An AFC champion will be crowned on Sunday when the Baltimore Ravens host the Kansas City Chiefs. It should be a great game between two teams that are led by MVP-caliber quarterbacks in Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.
Baltimore entered the playoffs as the AFC's top-seeded team. They validated their top spot after vanquishing the Houston Texans, 34-10, in the divisional round. Jackson shined that day with three touchdowns and 100 yards on the ground.
Kansas City is playing in its sixth consecutive AFC Championship. After routing Miami on Super Wild Card Weekend, Mahomes picked up his first career postseason road win last Sunday in Buffalo. Mahomes and the Chiefs are now one win away from joining the 2014-18 Patriots as the only teams to play in four Super Bowls over a five-year span.
Here's how you can watch Sunday's game, along with our prediction.
How to watch Chiefs-Ravens
- When: Sunday, Jan. 28 | 3 p.m. ET
- Where: M&T Bank Stadium -- Baltimore, MD
- TV: CBS | Live stream: Paramount+ (click here)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Odds: BAL -3.5; O/U 44.5 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Prediction
The Chiefs shouldn't be counted out, but the Ravens have several key advantages that are hard to ignore. One of their biggest edges is their defensive line against the Chiefs' offensive front. It could be a long day for Mahomes if his line isn't able to block a Ravens pass rush that recorded 60 sacks during the regular season.
On offense, it'll be largely up to Jackson to put up points against Kansas City's second-ranked scoring defense. A big key will be Baltimore's ability to move on the ball on the ground after doing so with great success against Houston. If they can duplicate that success on Sunday, the Ravens will probably be Super Bowl bound.
Score: Ravens 20, Chiefs 17
If you want a more analytical approach to your NFL picks, then I highly suggest that you check out the SportsLine Projection Model, which has been on fire this year. Check it out if you want to know which side to bet for every game in the divisional round.
