Sad News: This team felt different, even in light of their recent postseason disappointments. The quarterback had a distinct voice and mannerism. However, just one game shy of the Super Bowl, the Ravens collapsed in a 17-10 loss to the Chiefs at M&T Bank Stadium, a memory that will linger for a long time for this team.
Smith remarked, “I simply believe that it’s not getting the job done and just knowing our potential and the guys that you have in the locker room.” “Like everyone else, we all put a great deal on the line and then let ourselves down in that circumstance. It is awful. just realizing that we were getting close to our true goals.
“It’s terrible to consider how difficult it is to return to this position given all the hardships and challenges you had to overcome to get here,” Smith remarked. It’s difficult since a lot of things need to go your way for you to succeed in this. It stinks that we have been working so hard every day since OTAs with the coaches, that everyone has the same level of attendance that we did, and that everyone cares about each other.
Report card: Position-by-position grades for the AFC championship game loss of the Ravens to the Chiefs, 17-10
Mike Preston, The Baltimore Sun
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson’s offensive never found a rhythm. Though he was not at his best, he did have several instances when he misdirected and underthrew running backs and receivers out of the backfield. As it has been all season, Jackson’s stumbling and improvisation was the best play by the Ravens. This was supposed to be his NFL career-defining game. Rather, he and the Ravens were unsuccessful. In addition to rushing eight times for 54 yards, Jackson completed 20 of 37 passes for 272 yards, including one touchdown and one interception. His final passing score was 75.5. He occasionally shown his former lack of breakaway quickness. Rating: C
offensive line
The Ravens were found out. Takes aim at Morgan Moses and The pass rush of Kansas City was too much for Ronnie Stanley to handle, and the Ravens had trouble recognizing blitzes. They attempted to counter by using running backs and tight ends to help off the edge, but that removed receivers from the throwing lanes. Morgan played through a leg injury in the last part of the season, and the Ravens need to choose some offensive lineman in the draft. Jackson was hit three more times by Kansas City, which had four sacks. Rating: C-
Five Things To Remember After The Ravens Defeated The Chiefs 17–10
Todd Monken’s attacking strategy was far from ideal.
When the Ravens changed their strategy before halftime, scored on three consecutive drives, and cruised to a 34-10 victory against Houston in the divisional round last weekend, Baltimore’s offensive coordinator was at the top of his game.
However, Monken was helpless against the Chiefs defense this week, and his offensive strategy was, at best, peculiar.
Despite ranking 24th in the league in terms of yards per carry during the regular season, the Chiefs almost disregarded the Ravens’ running backs. The Ravens’ running backs only carried twice after halftime, totaling six carries for 23 yards by the end of the game. Justice Hill rushed three times for three yards, and Gus Edwards ran three times for twenty yards, including a fifteen-yard run.
To be clear, aside from Jackson, who finished with 54 yards on eight attempts, the Chiefs should take the credit for suppressing the Ravens’ run attack. However, in a 10-point game in the second half, the Ravens virtually gave up on the rushing game—a frequent critique of former coordinator Greg Roman.
“It was that kind of a game, I’d say,” head coach John Harbaugh responded when asked about the Ravens’ disappearing run game. That’s how things transpired.
With the Ravens behind by ten, it seemed as though Monken had made up his mind that the team would rely on Jackson and the passing offense. However, that wasn’t functioning.
Jackson was forced into sacks, batted passes, and hurried incompletions by the Chiefs’ blitzes. Monken was at a loss for words. In order to counter pressure in past games, Monken and Jackson occasionally used quick slants to Odell Beckham Jr. or hitches or bubble screens to Zay Flowers. The highest-paid receiver for the Ravens, Beckham, didn’t get a pass until the fourth quarter.
The Dissection: Five Views on the Ravens’ AFC Championship Loss
How many elite free agents are they able to retain?
The Ravens are expected to have roughly $16 million in cap space this offseason, per Russell Street Report. There will be even less money left over after deducting the rookie class, the 2024 practice squad, and in-season replacements. Although the Ravens can still use their cap relief options (more on that later), Jackson’s megadeal has essentially sentenced them to years of austerity when it comes to free agents.
Madubuike is anticipated to be the Ravens’ primary target. In 2023, he led all NFL interior defensive lineman with 13 sacks. The franchise tag may be the front office’s best chance of keeping him off the open market after he rejected contract extension proposals from general manager Eric DeCosta during the previous offseason.
It would be pricey. The value of the tag for defensive tackles is anticipated to be around $21 million, per CBS Sports. However, a one-year tender would allow DeCosta more time to negotiate a long-term contract and give the Ravens an All-Pro player in 2024 at every level of their defense in Madubuike, inside linebacker Roquan Smith, and safety Kyle Hamilton.
DeCosta would also have less freedom to keep on board regular contributors like Edwards, Zeitler, Urban, and Stone. Although Queen is anticipated to depart via free agency and Clowney and Van Noy will be difficult to replace, the Ravens may receive compensatory draft picks in 2025 in exchange for their high-profile summer departures.
Wow