Two of the conference's most important postseason stars and perennial heavyweights will meet in the AFC Championship Game.
The Kansas City Chiefs are playing in this game for the sixth consecutive year and are looking to play in a Super Bowl for the fourth time in five seasons. They are the reigning Super Bowl champions and have won the Lombardi Trophy in two of the last four years.
Although it has been more than a decade since the Baltimore Ravens last won a Super Bowl, they have been to the postseason in five of the last six years and stormed into the playoffs this year as the AFC's top seed. This is their first conference championship game since the 2012 season, in which they ultimately defeated the San Francisco 49ers to capture the franchise's second Super Bowl title.
The winner will board a plane to Las Vegas to face the NFC champions – either the San Francisco 49ers or the Detroit Lions – in Super Bowl 58 on February 11th.
USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest updates, news, highlights and analysis throughout this matchup. Consequences.
- Chieftains – 7
- Ravens – 0
- 1st quarter, 7:41
The Chiefs took possession of the ball on their own 14-yard line, threw their first possession and marched down the field to take an early 7-0 lead after a 19-yard touchdown reception by Travis Kelce.
It was the eighth straight postseason game in which the Chiefs scored on their first possession.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed his first three passes to three different receivers as the offense quickly moved into Ravens territory.
The decisive play of the drive was a fourth-and-1 at the Baltimore 41, when Mahomes hit Kelce for 13 yards and a huge first down. —Steve Gardner
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense go to the bench.
Jackson missed receiver Nelson Agholor on a cross route on third-and-7, and the Ravens punted on their first drive of the game. A threesome wasn't an ideal start. Now the Ravens defense takes the field to defend Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. —Safid Deen
- Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
The best NFL betting apps favor the Ravens over the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game.
According to BetMGM NFL odds, the Ravens are 3.5-point favorites over the Chiefs.
The over-under is 44.5 according to BetMGM.
The Ravens are a -200 favorite on the moneyline. The Chiefs are now a +165 underdog according to BetMGM.
Rain is expected to continue throughout Sunday in Baltimore, with temperatures ranging from 45 to 50 degrees.
- Lorenzo Reyes: Ravens 26, Chiefs 19
- Tyler Dragon: Ravens 24, Chiefs 23
- Safid Deen: Ravens 30, Chiefs 28
- Victoria Hernandez: Ravens 28, Chiefs 23
- Jordan Mendoza: Ravens 23, Chiefs 16
- Jarrett Bell: Ravens 27, Chiefs 20
- Chris Bumbaca: Ravens 27, Chiefs 23
- Nate Davis: Ravens 27, Chiefs 20
- Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Ravens 24, Chiefs 23
The Chiefs and Ravens have faced each other twelve times, eleven times in the regular season and only once in the postseason. Kansas City leads the regular season series 7-4, with the last game of the 2021 season coming when Baltimore won 36-35 with 12 points in the fourth quarter. Their only playoff encounter came after the 2010 season when the Ravens eliminated the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Matt Cassel was quarterback and Todd Haley was coaching Kansas City, and Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes to give Baltimore the lead.
Sunday's game will be Mahomes' sixth time playing in the AFC Championship Game – all consecutive. Mahomes' first full season as the Chiefs' starting quarterback was in 2018, when Kansas City lost to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the conference championship game. The Chiefs returned to play and won in 2019 (vs. Tennessee Titans) and 2020 (vs. Buffalo Bills). They lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2021 AFC Championship, but got revenge in the same game last season by defeating the Bengals 23-20.
Last 10 results in the AFC Championship Game:
- 2022: Chiefs 23, Bengals 20
- 2021: Bengals 27, Chiefs 24
- 2020: Chiefs 38, Bills 24
- 2019: Chiefs 35, Titans 24
- 2018: Patriots 37, Chiefs 31
- 2017: Patriots 24, Jaguars 20
- 2016: Patriots 36, Steelers 17
- 2015: Broncos 20, Patriots 18
- 2014: Patriots 45, Colts 7
- 2013: Broncos 26, Patriots 16
The Chiefs' social media team sent out a picture wearing their uniform for Sunday's AFC Championship game.
Kansas City will wear its white jerseys with red pants, the same combination the team wore in its divisional round win over the Buffalo Bills.
The Ravens tweeted earlier this week that they would wear their purple jerseys with black pants in Sunday's AFC championship game. It's the same combination Baltimore wore in its divisional round win over the Houston Texans.
