it's Mahomes' greatest win.

Nah, I don't think a conference title game would be bigger than the Super Bowl. In a matchup between Patrick's 2 Super Bowl wins, I would probably go with the Philly Super Bowl because Mahomes was on a bad leg in this one whereas he was much healthier in the Niners Super Bowl. He even managed to have a massive scrambling play on the Chiefs final drive to help win the Philly Super Bowl despite the bad ankle problem.

[OneWinningDrive]

Originally Posted by DRM08

Nah, I don't think a conference title game would be bigger than the Super Bowl. In a matchup between Patrick's 2 Super Bowl wins, I would probably go with the Philly Super Bowl because Mahomes was on a bad leg in this one whereas he was much healthier in the Niners Super Bowl. He even managed to have a massive scrambling play on the Chiefs final drive to help win the Philly Super Bowl despite the bad ankle problem.

That's fair. I suppose I could have said short of a Super Bowl, since that's always going to be the highest stakes possible.

But I would argue this is the most hostile environment and best opponent he has likely ever faced. I'm glad he'll be healthy so that it will be a true test.

[DRM08]

Originally Posted by OneWinningDrive

That's fair. I suppose I could have said short of a Super Bowl, since that's always going to be the highest stakes possible.

But I would argue this is the most hostile environment and best opponent he has likely ever faced. I'm glad he'll be healthy so that it will be a true test.

I don't know if it can be a more hostile stadium than Buffalo last week. Buffalo fans were throwing snowballs at them, haha. Setting aside the snowballs, the Buffalo fans were extremely desperate to have a home game against the Chiefs, after going to Kansas City a bunch of times the last 3-4 years. Two years ago, Buffalo fans had their hearts absolutely broken by the Chiefs in the 13 seconds Playoff game. And the year before that, KC whipped Buffalo pretty easily in the AFC title game.

For all intents and purposes, that game last week was THE Super Bowl for Buffalo's fanbase. I truly believe their fanbase cared more about beating the Chiefs in that game than they do about winning any other games, including the actual Super Bowl itself.

[OneWinningDrive]

Originally Posted by DRM08

I don't know if it can be a more hostile stadium than Buffalo last week. Buffalo fans were throwing snowballs at them, haha. Setting aside the snowballs, the Buffalo fans were extremely desperate to have a home game against the Chiefs, after going to Kansas City a bunch of times the last 3-4 years. Two years ago, Buffalo fans had their hearts absolutely broken by the Chiefs in the 13 seconds Playoff game. And the year before that, KC whipped Buffalo pretty easily in the AFC title game.

For all intents and purposes, that game last week was THE Super Bowl for Buffalo's fanbase. I truly believe their fanbase cared more about beating the Chiefs in that game than they do about winning any other games, including the actual Super Bowl itself.

Haha true. "Hostile" might not be the best word, since no one in Baltimore is going to be throwing anything at the Chiefs the way Bills fans did. You're right that Buffalo has a lot of pent up frustration. But this weekend, the Bank will be as loud as any outdoor stadium in the NFL. And like I mentioned, the Ravens have the second most home wins after the Pats over the past 25 years even though they're only fourth by overall wins (including road games) during that same time period. So it's a tough place to win as a visiting team.

Everyone knows that Arrowhead, Seattle, Lambeau, and Heinz Field are strong homefields, but I would put M&T Bank right up there. Pat McAfee was talking about that this week (x.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1749818397876199566?s=20). Mahomes himself called it the loudest place he has played in alongside Seattle.

A peek behind the curtain: my favorite analytics Ravens podcast (Filmstudy; truly excellent) had a whole episode last week instructing fans how to make as much noise as possible including by "barking" at the opposing quarterback and varying the pitch of your screaming rather than being monotone to play tricks' on the visitors' ears. There are big Ravens accounts on Twitter that are brokering ticket sales to make sure none go to Chiefs fans. And even though the Ravens have been in a bunch of AFCCGs, this is their first one at home, so there's a lot of anticipation.

[Johnny8]

Originally Posted by Chieftain

Rat fans,

Mahomes would be undefeated against Lamar if it weren't for MEH fumbling the ball in the game winning drive, the last time they played. He OWNS your team. Furthermore, he owns so called "nr.1" defenses of this league every time he plays them. His record against Top 5 defenses is 12-2.
He is the greatest QB ever, statistically, in Championship title games.

You will find out this coming Sunday when the greatness that is Patrick Lavon Mahomes the 2nd snatches the souls of your fandom and the city of Baltimore.

If we lost that game I could say it was because we spotted you 7 points on the first play. But guess what, he did fumble, and you lost. Mahomes is amazing, best QB statistically in the game not only right now but [one of the best] all time.

With that said, Ravens win 34-20.

[DRM08]

Originally Posted by OneWinningDrive

Haha true. "Hostile" might not be the best word, since no one in Baltimore is going to be throwing anything at the Chiefs the way Bills fans did. You're right that Buffalo has a lot of pent up frustration. But this weekend, the Bank will be as loud as any outdoor stadium in the NFL. And like I mentioned, the Ravens have the second most home wins after the Pats over the past 25 years even though they're only fourth by overall wins (including road games) during that same time period. So it's a tough place to win as a visiting team.

Everyone knows that Arrowhead, Seattle, Lambeau, and Heinz Field are strong homefields, but I would put M&T Bank right up there. Pat McAfee was talking about that this week (x.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1749818397876199566?s=20). Mahomes himself called it the loudest place he has played in alongside Seattle.

A peek behind the curtain: my favorite analytics Ravens podcast (Filmstudy; truly excellent) had a whole episode last week instructing fans how to make as much noise as possible including by "barking" at the opposing quarterback and varying the pitch of your screaming rather than being monotone to play tricks' on the visitors' ears. There are big Ravens accounts on Twitter that are brokering ticket sales to make sure none go to Chiefs fans. And even though the Ravens have been in a bunch of AFCCGs, this is their first one at home, so there's a lot of anticipation.

It will be extremely loud, no doubt about that. Buffalo was extremely loud as well. I was surprised at how well the Chiefs were able to handle it without a ton of false start penalties, which has been a problem for them in many games this season. It will be interesting to see if they are able to play another clean game in that regard. Big challenge for them in the Baltimore stadium, no doubt!

[Chieftain]

Originally Posted by Johnny8

If we lost that game I could say it was because we spotted you 7 points on the first play. But guess what, he did fumble, and you lost. Mahomes is amazing, best QB statistically in the game not only right now but [one of the best] all time.

With that said, Ravens win 34-20.

The Chiefs defense has yet to give up 30 points in a game all season and all of the sudden Lamar "I can run better than I throw" Jackson will break that spell?