2024 AFC Championship odds, picks, easy methods to watch, dwell stream Chiefs-Ravens: Professional alternatives, finest bets, extra – CBS Sports activities

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NFL Playoff Time!
The NFL “Remaining 4” is ready, and this weekend’s video games will resolve who faces off in Super Bowl LVIII, which can kick off Feb. 11 on CBS, Nickelodeon and Paramount+. The AFC Championship is undoubtedly the sport of the week, as Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens host Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Baltimore is coming off of a dominant victory over the Houston Texans, whereas the Chiefs upset the Bills in Buffalo in what was Mahomes’ first-ever postseason street begin, not counting Tremendous Bowls.
Jackson has received every of his previous 4 begins by 14+ factors. Mahomes has misplaced simply 4 begins by 14+ factors in his whole profession. Which star quarterback will shine brighter this weekend? As we do each week, we have collected the entire finest picks and playing content material from CBSSports.com and SportsLine and put them in a single place, so you may get picks towards the unfold from our CBS Sports activities specialists in addition to further function content material for every recreation, together with performs from high SportsLine specialists and the SportsLine Projection Mannequin, finest bets from our workers and extra. Let’s leap in.
All NFL odds by way of SportsLine consensus odds.
Which picks are you able to make with confidence this week? Visit SportsLine, as its unimaginable mannequin simulates each NFL recreation 10,000 instances and is up effectively over $7,000 for $100 gamers on top-rated NFL picks since its inception.
Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS), stream on Paramount+ (click here) 
Open: Ravens -3.5, O/U 45
“That is Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes, the probably MVP this season for a second time towards a man who has received two already. The distinction is Mahomes has Super Bowl rings, whereas Jackson is simply attempting to get there.
“The Chiefs received a troublesome street recreation at Buffalo on Sunday, however the protection had some points with the Buffalo run recreation. If that is an issue towards Jackson and the Ravens, it is going to be an extended day. Jackson will run it, however he’ll hit photographs off it.
“I feel that Chiefs protection will play higher this week, which can drive Jackson to win it together with his legs however largely his proper arm. He’s greater than succesful.
“As for Mahomes, he shall be going through a protection that throws loads of appears to be like at a quarterback. However he is seen all of them — and had success towards all of them. I feel he shall be affected person right here because the Chiefs run it and he takes his photographs off the run. The Chiefs did a pleasant job in safety final week, and that may carry over, because of the run recreation. 
“Search for each quarterbacks to play effectively, however I feel the postseason expertise for Mahomes will shine by way of. Search for the Chiefs to advance to a different Super Bowl as Mahomes has some late-game magic to win it.”
To learn Prisco’s breakdown of the NFC Championship recreation, click here.
“I simply suppose the Ravens are in a a lot increased class than the Chiefs and albeit, anyone else within the AFC and even the 49ers on the opposite facet. I feel that they’re the most effective staff within the league proper now, which they proved towards the 49ers a number of weeks again. Their offense did a fantastic job adjusting to that excessive Houston blitz final week. Houston got here in with a fantastic recreation plan to decelerate the Ravens offense, and it labored for slightly bit, after which they utterly destroyed them as soon as that recreation received going. So actually confirmed me even in case you herald recreation plan, they’ll overcome it, they’ll make some changes, and I feel they’ll be capable of do this towards Spagnuolo right here. They’re high three in yards per rush and yards per cross within the common season, they’ll assault the Chiefs’ weak spot vs. the run right here. And the Chiefs are twenty eighth in interception fee, they may not decide off Josh Allen final week. Baltimore’s offense high three in interception fee, so prone to defend the ball. Not going to be any dumb performs that swing the sport until you simply get unfortunate on a fumble. So I simply suppose even with Mahomes, it may be powerful for Kansas Metropolis in the event that they’re taking part in from behind towards this superb protection…”
That is R.J. White’s take from the Decide Six Podcast, the place he, Katie Mox, Will Brinson and PropStarz broke down the 2 championship video games and gave out finest bets, as they do each week. Subscribe under for nice NFL content material.
“When you’ve been following me all through the season, you will know I’ve proudly been arguably the largest Rashee Rice truther because the Chiefs made him the fifty fifth total select of SMU. Rice has had a improbable rookie season by any metric, and it is all of the extra spectacular contemplating Rice was not a full-time participant in Ok.C.’s offense till after Week 10. Whereas I stay bullish on Rice, getting seven receptions towards this Baltimore cross protection isn’t any straightforward job. Baltimore allowed solely six receivers all season to catch seven or extra passes in a recreation, and it’s important to go all the way in which again to Week 14 for the final one. I additionally anticipate the Chiefs to lean on their floor recreation, which might restrict drop-backs.”
That is one in all PropStarz’ finest participant props this week. To take a look at the opposite participant props he is on, head over to SportsLine. 
“The Chiefs offense has began to click on over the previous couple of weeks, which is an encouraging signal for the franchise total, however I do not consider it may assist propel them to a different Tremendous Bowl look. Why? As a result of they have not confronted a protection just like the Ravens thus far. Certain, they averaged 7.7 yards per play towards the Payments within the divisional spherical, however that defensive unit has been decimated by accidents. Baltimore is a distinct caliber. The Ravens rank first within the league in factors per recreation allowed (16.5), sacks (60) and takeaways (31). The Chiefs additionally moved the ball thanks largely to chunk performs, notching a season-high eight performs of 20 or extra yards towards Buffalo. This season, the Ravens have allowed the ninth-fewest 20-plus yard performs and the third-fewest 25-plus yard performs. 