Since 1970, these are the AFC teams that have won the most conference championships.
- 1. New England Patriots – 11
- T2. Pittsburgh Steelers – 8
- T2. Denver Broncos – 8
- 4. Miami Dolphins – 5
- T5. Las Vegas Raiders – 4
- T5. Buffalo Bills – 4
The Chiefs are 22-21 overall in the NFL playoffs, including 2-0 this season. They have won seven straight playoff games, with their most recent loss coming in overtime in the AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals following the 2021 regular season. KC has played in eight conference championship games and has a record of 5-3.
The Ravens have a 17-12 record in the NFL playoffs and are 1-0 this year. This is their fifth time appearing in the AFC Championship Game and they have a 2-2 record in this game. The last time they played for a place in the Super Bowl was after the 2012 season, when they defeated the New England Patriots and then won Super Bowl 47 against the San Francisco 49ers.
During the warm-up before the game in Baltimore, playful training takes place early on.
As Ravens kicker Justin Tucker stretched near the end zone where the Chiefs were warming up, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce swooped in and pushed a few footballs and a Ravens helmet out of the way to give quarterback Patrick Mahomes space to throw passes. Tucker seemed to find it humorous.
But that wasn't enough, as Mahomes kept kicking and tossed Tucker's ball aside as Baltimore's kicker continued to stretch. Mahomes and Tucker exchanged words, but neither seemed angry. Just good, old-fashioned gamesmanship. – Casey Moore
- Kadarius Toney, WR
- Keith Taylor, CB
- Ekow Boye-Doe, CB
- Willie Gay, LB
- BJ Thompson, DE
- Joe Thuney, G
- Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE
- RWR: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Justyn Ross
- LWR: Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman
- LT: Donovan Smith, Wanya Morris
- LG: Nick Allegretti
- C: Creed Humphrey
- RG: Trey Smith Mike Caliendo
- RT: Jawaan Taylor, Lucas Niang
- TE: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Blake Bell
- QB: Patrick Mahomes, Blaine Gabbert
- RB: Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, La'Mical Perine
- SWR: Rashee Rice, Richie James
defense
- LDE: George Karlaftis, Malik Herring
- RDT: Mike Pennel, Tershawn Wharton
- LDT: Chris Jones, Neil Farrell
- RDE: Mike Danna, Charles Omenihu
- WLB: Leo Chenal, Darius Harris
- MLB: Nick Bolton, Cole Christiansen
- SLB: Drue Tranquill, Jack Cochrane
- RCB: Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams
- LCB: L'Jarius Sneed
- SS: Justin Reid, Deon Bush
- FS: Mike Edwards, Chamarri Conner
- NB: Trent McDuffie, Nic Jones
Yes!
The pop sensation rolled into M&T Bank Stadium with her hair down and natural curls. She was accompanied by Brittany Mahomes, wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who wore a black coat with a red sweater underneath.
His friend and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce also came to the game in all black.
- Malik Cunningham, QB
- Tylan Wallace, WR
- Rock Ya-Sin, CB
- Del'Shawn Phillips, LB
- Sam Mustipher, C
- Sala Aumavae-Laulu, G
- Josh Johnson, QB (third QB)
offense
- LWR: Odell Beckham Jr.
- RWR: Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay
- LT: Ronnie Stanley, Patrick Mekari
- LG: John Simpson
- C: Tyler Linderbaum
- RG: Kevin Zeitler, Ben Cleveland
- RT: Morgan Moses, Daniel Faalele
- TE: Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar
- QB: Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley, Josh Johnson
- RB: Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, Dalvin Cook
- SWR: Zay Flowers, Nelson Agholor
defense
- EN: Brent Urban
- NT: Michael Pierce, Travis Jones
- DT: Judge Madubuike, Broderick Washington
- LOLB: Jadeveon Clowney, Tavius Robinson, Malik Harrison
- LILB: Roquan Smith, Trenton Simpson
- RILB: Patrick Queen
- ROLB: Kyle Van Noy, Odafe Oweh
- LCB: Marlon Humphrey
- SS: Marcus Williams
- FS: Geno Stone
- RCB: Brandon Stephens, Ronald Darby
- NB: Kyle Hamilton, Ar'Darius Washington, Arthur Maulet
You can't say Maryland Governor West Moore isn't a man of the people. The 45-year-old Democrat appeared on social media with crowding Ravens fans shooting beers before the AFC championship game against the Chiefs.
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