Tag: AFC Championship

Todd Monken deserves blame for Ravens loss in AFC Championship

Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken completely abandoned the No. 1 ranked Ravens rush attack in the AFC Championship.

The Baltimore Ravens ranked No. 1 in rush yards per game all season long. Yet, offensive coordinator Todd Monken opted for 37 pass plays in the AFC Championship.

If Monken thought Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo wouldn’t blitz his generic shotgun attack, think again. Quarterback Lamar Jackson struggled versus the Chiefs’ blitz all afternoon being sacked four times. Yet, instead of opting to run the ball to gain tempo, Monken insisted on reaching for home-run plays through the air.

Baltimore loss the time of possession stat 37:20 to 22:30, meaning, Monken basically left the Ravens’ defense out to rot.


Fueled by frustration, and endless trash talk from Chiefs tight-end Travis Kelce, linebacker Roquan Smith and the Ravens’ defense rendered some penalties. Still, Smith and the Ravens’ defense held the Chiefs to just 17 total points and a 2nd-half shutout through 73 plays (incredible).

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by NFL (@nfl)

Considering that this was Monken’s first-season making it this far in the NFL Playoffs, grace will be extended on his behalf. Hopefully he uses this experience as a compel to data-dump his ideals and call the plays that actually fit into the teams personnel.

Zay Flowers talks about his mistakes in Ravens’ AFC Championship loss

Zay Flowers talks about his mistakes in Ravens’ AFC Championship loss

A dominant season for the Baltimore Ravens came to an end on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship.

You can point to a plethora of mistakes made by the Ravens that ultimately cost them a trip to the Super Bowl, including a few crucial gaffes from rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers.

The first of a pair of plays that the standout rookie would want back came while Baltimore trailed by ten at the end of the third quarter when quarterback Lamar Jackson connected with Flowers for a 54-yard completion to set the offense up inside the 10-yard line. After the play, Flowers was called for taunting against cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, moving Baltimore back 15 yards to the 25-yard line.

The more costly error happened when Flowers fumbled the ball into the endzone for a touchback while diving for a potential touchdown just a few plays later in the same drive. Instead of cutting the lead to three, the Ravens lost possession of the ball and remained down 10 to start the fourth quarter.

Flowers then reopened a cut on his hand when he allowed his frustration to get the better of him on the sideline.

Flowers was asked after the game if he thought he broke the plane on the fumble.

“Yes, I thought I did, honestly, but I’ll learn from my mistakes,” Flowers said.

Veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was spotted consoling Flowers after the game.

Flowers was asked about the support of his teammates in such a difficult situation.

“I mean, those are my brothers – they are going to ride with me no matter what,” Flowers said.

Flowers finished the game with a team-leading 115 receiving yards and one touchdown on five catches. Two mistakes should not overshadow a great rookie season and a promising future.

Andy Reid applauds Chiefs’ mental toughness through long seasons

#Chiefs head coach Andy Reid applauded his team’s mental toughness through long seasons after Kansas City’s win over the #Ravens.

The familiar sound of the Kansas City Chiefs as AFC champions heading into a Super Bowl will never get old for the team’s many fans in Western Missouri. Experiencing this level of success is nearly impossible to keep up in today’s rapidly moving free-agency and trade market.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has devoted over 25 years to his craft and has seen almost everything in the league. He appreciates his player’s efforts annually, from rookie mini camps to this point. He explained the grind to reporters in his postgame press conference on Sunday.

“It’s tough the back-to-back-to-back seasons, that’s a tough thing,” Reid explained. “We played a lot of football games, and you’ve got to work through that. You [have] got to work through that mentally; that’s not an easy thing. So, I’m so happy for the guys and how they handled that.

“When it came time to put the hammer down, they put the hammer down, which was important. The best part is we’re not done; we’ve got another game, and you love the seasons to carry on as long as they can possibly carry on. We’re there, and now we gotta get right back at it. And start grinding for whoever wins us this game here.”

Since the 2018 season, the first with Mahomes as the starter, the Chiefs have played in the AFC Championship game and will now appear in their fourth Super Bowl. Reid acknowledges the toll playing late into seasons can have on a veteran team and understands the target on his players’ backs as they still overcome it and succeed.

“What you get is everybody’s best shot. So every week, you’re gonna get the best shot,” Reid said. “There are no games off for that stuff. Not in the NFL anyway, but they’re no games off. There’s no light opponent. You’ve got to bring it every week. So, again, to be in this position, that tells you a little bit something about the mental makeup of this football team.”

