Keys to Victory for Kansas City Heading into Baltimore
The two titans of the AFC are set to square off in this Sunday's AFC Championship for a trip to the beloved Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes will look to lead his Chiefs to their fourth Super Bowl in the last five years. On the flip side, Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson will be fighting to go to his first career SB and the Ravens' first appearance since their win in 2012. Two former MVP Quarterbacks, both looking to reach the pinnacle of North American sports. Two teams willing to lay it all out for a chance at the Lombardi trophy, but only one will reign supreme.
Kansas City Keys to Victory
- Establish the run game and stick to it.
The focus of this game will primarily be surrounding the star-studded matchup at Quarterback. However, a significant player in Kansas City's offensive success is the sustainability of the run game. The Chiefs are a staggering 7-2 this season when rushing for over 100 yards as a team. Two of those wins came in the past two weeks, as a balanced offensive approach has made them unbeatable in the postseason thus far.
- Limit Drops from WR room
What may not come as a surprise, is undoubtedly necessary to win this weekend. The KC receiving core has been downright bad this year, aside from Rookie standout Rashee Rice. The Chiefs led the league in dropped passes this season, leaving multiple points and extra possessions on the field. If this offense wants to thrive against the league's best defense they must take advantage of every opportunity and not take anything for granted.
- Defense must stop the run/ create turnovers
I will put it simply for this one: if you don't stop Lamar and the Raven's rushing attack, you will not beat this team. Jackson's ability in the run game has been glamourized by many since his high school days, and nothing has changed. Number eight is as explosive as any Running back in the league. Still, he is also as effective a passer as any other QB. With all that factored in, Jackson still makes mistakes like anyone else. In the three losses the Ravens had this year (not counting the week 17 loss), one consistent thing to note was Jackson turning the ball over. KC was second in sacks this year only to Baltimore and for them to win, All-Pro DT Chris Jones must rally his troops to swarm the line of scrimmage. Create consistent pressure and play off that to create turnovers or unfavorable situations for the Baltimore offense.
Conclusion:
For Kansas City to advance to its fourth Super Bowl in recent years, it will take maximum effort from all parties. Patrick Mahomes and the offense must play clean and balanced during the game. At the same time, this defense must remain steady in containing a high-powered rushing attack. Both teams will leave it all on the line Sunday night in what should be a game for the ages.