“One of many large X elements for this Chiefs offense this postseason has been Rashee Rice, who did appear hobbled throughout that win over the Payments as effectively. If he is lower than 100% and the Ravens can deploy security Kyle Hamilton on Travis Kelce, there might not be a lot Patrick Mahomes can do to maneuver the soccer. 
“As for Baltimore’s offense squaring up towards Kansas Metropolis’s protection, I feel Lamar Jackson can do injury together with his legs. They simply let Josh Allen rush for 72 yards and two touchdowns final weekend, and I can see Jackson having the same affect on the bottom. The Ravens are additionally 6-1 ATS in Jackson’s final seven begins.”
To learn Sully’s breakdown of the NFC Championship recreation, click on here. 
“For the primary time in his profession, Lamar Jackson goes to be taking part in within the AFC Championship recreation, and if he desires to win, all he’ll need to do is beat the man who’s been to the AFC title recreation so many instances that the NFL might be simply going to call it after him: Patrick Mahomes.
“The one factor I already know I’ll love about this recreation is that we’re positively going to see a shirtless Jason Kelce pounding beers whereas consuming crab muffins. I imply, you may’t go to Maryland and never eat crab muffins. And you can also’t go to Maryland and never take your shirt off, so that is the proper spot for Kelce. And I am guessing Taylor may also be there. 
“Though everybody spent all final week speaking concerning the Patrick Mahomes vs. Josh Allen showdown, that was simply the appetizer. That is the primary course: We’re getting Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes with a spot within the Tremendous Bowl on the road and the loopy factor is that I am barely going to MENTION both of these guys for the remainder of this decide and that is as a result of I feel that is all going to return all the way down to which protection performs higher. 
“Not solely did the Ravens hand over the fewest factors within the NFL this 12 months (16.5 per recreation), however additionally they led the league in sacks with 60. The loopy factor is that the Chiefs ranked proper behind them in each classes, so we’ve got the highest two defenses in soccer and so they’ll each be going up towards their largest check of the season. 
“The Chiefs need to cease probably the most electrifying quarterback within the NFL. The Ravens need to cease probably the most gifted quarterback within the NFL, and let me simply say, I would not wish to be in control of attempting to do both of these issues. 
“The Ravens’ finest likelihood of successful goes to hinge whether or not they can stress Mahomes. The Chiefs quarterback has been sacked precisely ZERO instances this postseason and because the Dolphins and Payments each realized, if you cannot get to Mahomes, he’ll burn you. There have been solely 4 video games this season the place Mahomes was sacked at the very least thrice and the Chiefs went 1-3 in these video games. Because the staff with probably the most sacks within the NFL, the Ravens are the one staff that ought to be capable of get after Mahomes. 
“The important thing half for the Ravens is that this is not a T.J. Watt or Myles Garrett scenario the place you have got one man racking up all of the sacks on your protection. The Ravens have three gamers who’ve recorded at the very least 9 sacks and so they had seven gamers who’ve recorded at the very least 3 sacks. They’ve loads of guys who can get after the quarterback and defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald is aware of easy methods to use them. 
“If this was an everyday season recreation, that may be sufficient to persuade me to choose the Ravens, however this is not an everyday season recreation. It is the playoffs and the Chiefs offense has immediately flipped the swap because the postseason began. Perhaps they did not know the place that swap was in the course of the common season, however they discovered it and flipped it, and so they now look unstoppable. 
“Because the begin of the postseason, the Chiefs are averaging extra factors per recreation and extra yards per play than they did in the course of the common season. An enormous motive for that’s as a result of Travis Kelce determined to point out up after taking off the ultimate few weeks of the common season. Over the ultimate three video games of the 12 months, Kelce averaged simply 29.3 yards per recreation with zero touchdowns, however because the playoffs began, he is become the unstoppable Kelce that we all the time anticipate to see: He is averaging 73 yards per recreation with two touchdowns. 
“The Ravens would possibly be capable of sluggish Kelce down, although. They solely gave up three landing catches all 12 months to tight ends, which was tied for the second-lowest quantity within the NFL. 
“This recreation will mark simply the second time in Mahomes’ profession that he is began a playoff recreation on the street. Though he received final week in Buffalo, he’ll now be heading to Baltimore, the place issues will probably be a lot crazier and Mahomes KNOWS that. The Chiefs QB not too long ago admitted that Baltimore is one in all solely two stadiums that he is performed in the place the gang received so loud that he could not talk together with his offensive line. 
“It looks like crowd noise might really be an element, which is not one thing that Mahomes normally has to cope with. 
“I do not wish to decide towards Patrick Mahomes on this recreation and I do not wish to decide towards Lamar Jackson, however I’ve to choose towards one in all them and I had a very tasty crab cake for lunch, so I am going with … “
The decide: Ravens 23-20 over Chiefs
File selecting Chiefs video games this season: 13-6 straight up, 11-8 towards the unfold
File selecting Ravens video games this season: 8-10 straight up, 9-9 towards the unfold
To learn Breech’s breakdown of the NFC Championship recreation, click here.
Earlier than you make any Chiefs vs. Ravens picks of your personal, it’s worthwhile to see what SportsLine NFL professional Mike Tierney has to say. A veteran sportswriter whose work seems periodically in The New York Instances and Los Angeles Instances, Tierney has lined the NFL for many years and reported from seven Tremendous Bowls. He had a sometimes sturdy NFL season in 2022, going 68-54-6 on his picks and returning $815 to $100 gamers! As well as, he’s an incredible 48-19-2 on his previous 69 picks involving the Ravens, returning a whopping $2,702! Anybody who has adopted him is approach up.
We will inform you he is leaning Below the purpose whole, however to take a look at his official decide, head on over to SportsLine.
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