Another thrilling round of playoff games has narrowed the NFL playoff field to four final teams remaining. In the AFC, the Chiefs are heading into Baltimore to face the Ravens, while in the NFC, the Lions are taking a trip out West to face the 49ers. Our club members provide insight into the Chiefs-Ravens matchup and predict who will make it to the Super Bowl.
The NFL’s conference championship week kicks off with a bang as the three-seeded Chiefs head into Baltimore to take on the one-seeded Ravens. If last week’s Sunday Night Football matchup was any indication, this game will have no shortage of entertainment, as both teams are littered with talent.
On one side are the Baltimore Ravens, who are on a revenge tour of sorts. Ever since the Ravens fell to the Titans in the 2019 American Football Conference divisional round, critics have voiced their concerns over just how far quarterback Lamar Jackson can carry the team. This year’s Ravens are seeking to flip the script, and they seem to be doing just that. Baltimore is coming off a 34-10 smackdown of the promising Houston Texans. While Lamar’s passing stats weren’t eye-popping, his ability in the run game was apparent. Against Houston, Jackson posted 101 rushing yards, an 85.0 PFF rushing grade, and six rushes of 10 or more yards, all of which were his second-highest of the season. Lamar seems to have re-discovered his ceiling as a rusher, and that could be key for the Ravens.
Baltimore’s defense was led by a seven-pressure day from Justin Madubuike and the rest of the defensive line graded out very highly. While the Ravens' defense didn’t produce eye-popping statistics, they did a great job of keeping the high-flying Texans' offense in check. The Ravens have all the momentum in the world: their 11 victories and +202 point differential against teams with winning records prove that when they play good opponents, they don’t just beat them. They dominate. Baltimore will be heading into their matchup against Kansas City with tons of confidence, but they’ll be wary of a frisky Chiefs team that’s out for blood.
The Chiefs, on the other hand, have had their fair share of setbacks. Coming off an embarrassing Christmas Day game where they were humbled by the Aidan O’Connell-led Raiders, things looked bleak. Forget competing for the one seed. The 9-6 Chiefs were fighting for their playoff lives. Patrick Mahomes looked uncharacteristic, the Kansas City offense was all over the place, and the stellar play of Steve Spagnuolo’s defense seemed destined to be wasted. However, in classic Chiefs fashion, they turned it around, clinched the division in week 17, and now seem like their old selves.
Last week was probably their best performance yet, as the Chiefs went into Buffalo as three-point underdogs and, in a riveting back-and-forth affair, emerged victorious. There were doubters, myself included, who believed that Mahomes would struggle in a playoff game away from Arrowhead. However, the superstar seems to have silenced all opposition, as he went 17/23 with 215 yards and two touchdowns against a sneakily elite Buffalo defense. Mahomes was near flawless, with zero turnover-worthy plays. His 86.4 PFF passing grade was his second-highest grade of the season. Outside of Mahomes, the Chiefs offense benefited from Travis Kelce, who built on his decent wildcard performance with an even better game against Buffalo. On defense, rookie fourth-round safety Chamarri Conner was stellar, leading the team with a 90.2 PFF grade. Defensive tackle Chris Jones was his usual disruptive self, making perhaps the play of the game, where he forced a Josh Allen incompletion to Khalil Shakir in the endzone with the game on the line. Last week once again taught the football world to never count Mahomes and the Chiefs out. Kansas City heads into Baltimore as 3.5-point underdogs, but they look primed for an upset.
The stage has been set. Who comes out on top? Will the Ravens head to their first Super Bowl since 2012, or will the Chiefs continue their reign of terror on the rest of the NFL? While the Chiefs are the more experienced team, it is difficult to pick against the Ravens, who are playing some high-quality football. Ultimately, this will be a low-scoring affair, but when the clock hits zero, Baltimore will emerge as the victor. The Chiefs’ biggest strength on offense matches up poorly against the Ravens. Last week, Kansas City was able to exploit a depleted Bills linebacker core as Travis Kelce had two receptions for 44 yards against LB AJ Klein. The Bills LB allowed a total of four receptions on four targets for 77 yards. It won’t be that easy this week, as Baltimore’s fearsome LB duo of Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen have been stellar in coverage.
