Tag: AFC Championship Game
Chiefs Ravens AFC Championship Picks, UNDER Bet?
Ravens activate TE Mark Andrews ahead of AFC title game
The Baltimore Ravens activated tight end Mark Andrews off injured reserve on Friday in time for Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the visiting Kansas City Chiefs.
Andrews hasn’t played since Nov. 16 when he suffered an ankle injury in a win against the Cincinnati Bengals. At the time, it was believed Andrews wouldn’t play again until the 2024 season.
His availability will give Lamar Jackson and the No. 1 seed Ravens another option, and the quarterback said earlier this week that having his top tight end back would be huge for the offense.
“With Mark and the type of guy he is, the type of caliber player he is, and what he brings to the table for us, it would definitely mean a lot for us,” Jackson said.
Andrews, 28, caught 45 passes for 544 yards in 10 games this season before the injury. He scored six touchdowns.
The Ravens selected Andrews in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. A 2021 All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl selection, Andrews has 381 catches for 4,857 yards and 40 scores in 87 career games (42 starts).
–Field Level Media
Lamar Jackson: Chiefs-Ravens showdown ‘a heavyweight fight’
The Kansas City Chiefs are in the AFC Championship Game for the sixth straight season and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson indicates that it’s time to put up your dukes.
Jackson sees a slugfest on the horizon as the top-seeded Ravens host the third-seeded Chiefs on Sunday afternoon with a Super Bowl LVIII berth on the line.
Jackson is the heavy favorite to win his second NFL MVP award as he steps into the big-game ring with Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City’s two-time MVP and owner of two Super Bowl rings.
“I don’t like competing against him at all,” Jackson said of Mahomes with a laugh. “He’s a great quarterback. It’s a no-brainer; he’s definitely a Hall of Famer.
“I believe it’s two up-and-coming greats going toe to toe, like a heavyweight fight, a heavyweight matchup. That’s what I see.”
The two signal-callers have met four times in the regular season with Mahomes winning three times. In the most recent matchup, Jackson and the Ravens pulled out a 36-35 home victory on Sept. 19, 2021.
The stakes are significantly higher this week with Baltimore looking to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since winning the title in the 2012 season. Sunday’s showdown is the Ravens’ first conference championship game since that time.
The Chiefs have won at least two playoff games in five straight seasons and Mahomes is 13-3 as a playoff starter. The game in Baltimore follows a 24-21 win against the Buffalo Bills that marked Mahomes’ first postseason road start.
Mahomes now goes from a brawl in Buffalo to trading jabs with Jackson.
“It’s challenging. The way he can be a competitor and score the football and the way their entire team plays, it’s a tall task,” Mahomes said. “You have to go out and play your best and if you make any mistakes, it seems the game is going to go the other way.
“I have admired watching him from afar and know it’s going to be a great challenge every time we go up against him.”
Jackson passed for a career-high 3,678 yards in the regular season while throwing 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions. He also led all NFL quarterbacks with 821 rushing yards.
He also posted a career-best 67.2 completion percentage.
“He’s a MVP-caliber quarterback,” Chiefs star defensive end Chris Jones said. “Just how dynamic as a player he is. … It’s going to be tough. It will be a challenge.”
Mahomes saw his passing yardage (5,250 last season to 4,183) and touchdown passes (41 to 27) dip substantially while throwing a career-worst 14 interceptions.
Baltimore led the NFL in scoring defense (16.5 points per game) and was sixth in total defense (301.4 yards per game). Star linebacker Roquan Smith made it clear he doesn’t fear anyone.
“He puts his pants on just like any other quarterback,” Smith said. “Yes, he’s an elite quarterback, but at the end of the day, we’re an elite defense. And that’s our job — to stop the opposing offense. That’s our job play-in and play-out and that’s what we’ve got to do.”
Mahomes threw two touchdown passes to Travis Kelce against Buffalo to give them a postseason record for a duo at 16. They broke the mark set by former New England Patriots Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.
Star safety Kyle Hamilton is one of the Baltimore players who will have Kelce in his sights.
“He’s earned every ounce of respect that he’s gotten to this point and it’s going to be a challenge,” Hamilton said of Kelce.
Kansas City hard-charging running back Isiah Pacheco (toe) missed Wednesday’s practice but said he’ll be on the field Sunday.
“Absolutely,” Pacheco said. “Working with the training room … will continue to get better every day.”
Standout left guard Joe Thuney (pectoral) also sat out after being injured against the Bills. He is expected to miss Sunday’s game.
Also missing practice for the Chiefs were safety Mike Edwards (concussion), nose tackle Derrick Nnadi (triceps), receiver Skyy Moore (knee) and guard Trey Smith (illness).
For Baltimore, tight end Mark Andrews (ankle) and cornerback Marlon Humphrey (calf) were on the practice field and aiming to play Sunday. Andrews practiced in full. He has missed the past seven games since being injured on Nov. 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Humphrey was limited. He has missed two games, including last weekend’s 34-10 win over the Houston Texans in the divisional round. Returner/receiver Tylan Wallace (knee) missed the session.
–Field Level Media
Chiefs clear Patrick Mahomes for AFC title game; Travis Kelce (back) questionable
If there had been any lingering doubt about star quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ injury status, it was put to rest Friday when Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Mahomes will start Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the visiting Cincinnati Bengals.
