AFC Championship Game 2024: Winner, Score Predictions for Chiefs vs. Ravens

The Kansas City Chiefs are back in the AFC Championship Game for the sixth consecutive time. For the first time in Patrick Mahomes' career as a starter, however, the Chiefs won't be playing host.

The Baltimore Ravens have been the best team in football for the vast majority of the 2023 season. They earned the league's best record and the AFC's No. 1 seed, and they're on the brink of sending Lamar Jackson to his first Super Bowl.

Both teams have the talent to reach Super Bowl LVIII, and Sunday's game promises to be an exciting one. It will feature a showdown between arguably the two best quarterbacks of the current NFL era.

Below, we'll dive a bit deeper into the upcoming AFC title game and make a few predictions.

Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens

David Eulitt/Getty Images

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes

Date: Sunday, January 28

Time: 3 p.m. ET

TV and Live Stream: CBS and Paramount+

Line: Baltimore -3.5

Over/Under: 44.5 Points

Money Line: Baltimore -180 (bet $180 to win $100), Kansas City +150 (bet $100 to win $150)

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Preview

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Ravens WR Zay Flowers

Sunday's AFC showdown will be a battle between the reigning MVP and the likely 2023 MVP.

Jackson is eager for the challenge.

"To be a champion, you have to go through a champion," Jackson said, per NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano.

Jackson is at the helm of a revamped Ravens offense, one that has surged under coordinator Todd Monken and with new receivers Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr. The 27-year-old remains the league's preeminent dual-threat quarterback, but now Baltimore's passing attack is much more of a threat.

Kansas City's passing game has been less consistent than we've seen for most of the Mahomes era. However, it finally appeared to find its stride against the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round.

Mahomes doesn't have a lot of trustworthy targets after Travis Kelce and rookie Rashee Rice, but he went throw-for-throw with Josh Allen and the Bills and came out on top.

This is going to be a fun one, made all the more intriguing by two fantastic defenses. Baltimore finished the year ranked first in points allowed, while Kansas City ranked second in both yards and points allowed.

We've seen some tremendous contests throughout the 2023 season and in the playoffs, but this one has real Game of the Year potential.

Prediction

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Lamar Jackson

At first blush, it's easy to back the Ravens here. They have the most indefensible quarterback in the NFL, an elite defense and home-field advantage.

The Ravens have also flourished against playoff-caliber teams this season. In 16 meaningful games, Baltimore went 10-3 against teams that finished above .500.

Yet, we can't discount the vast amount of playoff experience that Kansas City brings to the table. Since Mahomes became the full-time starter in 2018, Kansas City has never missed an AFC Championship Game.

Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid know what it takes to win in the playoffs, and they can make up for a lot of Kansas City's offensive issues. The Ravens haven't been to this playoff stage since the 2012 season, and Jackson has only appeared in five playoff games to date.

On paper, almost everything favors Baltimore, but games aren't played on paper. Expect the Chiefs to make things uncomfortably close, though the Ravens are the more complete team and should hold serve at home.

Kansas City stole one in Buffalo, but it escaped when the Bills missed a would-be game-tying 44-yard field goal. The Chiefs aren't getting that fortunate two weeks in a row.

Prediction: Baltimore 26, Kansas City 24

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