2024-01-28 23:13:58
The Baltimore Ravens dominated the regular season and earned a home game in the AFC finals against the strengthened Kansas City Chiefs. The disaster followed: our own mistakes and the once again great interaction between Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were too much. The defending champions secured their Super Bowl ticket with a score of 17:10.
The success story knows no break: Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are in the Super Bowl again. Getty Images
So the first Super Bowl participant has been found! With a score of 17:10, the Kansas City Chiefs prevailed in a highly intense duel with the Baltimore Ravens and thus once again moved into the grand final of the National Football League in its 58th edition (LVIII), which took place on the night of the 11th February 12th in Las Vegas at the state-of-the-art Allegiant Stadium, home of the Raiders.
The mood was already a bit high during the warm-up program. Because Ravens kicker Justin Tucker had prepared and stretched in the Chiefs area, the result was a small argument with both Kansas City’s star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his congenial partner Travis Kelce. The tight end, who got back on track after a mixed season last week in the 27:24 loss in Buffalo and scored two touchdowns, even threw away Tucker’s helmet and accessories. A small brawl also occurred at the team captains’ meeting shortly before kickoff.
A first foretaste of this highly anticipated AFC Championship Game between the Ravens, who were extremely strong in the regular season, and the Chiefs, who are turning up the heat again at the right time, after their peripheral topics such as pop singer Taylor Swift, moments of frustration with receivers and the well-known Mahomes magic.
Stress, 7:0 and 7:7
And it was just as intense in the first quarter: the defense of the defending champions (38:35 against the Eagles a year ago) ensured a surprising three-and-out, while Mahomes orchestrated a magical first drive. At the end of these ten plays for 86 yards, the top playmaker, whose colors were in the AFC final for the sixth (!) time in a row (first away), threw an outstanding touchdown pass to tight end Kelce for 19 yards.
The score was 7-0, which didn’t take long for Baltimore to play in the first AFC Final home game in franchise history (since 1996). Lamar Jackson, the leader of the Ravens offense, really found his way into the game for the first time, made the right decisions and turned around a tackle that had already been set by Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal. This was followed by a great lob to the right into the path of rookie receiver Zay Flowers, who easily bagged the touchdown catch to equalize.
Pacheco follows up – and Jackson loses the egg
The combination of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce (here celebrating his touchdown to make it 7-0) always worked well in Baltimore. IMAGO/UPI Photo
What was also noticeable early on was that the two quarterbacks often found ways to save themselves with a clever move. Jackson, who occasionally caught a deflected pass himself for many yards, often used his agility to evade rushing defense machines like Chris Jones, while Mahomes bought time with clever sideways movements in the pocket and made a few passes at the last moment strong catching Kelce attached. At the beginning of the second quarter, the two-time Super Bowl winner did the same, only to then run for the new first down at “3rd&3”. Shortly afterwards the score was 14:7, this time through Isiah Pacheco. The running back took advantage of the strong behavior of his offensive line to complete a long drive with the TD.
But that’s not all: what was certainly the best defense that Mahomes had at his disposal to date in his NFL career really struck for the first time a little later. After a snap, Jackson held the ball in his hand for too long, so that defensive end Charles Omenihu, who was running behind him, ultimately kicked the ball out and his teammate George Karlaftis secured the fumble.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, head coach Andy Reid & Co. could pat themselves on the back for this turnover – but the offense didn’t know how to take advantage of this gift. On 4th&1, runner Pacheco didn’t manage a new first down near the end zone, so Baltimore was allowed to run again. However, there were no points here either, it had to be punted again because the Chiefs defense got a hand between a pass from Jackson on “3rd & 9” and made a decisive deflection. It continued in this rhythm, defensive football with punts was the order of the day – until Kansas City kicker Harrison Butker scored a field goal from 52 yards after a drive that was burdened with penalties and again good combinations between Mahomes and Kelce (at the end 116 yards and a touchdown). which made it 17:7 at the break.
Mahomes’ impressive statistics
The special thing about this ten-point lead: In his career, Mahomes and his teams had led by ten or more points after two quarters 40 times – and had only lost three times. So now it was number 41, although the Ravens of course wanted to spit in his soup. But somehow the worm was in Baltimore’s attack, and nothing worked until well into the third quarter.
Snead greatly annoys Flowers and the Ravens
Things got even worse from the home side’s perspective in the loud M&T Bank Stadium at the start of the final quarter. Because after Jackson had led his men strongly into the red zone, especially with throws to rookie Flowers, the pass receiver with the egg in his hand dived towards the end zone from a very short distance – and then the ball was handed to him centimeters before the almost certain touchdown Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed knocked out of his hand. The result was a fumble into the end zone and the loss of the ball.
Shock for Baltimore: Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (#38) just prevented a touchdown. IMAGO/USA TODAY Network
The whole thing was garnished with the fact that Mahomes had left the field as a winner with a lead of ten or more points in the fourth quarter up to this point 52 times and had only lost once – in Week 2 2021 against the Jackson-led Ravens.
Lo and behold: Baltimore still had hope of a successful comeback, stopped Kansas City’s offense straight away and pushed forward again strongly after the following punt. The veteran Odell Beckham Junior (Giants, Browns and champion with the Rams), who was brought in before the season, also successfully played a fourth down deep in his own half. But then this: Jackson threw a pass that was far too imprecise and extremely risky into the end zone – and safety Deon Bush thanked him with the interception. That was the end of it, the Chiefs turned the clock around a bit, while the Ravens only managed a field goal from Tucker from 43 yards with 2:34 minutes left to make it 10:17. Mahomes & Co. ultimately played down the time confidently, also because the star made an incredibly strong pass to the fast receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on “3rd & 9” for a total of 32 yards.
The Championship Games at a glance
And with that, the defending champions, who had regained their strength after overcoming the problems, pulled ahead again with a 17:10 in Baltimore – Mahomes’ (241 yards, one TD, no turnovers) only his second play-off away game after last week in Buffalo (27:24). into the Super Bowl. This is the fourth time in the last five years (two wins and a loss against Tom Brady’s Buccaneers). Meanwhile, there are long and sad faces for the ambitious Ravens around star playmaker Jackson (272 yards, TD, INT and fumble). The mistakes (Flowers’ fumble just before the score) made the difference.
1706490293
#song #Mahomes #Chiefs #Super #Bowl