Baltimore @ Kansas City preview
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Last Meeting ( Dec 20, 2015 ) Kansas City 34, Baltimore 14
The league’s highest-scoring offense and its stingiest defense square off Sunday, when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens in a matchup of AFC playoff contenders. The high-scoring Chiefs hope to maintain their one-game lead in the AFC West, while the hard-nosed Ravens are trying to hang on to the last wild-card spot.
The Chiefs average an NFL-best 37 points per game - a total the Ravens have reached only once this season. Baltimore’s defense has been especially dominant during the team's three-game winning streak - it held Atlanta to 131 total yards in last week's 26-16 victory - but it will face its toughest test yet against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. “In reality, holding this team to what we did last (week) is probably not going to happen,” Baltimore safety Eric Weddle told reporters. “But we can make things tough on them. We can create turnovers. We can hold them in the red zone.” Baltimore has held its last three opponents to 255 total yards or fewer, while Kansas City’s season low for total offense is 330 against Arizona.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Chiefs -6.5. O/U: 51.5
ABOUT THE RAVENS (7-5): While Joe Flacco (hip) returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday, rookie Lamar Jackson is expected to make his fourth straight start, which limits the Ravens in the passing game but gives them a dynamic rushing attack. Baltimore has rolled up more than 200 rushing yards in the three games Jackson has started, as fellow rookie Gus Edwards has gained 315 in the last three contests. The defense, which ranks second against the pass, has allowed over 300 such yards only once all season, while the Chiefs average 345.3.
ABOUT THE CHIEFS (10-2): Kansas City’s passing game has been nothing short of prolific, as Mahomes leads the NFL with 41 touchdown passes - including 11 to speedster Tyreek Hill and nine to tight end Travis Kelce. The ground game certainly took a hit with Kareem Hunt’s release, but Spencer Ware has averaged 4.8 yards per carry this season and is a reliable target out of the backfield. The biggest question for the Chiefs is whether or not the defense can stop playoff-caliber opponents, and the secondary is especially suspect as the team ranks last against the pass.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Mahomes has passed for four or more touchdowns seven times this season - second-most in NFL history.
2. The Ravens are the first team with three straight games of 200 or more rushing yards since Jacksonville in 2010.
3. Kansas City DT Chris Jones has recorded a sack in eight straight contests.
PREDICTION: Chiefs 27, Ravens 24