Reid is tied for third in most Super Bowl appearances for a head coach. He can join Joe Gibbs, Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh, and Bill Belichick as the only head coaches with three rings if the Chiefs are victorious in Super Bowl LVIII.

Chiefs GM Brett Veach calls QB Patrick Mahomes ‘a blessing’ for the franchise

Kansas City #Chiefs GM Brett Veach calls quarterback Patrick Mahomes ‘a blessing’ for the franchise.

The Kansas City Chiefs are heading to their fourth Super Bowl in five seasons, adding another exciting chapter to the team’s growing dynasty. It was a triumphant moment for everyone involved with the franchise, especially in the front office, making decisions for the personnel on the field.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach is often praised and criticized weekly for the team’s performance, considering he is one of the architects of the roster. He handles it well daily but doesn’t appreciate spectators or opponents not having faith in his franchise quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.

Veach spoke about his appreciation for Mahomes being the face of the franchise during the AFC Championship postgame press conference.

“It’s a blessing that he’s part of this organization. He’s the best, and I try to describe a player like him because of everything he does,” said Veach. “He gives everyone that belief and hope that doesn’t matter what the odds are and where we’re playing and where we’re going. If we have ’15’ (Patrick Mahomes) under center, we have a shot. So it’s really hard to explain someone that good, but he’s the best.”

Mahomes shredded the Baltimore secondary mainly in the first half, finishing the game 30-39 for 241 yards and a touchdown, securing his fourth trip to the Super Bowl. During the postseason, various forms of criticism have been thrown at the reigning league MVP regarding his lack of experience in road games and other picky moments that Veach doesn’t understand.

“I’m not sure why anyone would do that and throw shade at him like that because he’s gonna give you his best shot anyway.” said Veach, “So there’s no need to poke the bear. But if they want to do it, we certainly appreciate it.”

The Chiefs will seek back-to-back Super Bowl titles in two weeks in Las Vegas as they remember being in this position during the 2020 season. The result at that time was falling short to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but they went into this contest knowing they would genuinely have a neutral field.

Watch: Travis Kelce Gives Kyle Hamilton Props Following AFC Championship

Quite the compliment

We knew going into Sunday’s AFC Championship game that the Ravens ability, or inability, to slow down Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce would go a long way in determining the outcome.

Turns out the Ravens didn’t have enough answers as Kelce hauled in 11 receptions for 116-yards and a touchdown.

Former Notre Dame star Kyle Hamilton had a strong game in a losing effort, posting 11 tackles and being all over the field.  He did however get beat by Kelce on the game’s first touchdown – a play that Kelce made a great play on while Hamilton had him covered well.

So what did the future Hall of Fame tight end say to the All-Pro safety after the game?  Check out the interaction below:

“Good job man. You’re a ——- dog, man.  Did great, be here a long time.” – Travis Kelce to Kyle Hamilton

Losing one game away from the Super Bowl certainly hurts but a pretty strong compliment from arguably the best receiving tight end the NFL has ever seen.

[lawrence-related id=82204,82202,82198,82195]

 

Social Media Reacts to Kyle Hamilton’s Game vs. Chiefs

The Ravens fell but Hamilton certainly starred…

The Baltimore Ravens fell on their home field to the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.  Although the defeat, that didn’t mean a current NFL star didn’t raise his status around the league.

Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton was all over the field on Sunday as he recorded 11 tackles total, one of which was for a loss, and was effective in pressuring Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Hamilton wasn’t perfect but played really well.  He was covering future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce on the scoring play of the game when the future Hall of Famer simply made a better play on the ball.

With all that said, it was still a monster showing for Hamilton, who earned All-Pro recognition this season and social media took great notice of the former Notre Dame star’s game.

Patrick Mahomes better run from Ravens DT Justin Madubuike

Baltimore Ravens DT Justin Madubuike led his team with 13 sacks this season. Can Patrick Mahomes escape his wrath?

Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike led his team with 13 sacks this season. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes better avoid him at all costs in the AFC Championship.

The Ravens rank No. 1 in the NFL in total sacks with 60. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid better hope Mahomes has enough dance moves to shake off the blitz of Ravens’ defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald.

