The Ravens and Chiefs are battling it out for a chance to play in Super Bowl LVIII next month.
Early in the game, it was the Kansas City defense dominating rather than the feared Baltimore unit that everyone expected to see put pressure on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The Chiefs won the toss but elected to defer possession until the second half – a surprising move by many. But Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense could do nothing and offered the game’s first 3-and-out of the day.
The Chiefs took advantage and marched down the field on their first possession to score the day’s first points with a 10-play, 86-yard drive that took 5:45 off the clock and resulted in a 19-yard pass from Mahomes to star tight end Travis Kelce.
Mahomes went 5-for-5 for 57 yards on the drive that looked like the Ravens forgot how to play defense. Kansas City rattled off three straight 10-plus yard runs during the effort.
But Jackson and Baltimore would answer with a 30-yard touchdown pass to rookie wideout Zay Flowers that ended a six-play, 75-yard drive for Baltimore’s second possession, tying the score at 7-7.
The Kansas City offense marched again in the ensuing possession and took 9:02 off the clock in a 16-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended with a two-yard run by Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco for a 14-7 Kansas City lead.
Things looked bleak for the Ravens offense once again. Driving down the field for a potential game-tying score, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson dropped back to pass on a 1st and 10 from his own 36-yard line. The pocket collapsed quickly as Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu got a run on the signal caller and swiped at his throwing hand causing a fumble.
Jackson fell to the ground as Kansas City defensive end George Karlaftis fell on the ball at the 33-yard line of the Ravens. It’s Jackson’s 11th fumble of the season, possibly the only flaw in his game this year in an otherwise MVP performance.
But the Ravens’ defense held the Chiefs on that possession with a stop on 4th and 1 from the Baltimore 13-yard line.
As the half was drawing to a close, two unsportsmanlike penalties on the Ravens defense – on linebacker Kyle Van Noy for a headbutt and one on Travis Jones for clotheslining Mahomes – set the Chiefs up with under a minute to play.
A Mahomes-to-Kelce 21-yard completion put Kansas City at the Baltimore 29-yard line with 36 ticks left as Kelce broke Jerry Rice’s record for career playoff catches in NFL history.
But back-to-back holding calls on Kansas City didn’t just move the ball back 20 yards, it nullified a touchdown carry.
Harrison Butker made a 52-yard field goal to give the Chiefs a 17-7 lead as the teams entered the tunnel for halftime.
Jackson has completed just 5 of 12 passes for 67 yards for one touchdown and also lost a fumble. The Ravens’ offense has managed just 111 total yards in the first half. KC also owns the first down total with 16 to the Ravens’ five.
Mahomes is 20-of-25 for 161 yards and a touchdown pass as the Chiefs have racked up 221 total yards of offense in the first 30 minutes.
The Chiefs will have the ball first to start the second half.
