Let's talk about the Ravens.

[Direckshun]

The Ravens are a uniquely weird team in Week 14 of the NFL season.

They're weird because their QB position is a great unknown.

Joe Flacco is, of course, the world's most underwhelming Super Bowl MVP, and has sucked this year. We know who he is, we have millions of hours of underwhelming tape to depressingly watch. And he returned to practice this week, but did not play, Eric Berry style.

But that might change. He may see the field.

Which is interesting, because their backup QB, Lamar Jackson, a 1st round selection by the Ravens (albeit with the 32nd pick), is a very weird player. He runs, and runs, and runs with the ball. His completion percentage is a not-terrible 60%. And he's only played three weeks, so tape on him is slim.

We know this: he is fast, he is not afraid to run the ball, and he's a damn gazelle when he does.

The good news: we can probably spy him. His weapons are bleak. Alex Collins is his #1 RB, and he's averaging 3.6 yards a carry. His #1 receiver is John Brown, who initially looked like Tyreek Hill when he first hit the league, but has since statistically slowed down and is now just a good receiver with very difficult speed to account for. Michael Crabtree is their #2 alongside Willie Snead, and Tyreek Hill has more yardage than both of those guys combined, but Crabtree has had good games against us in the past.

As a result, the Ravens are still somehow 13th in the league in yardage, they are averaging 25 points a game.

The Ravens have good pass protection, as they've only given up like 25 sacks or something like that. Ronnie Stanley is their LT.

But really, the Ravens offense wins by trying to run the ball, passing decently, and then letting Lamar Jackson get creative.

As far as the defense is concerned.................. biggest test of the year right here folks.

#1 rated defense in yardage (they're allowing under 300 yards/game).
#1 rated defense in points (they're allowing 17 points/game).

I think it's safe to say we're going to beat those averages but they should still slow us down pretty significantly. I don't know if Patty will have another 4 TD game here.

The Ravens get good pressure on the QB -- they're 9th in the league in sacks, and the pressure comes from everywhere. Suggs has always played well against us but he only has 5.5 this year. They blitz a good amount.

Simply put, the Ravens pass defense will be the biggest challenge Mahomes faces all year. They're allowing under 200 yards passing all season. Eric Weddle is a goddamn general at the back of their defense, and they've got a solid corner or two despite the fact that none of their corners are true ballhawks. Brandon Carr will make a rare appearance against the Chiefs, which is whatever, but he's apparently playing well.

The Ravens have a mean defensive line, and maybe the meanest NT in the league in Brandon Williams. I'm willing to bet they drop everyone in coverage, smother Kelce, and dare Spencer Ware to beat their DL. That's a very tall order, and I don't think our run game is up to the challenge. Mahomes will need to tap every ounce of his MVP talent to get yardage.

In special teams, they have arguably the greatest kicker in modern NFL history in Justin Tucker. They've had one punt return for a TD.

They're 7-5. They're on a three game win streak. Lamar Jackson has started all three games.

Their wins: Bills, Broncos, @Steelers, @Titans, Bengals (no Dalton), Raiders, @Falcons
Losses: @Bengals (Dalton), @Browns, Saints, @Panthers, Steelers

That schedule is all over the place. They beat Pitt in Pitt, but pathetically lose to the Browns. The most damning game on the schedule is the Saints game, where they only lost by a point.

How is this team so good? I've asked before. They have no elite talent on offense and are still racking up yardage and point. They have a damn good defense but don't intercept the ball and they don't have any sack masters like the Chiefs do.

What is going on?

[TimBone]

Originally Posted by staylor26

Lol yea because our defense is the same on the road as it is at home

We'll just have to see, bud.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

You didn't answer my question.

And you're right, I don't ever learn. Just when I think that Chiefsplanet can collectively pull it's head out...

Welp.

Your question is irrelevant, which is why it's being ignored. When are you going to get that?

This team constantly has a gigantic, glaring flaw going into the playoffs and it's usually the same group of people that think "oh we can overcome this" and a month later CP bitches about the same shit for the following seven.

It's the same cycle year after year. It happens over and over and you ****ers line up to eat the same piece of cheese over and over again.

[OKchiefs]

How do teams like Seattle and Baltimore build excellent defenses despite having little actual stars on defense? We actually do have a star or two and we continue to be horrible.

[carcosa]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

Your question is irrelevant, which is why it's being ignored. When are you going to get that?

This team constantly has a gigantic, glaring flaw going into the playoffs and it's usually the same group of people that think "oh we can overcome this" and a month later CP bitches about the same shit for the following seven.

It's the same cycle year after year. It happens over and over and you ****ers line up to eat the same piece of cheese over and over again.

