Chiefs take down Ravens to lift the AFC Championship and advance to Super Bowl LVIII
The Kansas City Chiefs are so used to being the favorite that Patrick Mahomes finds it difficult to accept the underdog label.
And when it comes to big games, Mahomes is the best quarterback in the league right now.
Mahomes improved to 14-3 as a starting quarterback in the postseason, and the Chiefs advanced to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five seasons after defeating the host Baltimore Ravens 17-10 in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
The top-seeded Ravens sabotaged themselves with three turnovers, while the third-seeded Chiefs won on the road for the second straight week without making a mistake. Kansas City defeated the Buffalo Bills 27-24 in the divisional round.
"We've been underdogs for the last few games, but we never feel like underdogs," Mahomes said. "We got a lot of guys on this team that know how to win, and when playoffs came around, we knew we were going to make it happen."
Travis Kelce caught a touchdown pass and had 11 receptions for 116 yards, setting an NFL postseason record.
Kelce has 156 career postseason receptions, surpassing legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice (151). He also tied the Hall of Famer for his eighth career 100-yard receiving game in the playoffs.
The Chiefs will take on the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII on February 11 in Las Vegas. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Detroit Lions 34-31 in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.
"I never think it's about the destination, but the journey to get to the destination," said defensive end Chris Jones, one of several Chiefs players vying for a second consecutive Super Bowl victory.
Kansas City defeated the Philadelphia Eagles last season.
Mahomes completed 30 of 39 passes for 241 yards, and L'Jarius Sneed and Deon Bush provided key fourth-quarter takeaways for the Chiefs. Isiah Pacheco rushed for a touchdown for Kansas City.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson completed 20 of 37 passes for 272 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He rushed for 54 yards, a team high, but was sacked four times.
Jackson may be the favorite to win NFL MVP, but he wasn't in top form during his first career AFC Championship Game.
"I'm angry about losing," Jackson said. "We were a game away from the Super Bowl. We've been waiting all this time, all these moments for an opportunity like this and we fell short."
Zay Flowers caught five passes for 115 yards and a touchdown, but he fumbled near the goal line, resulting in a fourth-quarter touchback.
Roquan Smith recorded 16 tackles for Baltimore, which committed three turnovers while Kansas City committed none and held the ball for 37:30. Baltimore was penalized eight times, five for first downs, totaling 95 yards.
"Today we weren't good enough," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "Congratulations to the Chiefs. They won the game but that doesn't take away one thing from what we've done this year."
"We didn't make enough plays to win the game."
With 2:34 remaining, Justin Tucker hit a 43-yard field goal to bring the Ravens within 17-10.
Any chance of regaining possession vanished when Mahomes completed a 32-yard pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling just before the two-minute warning. The Chiefs took three knees to run out the clock.
Baltimore was trailing by ten points when Sneed forced Flowers to fumble at the Kansas City one-yard line on the first play of the fourth quarter. Trent McDuffie of the Kansas City Chiefs recovered in the end zone for a touchback.
On their next possession, the Ravens drove to the Chiefs' 25, but Jackson threw into triple coverage to tight end Isaiah Likely. Bush, who had only played one previous play as a substitute for injured safety Mike Edwards, intercepted the pass in the end zone with 6:45 remaining.
Kansas City outgained the Ravens 221-110, taking a 17-7 halftime lead.
The Chiefs scored first, with 7:41 remaining in the first quarter, when Mahomes completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to Kelce. Kelce's 19th touchdown catch in postseason play put him three behind Rice's record.
Baltimore tied the game less than three minutes later when Jackson completed a 30-yard scoring pass to Flowers. Jackson avoided Leo Chenal's sack attempt before spotting Flowers behind the Kansas City defense.
With 10:56 left in the second quarter, Pacheco scored on a 2-yard run, giving the Chiefs the lead. Kansas City dominated the game, covering 75 yards in 16 plays in 9:02.
Harrison Butker added a 52-yard field goal with four seconds remaining in the first half.
SportsLigue