Mahomes suffered a right ankle injury, reported to be a high ankle sprain, in last Saturday’s divisional round victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“He’s moving around (well),” Reid told reporters. “He can go out and play.”
Mahomes was injured when Arden Key of the Jacksonville Jaguars landed on his right leg during the first quarter of the divisional round. Mahomes fell awkwardly under the weight of Key’s body and missed the second quarter before returning for the second half of the 27-20 victory.
Mahomes first tested the leg in practice on Wednesday and was a full participant in practice all week. He carries no designation on Kansas City’s final injury report of the week.
“When we get in the game, you know adrenaline is going to take over and you can make those throws when you need to,” he said earlier in the week.
Mahomes is a finalist for NFL MVP honors after passing for 41 touchdowns and a career-high 5,250 yards during the regular season. He won the league MVP award in 2018.
Three Chiefs players are listed as questionable for the game, two of whom only popped up on the report Friday: tight end Travis Kelce (back) and wide receiver Justin Watson (illness). Kelce was a full participant in practice while Watson sat out.
Another pass-catcher, receiver Mecole Hardman, is questionable with a pelvis injury. He was limited in all three days of practice.
–Field Level Media
Ticket sales are brisk for possible AFC title game in Atlanta
More than 50,000 tickets were sold in the first 24 hours for a possible AFC Championship Game in Atlanta, the NFL said Friday.
The contest would be played Jan. 29 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium only if the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs and second-seeded Buffalo Bills both win their divisional round games this weekend.
Season-ticket holders of the Chiefs and Bills were given priority to purchase tickets.
The neutral-site conference title game was chosen by the NFL in response to the cancellation of a Jan. 2 contest between the Bills and host Cincinnati Bengals after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field due to cardiac arrest.
The contest was initially suspended that night before being postponed. The NFL decided later that week that the game wouldn’t be played, leaving the Bills (13-3) to play one fewer regular-season game than the Chiefs (14-3).
If the two teams had finished the season with the same record, Buffalo would have hosted the AFC Championship Game due its regular-season win at Kansas City.
The Chiefs host the fourth-seeded Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday, while the Bills host the third-seeded Bengals on Sunday. If either Kansas City or Buffalo lose this weekend, the highest-remaining seed will host the AFC title game.
The NFL said ticket purchases will be refunded if there is no neutral-site game.
–Field Level Media
Bills, Chiefs fans get first shot at AFC title game tickets
Bills and Chiefs fans were granted first access to AFC Championship Game tickets for the potential neutral-field matchup in Atlanta next weekend.
Divisional playoff games this weekend will determine the site of the game, which could be played in Atlanta as a result of the cancellation of Buffalo’s game at Cincinnati in Week 17.
If Kansas City defeats the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Bills knock off the Bengals, the AFC Championship Game will be played in Atlanta.
A win by either the Jaguars or Bengals would make the sale of tickets moot, and refunds will be issued, the NFL said.
Moving the game to Atlanta might be a weather win for all involved.
Jan. 29 historically rates as the coldest day of the year in Buffalo, N.Y., although the Bills play home games in Orchard Park. The average low the past 10 years was 4 degrees.
On Jan. 29, 2022, the high temperature in Kansas City, Mo., was 34 degrees.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is home to the Atlanta Falcons, and the $1.5 million retractable roof dome stadium was completed in 2017.
The NFL released additional details for the sale of tickets for a potential AFC title game in Atlanta, which would be played Jan. 29 at 6:30 p.m. ET.
“Season Ticket Members for both teams who previously opted-in to purchase AFC Championship Game tickets will have an exclusive presale opportunity to buy tickets to the potential AFC title game in Atlanta at a preferred rate beginning at 10 am ET/9 am CT on Wednesday, January 18,” the release read.
The “Monday Night Football” game in Week 17 was postponed in the first quarter due to Damar Hamlin’s on-field medical emergency. The NFL canceled the game three days later as part of a corresponding ruling regarding home-field advantage in the conference.
–Field Level Media
Atlanta to host potential Bills-Chiefs AFC title game
Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta has been selected as the neutral site location for a potential AFC Championship Game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, the NFL announced Thursday.
The game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 29.
NFL owners approved a resolution last Friday to adjust the AFC playoffs in order to address the competitive inequities created by the cancellation of the Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game in Week 17. That game was postponed on Jan. 2 after Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the field.
Hamlin has been discharged from a Buffalo hospital and will continue his rehabilitation at home.
“We are heartened by the continued improvement and progress of Damar Hamlin in his recovery, and Damar and his family remain top of mind for the entire NFL community,” league commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement on Thursday.
“We are also grateful to Arthur Blank and the Atlanta Falcons for agreeing to host the AFC Championship Game in Atlanta should the Bills and Chiefs advance. We thank both of those clubs for their assistance in the planning process. We know, if necessary, Mercedes-Benz Stadium will provide a world class atmosphere for the competing teams, our fans and partners.”
Per the NFL, Atlanta already had been designated as a potential backup site for postseason games prior to the start of the 2022 season. It also is almost equidistant from both Buffalo and Kansas City.
The second-seeded Bills (13-3) host the Miami Dolphins (9-8) on Sunday during the AFC wild-card round. The Chiefs (14-3) clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed and lone bye following their 31-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders last Saturday.
–Field Level Media