Kansas Metropolis Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens: Predictions, picks and odds for AFC championship sport – USA TODAY

What’s standing in the way in which of the No. 1 seed Baltimore Ravens (14-4) from reaching the Tremendous Bowl?
The defending champion Kansas City Chiefs (13-6).
The 2 face off within the AFC championship sport on Sunday at M&T Financial institution Stadium.
Lamar Jackson took his historic contract and ran with it this season, a marketing campaign for his second MVP award. Within the divisional spherical, the Ravens scored 17 factors within the fourth quarter to oust the Houston Texans 34-10. Jackson went 16-of-22 for 152 yards passing and added 100 dashing yards. He was chargeable for all 4 of Baltimore’s touchdowns.
He is had veteran star Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers at his disposal all through the season. They’ve mixed for 1,400 yards.
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Patrick Mahomes’ receivers have not been as dependable, however the Chiefs have powered their method by way of the season and are taking part in of their sixth convention championship sport.
Final week, the Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills 27-24 within the divisional spherical — once more. It was Mahomes’ first highway playoff sport of his profession. He went 17-of-23 for 215 yards and two touchdowns, each to Travis Kelce. The duo handed Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski for many playoff touchdowns by a quarterback-receiver tandem. Isiah Pacheco added 97 yards and a dashing rating.
The Ravens and Chiefs have not confronted off since 2021 when Jackson ran for 107 yards and two scores in his first victory over Kansas Metropolis.
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The Ravens are favorites to defeat the Chiefs, in keeping with BetMGM NFL odds. Trying to wager? Try the best mobile sports betting apps providing NFL betting promos in 2023, together with the brand new ESPN BET app and the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.
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Patrick Mahomes has been capable of masks the dearth of star expertise at receiver for almost all of the season. And Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice have emerged as his two prime choices. The issue is that Baltimore’s protection — with Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton (for Kelce) and the Ravens corners (for Rice) — is constructed to cease a crew like Kansas Metropolis. After which on offense, coordinator Todd Monken has achieved an incredible job unlocking Lamar Jackson’s effectivity. Kansas Metropolis might want to create regular strain up the center of the road, in any other case, it is likely to be a protracted day for the Chiefs’ protection.
The Chiefs have superior to 6 straight AFC championship video games and have received two of the final 4 Tremendous Bowls. However Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have a squad gifted sufficient to topple Kansas Metropolis’s budding dynasty. Jackson’s playmaking and uncanny means to beat groups together with his arm and legs are going to trigger the Chiefs protection a whole lot of issues. Plus, the Ravens are the most effective protection that Patrick Mahomes’ confronted all yr. Take pleasure in this AFC title bout. Mahomes and Jackson are the 2 greatest quarterbacks within the NFL.
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens didn’t come this far because the AFC’s greatest crew to lose to the reigning champions, proper? Certain, the Chiefs are again within the AFC title sport, and must be feared due to their expertise and popularity. However the Ravens have received greater than half their video games this season in opposition to profitable groups, and the Chiefs simply occur to be of their path subsequent. I’m taking Jackson and Baltimore in an in depth one.
The AFC championship is Lamar Jackson’s to lose. Sure, the Chiefs have marched previous the Dolphins and Payments and Patrick Mahomes confirmed that he can, in truth, win a playoff sport on the highway. However Buffalo’s protection was decimated and Kansas Metropolis’s huge receivers nonetheless haven’t stepped up. The Ravens let the Texans dangle round for a bit earlier than placing the bow on them within the fourth quarter. Anticipate one other outstanding efficiency from Jackson as he launches to his first Tremendous Bowl.
After what Baltimore did to Houston, it’s laborious to see any crew beat this stacked squad. Kansas Metropolis appeared like its previous self in opposition to Buffalo, however the offense isn’t constant sufficient to belief in opposition to a ruthless Baltimore protection. The Chiefs have sufficient to restrict Lamar Jackson, however he’s capable of break free late within the sport to ship the Ravens to the Tremendous Bowl.
You may view the complete checklist of USA TODAY’s NFL professional predictions here.
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