As if we hadn’t learned already, Patrick Mahomes is here to remind us again — count out the Kansas City Chiefs at your own peril.
The Baltimore Ravens had looked unstoppable on the way to being crowned the AFC’s best during the regular season and then disposed of the Houston Texans with ease to book a date with the defending champions.
But this wasn’t the Kansas City team that won the Super Bowl last year.
Mahomes himself admitted earlier in the week that this had potentially been the most challenging season of his career.
*Odds are current as of 29th January 2024, 1:01pm AEST
VIEW ALL SCORES
*Odds are current as of 29th January 2024, 1:01pm AEST
VIEW ALL SCORES
And yet, here he is again. Here the Chiefs are again. In the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five seasons after defeating the Ravens 17-10 in Baltimore on Monday morning.
Watch every game of the NFL Postseason including the Super Bowl, LIVE on ESPN via Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Courageous Chiefs Super Bowl bound again | 01:56
Mahomes had not played in a post-season game on the road outside of the Super Bowl before this playoffs run. Now he has played in two. He’s won both too.
The Chiefs now await the winner of Monday’s NFC Championship game between San Francisco and Detroit in the Super Bowl in a fortnight.
Mahomes completed 30 of 39 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown in the win while tight end Travis Kelce wound back the clock with 116 yards and a score.
The Chiefs signalled their intentions early on Monday, scoring a touchdown on their opening drive to take a 7-0 lead as Mahomes connected with Kelce for a 19-yard score.
Kansas City forced an early three-and-out on Baltimore to open the game and then methodically worked its way down the field with three consecutive 10-yard plays, with running back Isiah Pacheco heavily involved both on the ground and in the air.
A holding penalty on Ravens cornerback Arthur Maulet then gifted the Chiefs a full set of downs right near the red zone and Mahomes was quick to take advantage, finding Kelce for the touchdown.
It was the first score that Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton had given up to a tight end this season.
The Ravens though hit right back as Lamar Jackson showcased his escapability from the pocket, buying enough time to find rookie Zay Flowers for a 30-yard touchdown.
It came after big 21 and 15-yard running plays from Jackson and running back Gus Edwards respectively.
While Jackson is the league’s most noted rushing quarterback with 821 yards and five touchdowns on the ground heading into Monday’s game, Mahomes is also capable of extending plays with his legs.
And the Chiefs quarterback did just that to find Kelce for a critical 10-yard gain on a 3rd-and-5 before later scrambling four yards on a 3rd-and-3 to keep the Kansas City drive going.
That set up Pachecho to motor into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown, putting the Chiefs ahead 14-7.
The Kansas City defence was then able to step up on the next drive and force a fumble from Jackson as he stepped back to pass, with Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis diving on the ball.
It could have tipped the game in the Chiefs’ favour given the way Baltimore had quickly marched down the field to score after Kansas City’s opening touchdown of the game.
Instead, the Ravens defence — like it had all season — stood tall to deny Pacheco on a 4th-and-1 run and force a turnover on downs.
It came after an eight-yard catch from Kelce saw the Chiefs tight end (152) make history, breaking Jerry Rice’s all-time record for playoff receptions.
Ravens vs. Chiefs gets spicy in warm up | 00:25
The Ravens were forced to punt the ball away on their next two drives before halftime and the Chiefs were facing the same prospect, pinned deep inside their own half on their final drive before a pair of 15-yard penalties quickly gifted Kansas City favourable field position.
It appeared as if Kansas City would be at least able to settle for a field goal, although two-straight 10-yard penalties for offensive holding moved them out of kicking range.
That was, until Mahomes’ favoured target stepped up once again with a nine-yard Kelce catch giving Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker a chance and he made a 52-yard attempt.
It saw Kansas City take a 17-7 lead into halftime, with Mahomes completing 20 of 25 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown in the period while adding a handy 18 yards on the ground.
Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, meanwhile, only completed the five passes for 67 yards and a touchdown but was not helped by a non-existent running game.
Jackson led the Ravens with four carries for 27 yards at the half while the team’s running back duo of Gus Edwards and Justice Hill combined for four carries and 18 yards.
The Ravens opened the third quarter with 10 plays for just 35 yards, seemingy lost for ideas to get their stagnant offence going against Steve Spagnuolo’s defence.
That was, until a deep shot for Flowers produced the goods. It came off play action as Jackson sold the hand-off and then launched a deep ball to the rookie receiver.
Flowers showed his inexperience as he taunted L’Jarius Sneed on the ground, which resulted in a 15-yard penalty.
Still, it was exactly the kind of big play Baltimore needed and Flowers looked to have made it to the end zone for his second touchdown of the score when he zipped forward off an eight-yard pass from Jackson.
Sneed though got revenge with what Tony Romo described in commentary as “the biggest play of the season”, punching the ball out as Flowers dived for the touchdown as the play was ruled a touchback and Kansas City regained possesion.
For a team that had largely been faultless all season long, the Ravens saved one of their worst games for when it mattered most.
Uncharacteristic errors and missed opportunities proved costly, as was the case when Jackson tried to fit a ball through a tight window for tight end Isaiah Likely in the end zone.
The problem? There were three Chiefs defenders there too and nine times out of 10 when you throw into triple coverage you get picked off, as was the case for Jackson.
Incredibly, despite Baltimore’s struggles on offence, the Ravens made it a one-score game heading into the final two minutes after a Justin Tucker field goal.
The Ravens had a chance to either steal the win late or at least sent it to overtime but Kansas City was able to covert a 3rd-and-9 with a bold play call as Mahomes connected with Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who had problems with drops all season long, for a 32-yard gain.
They were just on a path to destruction all season long,” Jim Nantz said in commentary.
Except it ended at the AFC Championship game as Mahomes’ legacy grew once more.
BLOG:
Re-live all the action in our blog! Can’t see it? Click here!