You don't think having the best QB in the NFL makes a difference this time??

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

Your question is irrelevant, which is why it's being ignored. When are you going to get that?

This team constantly has a gigantic, glaring flaw going into the playoffs and it's usually the same group of people that think "oh we can overcome this" and a month later CP bitches about the same shit for the following seven.

It's the same cycle year after year.

First of all, my question isn't irrelevant because I'm not one of those thinking "oh we can overcome this".

You see, myself and MANY others here have ALWAYS felt that THE way to overcome these things is to have a franchise QB. The difference between me and everybody else is that I'm not waffling on that.

It isn't the same cycle year after year. This year, we have Patrick freaking Mahomes. It's COMPLETELY different. The fact you want to ignore that is on you, not me. Feel free to be miserable, I'll continue to bring it up.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by carcosa

You don't think having the best QB in the NFL makes a difference this time??

For over a decade, this place said a QB was what the team needed.

You're asking them to be consistent in their collective opinion.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

First of all, my question isn't irrelevant because I'm not one of those thinking "oh we can overcome this".

You see, myself and MANY others here have ALWAYS felt that THE way to overcome these things is to have a franchise QB. The difference between me and everybody else is that I'm not waffling on that.

It isn't the same cycle year after year. This year, we have Patrick freaking Mahomes. It's COMPLETELY different. The fact you want to ignore that is on you, not me. Feel free to be miserable, I'll continue to bring it up.

Miserable? If you say so. I'm not the one that's going to be crying in my pillow over Bob Sutton come January.

Nobody is disputing Pat and that he's great, but team efforts win Super Bowls and half of this team might as well not board a flight to Atlanta.

[carcosa]

Also, just about every playoff team has at least one big flaw, even teams that end up winning it all.

Not every playoff team has an elite QB.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

Your question is irrelevant, which is why it's being ignored. When are you going to get that?

This team constantly has a gigantic, glaring flaw going into the playoffs and it's usually the same group of people that think "oh we can overcome this" and a month later CP bitches about the same shit for the following seven.

It's the same cycle year after year. It happens over and over and you ****ers line up to eat the same piece of cheese over and over again.

It’s the same?

Do the Chiefs lose the following games if Patrick Lavon Mahomes II is their QB?

Titans playoff game 2017
Steelers playoff game 2016
Broncos playoff game 1997
Colts playoff game 1995

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by carcosa

You don't think having the best QB in the NFL makes a difference this time??

Best QB in the NFL is subjective and doesn't guarantee a Super Bowl appearance. Was Foles really the best QB in the league last year? A washed up Peyton Manning? Cam Newon, Joe Flacco? How many people would pick Matt Ryan over Rogers or Brees?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

Miserable? If you say so. I'm not the one that's going to be crying in my pillow over Bob Sutton come January.

Nobody is disputing Pat and that he's great, but team efforts win Super Bowls and half of this team might as well not board a flight to Atlanta.

Here's the thing:

I already know Bob Sutton is a problem. I already know the defense is bad. There's not one single thing I can do about it. So IF they lose in January, I won't be crying at all. No amount of whinging and hand wringing about it here is going to change anything at all.

Furthermore, let's not even pretend this discussion is about JANUARY. The title of the thread is "Let's talk about the Ravens". A good portion of people think the Chiefs are losing not only this game but the Chargers AND the Seahawks. That's not only negative, it's freaking ridiculous.

To date, "half this team" is 10-2, on pace for the #1 seed and HFA throughout the playoffs. The amount of doom and gloom that surrounds that says A LOT about the collective psyche of this place.

[BryanBusby]

Smh

If you guys don't think an old man that sent a literal sack of dicks on a blitz (to make the key stop) isn't going to **** everything up than I really don't know what to say

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

Best QB in the NFL is subjective and doesn't guarantee a Super Bowl appearance. Was Foles really the best QB in the league last year? A washed up Peyton Manning? Cam Newon, Joe Flacco? How many people would pick Matt Ryan over Rogers or Brees?

Patrick Mahomes, in his first year starting, is having a year only 2 other QBs in the history of the NFL have had.

Let's not sit here and pretend it's all subjective when it isn't.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Patrick Mahomes, in his first year starting, is having a year only 2 other QBs in the history of the NFL have had.

Let's not sit here and pretend it's all subjective when it isn't.

Chiefnj is a butt****ing moron. No sense I’m even trying to reason with him.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

Smh

If you guys don't think an old man that sent a literal sack of dicks on a blitz (to make the key stop) isn't going to **** everything up than I really don't know what to say

SMH

If you guys don't think a young man that has broken every team and NFL record he's face to date isn't going to overcome the small amount of things Alex Smith needed to overcome then I really don't know what to say.