Lamar Jackson: Chiefs-Ravens
showdown 'a heavyweight fight'
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[January 26, 2024]
The Kansas City Chiefs are in the AFC Championship Game for
the sixth straight season and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar
Jackson indicates that it's time to put up your dukes.
Jackson sees a slugfest on the horizon as the top-seeded Ravens host
the third-seeded Chiefs on Sunday afternoon with a Super Bowl LVIII
berth on the line.
Jackson is the heavy favorite to win his second NFL MVP award as he
steps into the big-game ring with Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City's
two-time MVP and owner of two Super Bowl rings.
"I don't like competing against him at all," Jackson said of Mahomes
with a laugh. "He's a great quarterback. It's a no-brainer; he's
definitely a Hall of Famer.
"I believe it's two up-and-coming greats going toe to toe, like a
heavyweight fight, a heavyweight matchup. That's what I see."
The two signal-callers have met four times in the regular season
with Mahomes winning three times. In the most recent matchup,
Jackson and the Ravens pulled out a 36-35 home victory on Sept. 19,
2021.
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The stakes are significantly higher this week with Baltimore looking
to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since winning the title
in the 2012 season. Sunday's showdown is the Ravens' first
conference championship game since that time.
The Chiefs have won at least two playoff games in five straight
seasons and Mahomes is 13-3 as a playoff starter. The game in
Baltimore follows a 27-24 win against the Buffalo Bills that marked
Mahomes' first postseason road start.
Mahomes now goes from a brawl in Buffalo to trading jabs with
Jackson.
"It's challenging. The way he can be a competitor and score the
football and the way their entire team plays, it's a tall task,"
Mahomes said. "You have to go out and play your best and if you make
any mistakes, it seems the game is going to go the other way.
"I have admired watching him from afar and know it's going to be a
great challenge every time we go up against him."
Jackson passed for a career-high 3,678 yards in the regular season
while throwing 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions. He also
led all NFL quarterbacks with 821 rushing yards.
He also posted a career-best 67.2 completion percentage.
"He's a MVP-caliber quarterback," Chiefs star defensive end Chris
Jones said. "Just how dynamic as a player he is. ... It's going to
be tough. It will be a challenge."
Mahomes saw his passing yardage (5,250 last season to 4,183) and
touchdown passes (41 to 27) dip substantially while throwing a
career-worst 14 interceptions.
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Baltimore led the NFL in scoring defense (16.5
points per game) and was sixth in total defense (301.4 yards per
game). Star linebacker Roquan Smith made it clear he doesn't fear
anyone.
"He puts his pants on just like any other quarterback," Smith said.
"Yes, he's an elite quarterback, but at the end of the day, we're an
elite defense. And that's our job -- to stop the opposing offense.
That's our job play-in and play-out and that's what we've got to
do."
Mahomes threw two touchdown passes to Travis Kelce against Buffalo
to give them a postseason record for a duo at 16. They broke the
mark set by former New England Patriots Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.
Star safety Kyle Hamilton is one of the Baltimore players who will
have Kelce in his sights.
"He's earned every ounce of respect that he's gotten to this point
and it's going to be a challenge," Hamilton said of Kelce.
Kansas City hard-charging running back Isiah Pacheco (toe) missed
practice on Wednesday and Thursday but said he'll be on the field
Sunday.
"Absolutely," Pacheco said. "Working with the training room ... will
continue to get better every day."
Standout left guard Joe Thuney (pectoral) also sat out both days
after being injured against the Bills. He is expected to miss
Sunday's game.
Chiefs safety Mike Edwards (concussion) returned to practice
Thursday on a limited basis after sitting out Wednesday. Nose tackle
Derrick Nnadi (triceps) and receiver Skyy Moore (knee) also missed
both days.
For Baltimore, tight end Mark Andrews (ankle) and cornerback Marlon
Humphrey (calf) were on the practice field and aiming to play
Sunday. Andrews practiced in full both Wednesday and Thursday. He
has missed the past seven games since being injured on Nov. 16
against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Humphrey was limited. He has missed two games, including last
weekend's 34-10 win over the Houston Texans in the divisional round.
Returner/receiver Tylan Wallace (knee) missed Wednesday's session
before being a limited participant on Thursday.
--Field Level Media
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