Just one win away from making it to the Super Bowl, the Baltimore Ravens didn't look like the dominating team that owned the best record in the regular NFL season. They had smashed Houston in their playoff opener, but things took a turn when facing the Kansas City Chiefs.
Lamar Jackson, the quarterback who'd been playing like a total MVP throughout the season, seemed off his game. After the disappointing 17-10 loss on Sunday, he expressed the frustration of falling short, saying, “We mad. We were one win away from the Super Bowl, what I’ve been talking about all season, my team has been talking about all season.”
In their historic AFC championship game at home, the Ravens (14-5) faced issues with penalties, turnovers, and an inconsistent performance from Jackson against the reigning Super Bowl champions. Despite Jackson's 20 for 37 completions, he failed to make significant plays beyond a couple of throws to rookie Zay Flowers.
Jackson, who's now 2-4 in postseason games, acknowledged the team's shortcomings, stating, “You can’t turn the ball over. It’s tough like that. Defense did a wonderful job, held a great offense to 17 points. We got only one touchdown. That’s not like us. No excuses.”
Even though Flowers had a standout performance with five catches for 115 yards and the team's lone touchdown, he also received a costly taunting penalty and lost a fumble at the goal line, impacting the Ravens' chances.
Despite the rain-soaked atmosphere and the Ravens never holding the lead, coach John Harbaugh commended Jackson's efforts, saying, “He’s had a great season. His performance today was all heart, and he fought. He gave everything he had.”
The Ravens faced challenges beyond individual performances, with eight penalties totaling 95 yards, including roughing the passer, unnecessary roughness, and taunting. On the other side, the Chiefs, with their sixth consecutive AFC title game appearance, played with experience, penalized only three times, and controlled the game, converting eight of 18 third-down attempts.
Ultimately, the Ravens' dream of heading to the Super Bowl faded away. The season, marked by roster changes and offensive reworking, ended in reflection. Jackson summed up the team's journey, saying, “How hard we fought. We were facing adversity all season. Nobody thought we was going to be in this position. New system, new guys, whole new team. People didn’t think we was going to be in this position but we was. Next time, we’ve just got to finish, man.”
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