While the Chiefs were able to contain Josh Allen toward the end of the game, Lamar’s rushing style and playmaking ability are on a different level. The Ravens will also benefit from having their superstar TE Mark Andrews back, which adds another dimension to the offense. Put simply, the Ravens have a better offense and a better defense. It’s really difficult to bet against Mahomes, but this could be the game where the Chiefs’ thin receiving core comes back to bite them.
If the Chiefs want to win this one, they must get ahead early and try their best to limit Baltimore’s run game. Force Lamar into more passing situations and make him attempt high-pressure throws. Kansas City needs to play mistake-free football. They’ve done it before, and it is definitely in the range of outcomes for them to do it again. However, it’s unlikely. Regardless of the outcome, this matchup has the makings to be a game that football fans talk about for years to come. Get the popcorn ready. Homework can wait. This is must-see television.
By Atul Venkatesh '27
The Kansas City Chiefs will meet the Baltimore Ravens at rainy M&T Bank Stadium to kick off the Conference Championship weekend of the NFL playoffs. Vegas currently favors the first-seed Baltimore Ravens at -3.5. The Ravens are entering this game off of a dominating performance against the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round, while the Chiefs are coming off of a three-point win against Buffalo.
Considering the rainy weather, the biggest threat to the Chiefs’ offense this game will be drops. The team led the NFL in drops with a staggering 44 throughout the regular season. The final six weeks of the regular season were tumultuous for the team, featuring losses against the Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Buffalo Bills. However, they have been able to find success in the postseason with a 21-point win against the Miami Dolphins and a three-point win against the second-seeded Bills. For the Chiefs to have the potential to win this game, rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice and elite tight end Travis Kelce need to keep their hands on the ball. In terms of injuries, Isiah Pacheo’s questionable status is a huge factor in the potential outcome of the game. Despite the two elite quarterbacks on the field, Patrick Mahomes for the Chiefs and Lamar Jackson for the Ravens, a rainy game is likely to be rush-heavy. Losing Isiah Pacheo would cause a huge disruption to a rain-game offense. Defensively, the Chief’s are elite, keeping their opponents to only 17.3 points a game, on average. Unfortunately, their weakness lies on their rushing defense, where they allow the 15th most yards in the NFL. The defense will have to be sure to contain Ravens’ running back Gus Edwards to prevent scoring.
The Ravens’ offense, led by MVP candidate and first-team All-Pro quarterback Lamar Jackson has looked dominant all season, further proven by their 24-point win against the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round. During the regular season, the team boasted an impressive .765 win percentage and earned the first seed in the AFC, granting them a bye week. Jackson, the current MVP favorite, has the fourth-highest average adjusted quarterback rating in the league and is sixth in PFF passer rating. Additionally, the Ravens have unlocked another offensive weapon for this game through the activation of elite tight end Mark Andrews. The tight end has 544 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns this season despite only playing 5 games due to an ankle injury. Defensively, the Ravens are particularly successful, with first-team All-Pro defensive lineman Justin Maduike boasting 13 sacks and second-team All-Pro defensive end Jadevon Clowney currently sitting with 9.5. Additionally, the Ravens defense is dominant in the red zone. During the regular season, they had the second-lowest red-zone touchdown percentage in the league. Similar to the Chiefs, the Ravens do not have a particularly good rush defense, allowing the 18th most rushing yards in the league. If Isiah Pacheco is active for the game, the Ravens will need to be sure to step up their rushing defense.
Overall, because of the Chiefs’ inconsistencies on offense this season combined with the rainy weather, I believe that the Ravens will take this one home and earn themselves a well-deserved trip to Las Vegas. Jackson’s elite quarterback play combined with the returning weapon of Mark Andrew is a perfect setup for an impressive performance this Sunday. Assuming that running back Isiah Pacheo is active, the team will be able to exploit the Ravens’ weakness on defense to keep the game competitive. My final prediction: Ravens win 24-20
By Liv Pyrczak '27