ExtremeRavens Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 Quarterback Lamar Jackson talked all season about being “locked in” on the singular goal of delivering on the draft night promise he made six years ago when he said the Ravens would get a Super Bowl out of him. He played like a man on a mission, too, putting up the kind of performances and numbers throughout the regular season that had Baltimore on the cusp of its first Super Bowl appearance in 11 years and will likely deliver him the second NFL Most Valuable Award of his career. But when it came to dethroning the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs and their own reigning MVP quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, Jackson and the Ravens learned the hard way that the playoffs are a different animal. So are the Chiefs this time of year. Mahomes completed 30 of 39 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown, while Jackson was hurried and harassed into a fumble and an interception with just one touchdown pass as the Chiefs raced out to a 10-point first-half lead and held on to defeat the Ravens, 17-10, to advance to Super Bowl 58. Jackson finished 20-for-37 with 272 yards in the air to go with eight carries for 54 yards. Kansas City will play the winner of Sunday night’s NFC championship between the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions. It will be the fourth Super Bowl appearance in the past five years for the Chiefs, who were playing in their sixth straight conference title game. The Ravens and Jackson, meanwhile, looked more like a deer in headlights than a team that had the NFL’s best record and the top seed in the AFC. Trailing by 10 at the start of the fourth quarter and on the Chiefs’ 9-yard line, rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers caught a short pass and dove for the end zone only to fumble before crossing the goal line. The Chiefs recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchback. It was just one of several self-inflicted wounds by the Ravens on the day. Later in the fourth, Jackson threw into triple coverage and was intercepted in the end zone as he attempted to rally the Ravens from the hole they had dug themselves. Baltimore also committed eight penalties for 95 yards, which included an unnecessary roughness on Kyle Van Noy and a roughing the passer on Travis Jones that led to a Kansas City field goal late in the first half. The Chiefs also didn’t waste any time asserting their authority, marching 86 yards in 10 plays on their opening possession for an easy touchdown. Mahomes completed all five of his passes for 57 yards on the drive, three of them to Travis Kelce for 36 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown on a back shoulder rope with Kyle Hamilton draped on him. Kelce finished with 11 catches on 11 targets for 11 yards as he passed Jerry Rice for the most catches in postseason history. The Ravens bounced back, converting a fourth-and-1 from their own 34 on a designed run by Jackson that went for 21 yards. The scamper seemed to settle down if not ignite the offense, with Flowers spinning away from safety Nick Bolton and Jackson finding him for a 30-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7. But that was the last touchdown Baltimore would score. On the Chiefs’ next possession, they methodically marched 75 yards in 16 plays in just over four minutes. Kansas City converted four third downs, most of them from short range, before Isiah Pacheco plunged in from 2 yards out to give them a 14-7 lead. Harrison Butker added a 52-yard field goal just before halftime, and the Ravens’ only score came with 2:34 left on Justin Tucker’s 43-yard kick. Kansas City had 221 yards in the first half to the Ravens’ 110 and also dominated time of possession, 20:39 to 9:21. This story will be updated. Baltimore Ravens quarterback #8 Lamar Jackson catches a pass after his pass was deflected by a Chiefs defensive player in the second quarter. The Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)Kansas City Chiefs #22 Trent McDuffie almost intercepts a pass as Baltimore Ravens quarterback #8 Lamar Jackson throws the ball away while being brought down by Kansas City Chiefs #95 Chris Jones in the second quarter. The Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)Ravens quarterback #8 Lamar Jackson has the ball stripped away by Chiefs #90 Charles Omenihu in the second quarter. The Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)Kansas City Chiefs Travis Kelce catches a pass over Ravens Brandon Stephens for a first down in the first quarter. The Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has the ball stripped away by Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu in the second quarter of Sunday's AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throws the ball away under pressure from Baltimore Ravens Jadeveon Clowney as the Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jerry Jackson/Staff)Baltimore Ravens Justice Hill is tacked after a gain in the first quarter as the Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jerry Jackson/Staff)Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is striped of the ball by Chiefs Charles Onenihu for a 2nd quarter turnover as the Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jerry Jackson/Staff)Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson keeps for a first down as the Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jerry Jackson/Staff)Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes throws the ball away under pressure from Baltimore Ravens Kyle Hamilton as the Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jerry Jackson/Staff)Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson throws a completion to Mark Andrews in the first quarter as the Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jerry Jackson/Staff)Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson catches a tipped pass and runs for gain in the AFC championship game in Baltimore. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson catches a tipped pass and runs for gain in the AFC championship game in Baltimore. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Kansas City Chiefs' George Karlaftis recovers fumble by Ravens' Lamar Jackson in the AFC championship game in Baltimore. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens' Kyle Hamilton is unable to stop Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce from catching a touchdown pass in the AFC championship game in Baltimore. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers catches a pass in the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game in Baltimore. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)Ravens and Chiefs fans fight for the spotlight before the Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)Samantha Cholewczynski of Baltimore wears her handmade shirt showing Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes. Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs AFC title game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)Ketia Stokes, right, and her mother, Linda Stokes of Baltimore get ready as the Baltimore Ravens take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)Patrick Reed a former Parkville resident wears his Johnny Unitas jersey that he wore to the Ravens Super Bowl against the 49ers. The Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)Pat McFaul of Bel Air gets ready for the Baltimore Ravens game as they host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)Shawn Blowe of Baltimore carries a giant Lamar Jackson photo on his way to thew stadium. The Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Lloyd Fox/Staff)A group of Ravens fans from the United Kingdom tailgate at the BMORE Around Town tailgate party prior to the AFC championship game between the Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs. (Jerry Jackson/Staff)Ravens fans cheer as Zay Flowers arrives prior to the Baltimore Ravens hosting the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jerry Jackson/Staff)avens Jadeveon Clowney arrives prior to the Baltimore Ravens hosting the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jerry Jackson/Staff)Ravens running back Delvin Cook arrives prior to the Baltimore Ravens hosting the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jerry Jackson/Staff)Ravens fans tailgate at the BMORE Around Town tailgate party prior to the AFC championship game between the Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs. ..(Jerry Jackson/Staff photo)the Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jerry Jackson/Staff)Chris and Karen Nicewarner of Martinsburg, W. Va attend every home game and are on the sideline as the Ravens prepare to host the Chiefs in the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)A fan holds a sign about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce before the 2024 AFC Championship in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/staff)Show Caption of Expand View the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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