Real-Time Instant Game Analysis-Chiefs Keep Rolling Against Game Ravens

    It’s only week three, and a certain sense of inevitability, the good kind, has settled over the Kansas City Chiefs. The fact that two dominating performances by each team already has fans looking to fast forward to a Patriots-Chiefs AFC Championship game didn’t mute excitement for week three in Kansas City and the home opener against the only other team that has entered the AFC conversation, the 2-0 Baltimore Ravens. Lamar Jackson against….ahem….the guy behind him in quarterback rating, Patrick Mahomes.

     After a grounding penalty and a sack torpedoed the Chiefs opening drive (and doesn’t is just seem like a buzzkill and a surprise a Chiefs drive doesn’t net points), the Ravens succeeded in showing the bravado needed to even hang with the Chiefs. Taking repeated deep shots, flashing physicality and Jackon’s legs, they spurned a field goal, converted a fourth and three on their way to a TD, and didn’t on a two-point conversion. The message from John Harbaugh was clear….conservative football is not going to get it done.

    The Chiefs immediately did what they do and marched down the field. The Ravens were getting, and taking shots, at Mahomes, but they paid the price on a horse collar tackle on a third down play that would have forced a field goal. It turn it into a touchdown drive, and the Chiefs played standard football, kicked the point, and led 7-6. Goofy note time, the TD came on the second play of the 2nd quarter, meaning that the Chiefs had scored in only one their previous five periods. Yeah, that’s pretty insignificant when you can score 28 in a quarter.

     The Ravens get the ball and it looks like they won’t ever punt unless it’s more than 4th and three. Two more attempts on the drive, first works, second doesn’t, and the Chiefs have the ball at midfield. The Ravens are making clear that they want to possess the ball, and keeping it out of Mahomes mitts. It becomes obvious why when the Chiefs zip down the field courtesy of Patrick and two young receivers. Mecole Hardman turns a busted play into a big gainer on a play where Mahomes spurned throwing a block to wisely hookslide, and then Demarcus Robinson makes a circus one-hand catch for a touchdown. The second quarter seems to becoming a Chiefs thing…..14-6.

     A combination of the Chiefs defense and a couple of shaky calls has stalled the Ravens, and the length of drive required is no object as the Chiefs next time around go 94 yards in three plays, the last a bomb to Hardman. A mere seven touchdowns in the last two second quarters and despite Harrison Butker missing the extra point, all seems well at 20-6. Jackson seems to be confused by the coverage of the Chiefs secondary, his only throwing success is coming to the tight ends, and not much of that either. The Chiefs get a crack at matching their second quarter touchdown total from last week. But Andy Reid calls an odd last time out with ten seconds left, then surprisingly spurns a crack at the end zone, and opts for a field goal. Three points it is. 23-6 at the half, and it certainly looks like a nap might be available during the second half. Standard issue excellence for Mahomes at 20-25 for 273 and two touchdowns.

     The Ravens came out running, and successfully, on their first drive of the second half. But they faced the same conundrum the Chiefs give every opponent. They can run the ball, but that takes time, and the Chiefs are already up seventeen, and the Ravens have shown no signs of stopping Mahomes. But Baltimore does stuff it down the field for a quick TD, and then when a low snap with a wet ball screws up a fourth down bid around midfield for the Chiefs, there is a tiny window of drama midway through the third at 23-13.

     The Chiefs defense doesn’t toss in too many three and outs, but they picked a good time for one, blunting the best field position of the day for the Ravens and handing the ball back to the offense. A weird drive with penalties all over the place leaves the Chiefs with a 2nd and 9 inside the twenty. Andy Reid calls a screen pass against a jailbreak blitz, and that’s damn good business. Shady McCoy walks in and order is restored at 30-13.

     Baltimore won’t quite go away, as the Mark Ingram scores for the third time, but a rather curious  decision to go for two fails, and creates about as much interest as the 30-19 scoreline.  As rare as the Chiefs D producing a three-and out is the Chiefs offense doing so, but it happens and the Ravens get the ball with ten minutes to go still breathing, however lightly. They get a field goal to give themselves the old stop, score, and get a two point conversion at 30-22.

     The Chiefs then proceed to show how tough they are to catch, by actually running the ball down the field, to a seeming clinching field goal by Butker at 33-22. But Lamar Jackson wanted to keep Chiefs fans from beating the brutal construction traffic, and drives his team to another score. Kicking the extra point after each of the last two scores would have made it a three point game, but the Ravens have to go for two again, and Jackson comes up a foot short. A uqique drop-kick onside kick fails, and another scree on third down puts the game to bed 33-28.

     The bottom line in 2019 Chiefs games is that the opponent has to do more things right than they likely are capable of, most of that having to do with the Chiefs offense. The Ravens actually did enough things to win many games on Sunday, but not against the Chiefs. Now it’s the Lions turn.

     Good luck.