The Ravens fell to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, 27-24 in overtime. RSR Staff react to the loss here…
Nick Capecci
Not the game Ravens fans expected, and for a few surprising reasons. The Ravens had a solid game plan on defense for most of the day, but it wasn’t enough. Even with Tyreek Hill hobbling, he still managed eight catches for 139 yards. Patrick Mahomes was still able to throw for 377 yards. We learned today that defense does not win championships anymore. Lamar Jackson wasn’t able to make enough plays to compensate for the defense’s inability to limit the Kansas City offense for most of the day. 147 yards in the air wont do it anymore. Clock management doesn’t matter anymore when the other team can score at will. This team is not fit to win in today’s NFL. The defense can only bend so far before they break, and to help the defense, you need to score points. Lamar is learning, improving, and is exciting, but it isn’t enough. There is a point where you let the kid rip it.
It was promising keep KC’s offense at bay for most of the day, but in today’s NFL it still wasn’t enough.
Derek Arnold
The Ravens gave the AFC’s top team all they could handle in one of the toughest places to play in the NFL. There are no moral victories when you’re fighting for your playoff life, but it’s hard to be too upset after this one.
Or, it would be…if the defense hadn’t given up another 4th-and-long that would have won the game. Make no mistake though: Patrick Mahomes is no Andy Dalton. How do you defend that guy? I seriously have no idea. The no-look pass was mind-boggling. The pass on that 4th-and-9 was incredible. Give credit where due – that kid is the real deal, and made some plays when he needed to.
The officiating was terrible. The OPI was Crabtree was a joke, as was the personal foul on Matt Judon. Mahomes scrambled around all day, but when Lamar does it, of course there is a hold to call. Chris Moore was mugged in the end zone for what should have been a 50+ yard penalty to set up the Ravens with a first-and-goal from the one. Instead, nothing.
The Ravens threw on three of their first five plays, before scoring a TD on eight straight runs the second time they had the ball. Just more evidence that Marty needs to be smacked upside the head and reminded to stick with what works, and why he is NOT the OC to lead this team into the future with Jackson at QB.
Carey Stevenson
Brutal…
It was a valiant effort for sure but the Ravens’ flaws reared their heads at the worst times. They’ve done well to patch together this offensive line and have developed some depth in the process but the talent disparity stuck out like a sore thumb when the Chiefs were able to pin their ears back and rush.
The passing concepts (regardless of who’s been at QB) have left much to be desired. They are still relying on an average group to get open instead of doing things to free them.
Tip of the cap to Wink Martindale. It wasn’t always perfect but he did an excellent job calling this game. He’s possibly laid a blueprint on how the defend the Chiefs in the future.
Another December, another .500-ish Ravens team. Hopefully they buck that trend down the stretch.
John Darcey
This is pretty simple: too many big plays allowed and too many penalty yards. Eric Weddle is a liability in coverage. This game was a microcosm of why I believe the Ravens should use their first-round pick on Alabama FS Deionte Thompson, He is a true center fielder who can tackle. The play on 3rd and 19 where Hill coverted after Weddle made a poor attempt of a tackle was a huge swing in the game.
I would be remiss if I did not admit I ate some crow. I pegged this as a 14+ point loss. The defense was pretty damn good today, holding the Chiefs to just 27 points at home. That seems like a big number until you realize how good the Chiefs are at home. The offense did what it had too do, I guess, but they are not built to play from behind. The fumble by LJ, his eighth in four games, is a HUGE problem. That is something that needs to be corrected.
The one bright spot in this loss, is I have more faith in the Ravens going to LA in two weeks and beating the Chargers. If they can hold an offense like the Chiefs to 27 at home and lose by three, I have a newfound hope that they can win in two weeks in what should be a critical match-up with major playoff implications.
The report by CBS that Joe Flacco will start next week along with Lamar missing the last two plays with an ankle injury will make for a fun week of story lines.
Chad Racine
Hard to be too disappointed with such a close game against one of the best teams – if not the best – in the NFL. As expected there were some mistakes from Lamar, mainly another fumble in a critical situation. The running game is fun to watch and very hard to stop. The Ravens have found their offensive identity even in a loss, I think this is Lamar’s team based on how much this complementary football helps the defense.
The defense delivered a very good performance against the Chiefs’ explosive offense. Mahomes clearly hadn’t faced a defense like this before. The biggest plays of the game were unlikely to be defended by any defense in the league. This was not the normal high-scoring game that the Chiefs have been accustomed to this season. One thing is for certain is the Chiefs do not want to face the Ravens in the playoffs.