MacDonald shouldn’t hesitate to blitz Mahomes on passing downs, especially with Chiefs’ offensive guard Joe Thurney ruled out. Ravens’ linebackers Odafe Oweh and Jadeaveon Clowney will work to contain Mahomes inside and Madubuike may get a few clean-up sacks if Mahomes thinks he’ll be able to climb.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Baltimore Ravens (@ravens)

Madubuike will look to pummel Mahomes and halt the Chiefs run game in the AFC Championship. It’s almost game time.

The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: Previewing the NFL’s conference championship games

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys get you ready for Ravens-Chiefs, and 49ers-Lions. It’s conference championship time!

And then, there were four! It’s time for the conference championship round of the NFL playoffs, deciding which teams will play in Super Bowl LVIII. Greg Cosell of NFL Films and ESPN’s NFL Matchup, and Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire and the USA Today Sports Media Group, are here to get you ready for the most interesting matchups.

Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens

  • How will Lamar Jackson deal with Steve Spagnuolo’s unconventional blitzes?
  • Can Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco take over this game, and will “pin/pull” continue to be a thing?
  • Will Mike Macdonald’s Ravens defense cause Patrick Mahomes to hesitate in his process with all those coverage disguises?
  • How will Baltimore counter the Chiefs’ effective use of heavy personnel in the run and pass games?

Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers

  • Jared Goff has become much more than just a game manager, so how will Steve Wilks’ 49ers defense deal with that?
  • Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has done a brilliant job coaching up a cornerback-light roster. But will that turn into a pumpkin against Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers offense?
  • Is Brock Purdy’s bad game against the Packers in the divisional round indicative of vulnerabilities that can be exploited here?
  •  Will the Lions’ rookies on both sides of the ball be the ultimate difference in this game?

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os,” previewing both conference championship games in detail, right here:

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/NRvaPo0BPe8_50XPV7mB/1706158680452_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLnBvcHRvay5jb20vYW55Y2xpcC13aWRnZXQvbHJlLXdpZGdldC9wcm9kL3YxL3NyYy9scmUuanMiIGRhdGEtYXI9IjE2OjkiIGRhdGEtcGxpZD0ianpqaG15a3FuNHllZXVkZmhicHRrbWN5a2JsZG8za2MiIHB1Ym5hbWU9IjE5OTgiIHdpZGdldG5hbWU9IjAwMTZNMDAwMDJVMEIxa1FBRl9NODMyNSI+Cjwvc2NyaXB0Pg==”][/anyclip-media]

You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

How the Ravens, Chiefs, Lions, and 49ers get big plays out of heavy personnel

The Ravens, Chiefs, Lions, and 49ers all get more explosive plays out of heavy personnel than you might think, and here’s how they do it.

We tend to think of the modern NFL passing game as heavily dependent on multi-receiver sets, spread out to foil opposing defenses. But more and more, modern offensive coordinators are finding ways to use heavier personnel and some old-school ideas to score points.

All four of the remaining teams in the playoff picture — the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and San Francisco 49ers — have patented ways to break defenses in half with more tight ends, fullbacks, and extra offensive linemen than you might imagine.

You’ll see a lot of these concepts in Sunday’s conference championship games, and here they are. In case you’re not familiar with how numbers and personnel packages, here’s how that works.

  • 10 Personnel = 1 RB, 0 TE, 4 WRs
  • 11 Personnel = 1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WRs
  • 12 Personnel = 1 RB, 2 TEs, 2 WRs
  • 13 Personnel = 1 RB, 3 TEs, 1 WR
  • 21 Personnel = 2 RBs, 1 TE, 2 WRs
  • 22 Personnel = 2 RBs, 2 TEs, 1 WR

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys talked a lot about how all four teams will use their own ideas to set themselves up for possible Super Bowl berths.

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os,” previewing both conference championship games in detail, right here:

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/NRvaPo0BPe8_50XPV7mB/1706158680452_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLnBvcHRvay5jb20vYW55Y2xpcC13aWRnZXQvbHJlLXdpZGdldC9wcm9kL3YxL3NyYy9scmUuanMiIGRhdGEtYXI9IjE2OjkiIGRhdGEtcGxpZD0ianpqaG15a3FuNHllZXVkZmhicHRrbWN5a2JsZG8za2MiIHB1Ym5hbWU9IjE5OTgiIHdpZGdldG5hbWU9IjAwMTZNMDAwMDJVMEIxa1FBRl9NODMyNSI+Cjwvc2NyaXB0Pg==”][/anyclip-media]

You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.