There were some tense moments for most of the favorites in the Divisional Round. The current NFL darling Detroit Lions almost let the game slip away on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The San Francisco 49ers are fortunate that Jordan Love forgot how to throw a football in the fourth quarter, or they would have lost on Saturday night to the Green Bay Packers. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills was the obvious pick ‘em game of the evening. However, the Baltimore Ravens kicked off the weekend in dominating fashion.
They beat up the Houston Texans in a 34-10 drubbing, and the game was not even that close. The Texans’ only touchdown of the day was a punt return late in the second quarter. In the second half, they were held to 68 total yards. CJ Stroud will deservedly win Offensive Rookie of the Year, but was introduced to playoff defense at its highest level. He was not sacked on Saturday, but according to Next Gen Stats, 12 different Ravens registered a pressure. For those who watched the game, your eyes did not deceive. Stroud was being hovered around like he was crab-cake buffet.
On offense, the Ravens were not spectacular to begin the game. They gained only 118 in the first half and scored a single touchdown. After halftime, their offense clobbered the Texans. The Ravens scored touchdowns on their first three drives of the second half, and two of those drives took longer than seven minutes. They finished the game with 229 yards rushing. In the air, Jackson was efficient, completing nearly 73 percent of his passes for two touchdowns. He also did not turn the ball over while leading the Ravens in rushing with 100 yards.
At the end of the 2023 season, the Ravens ranked first in overall DVOA, defensive DVOA, and were fourth in offensive DVOA. Their 52.2 percent weighted total DVOA is second-best in NFL history, trailing only the 2010 New England Patriots.
Through one playoff game, the Ravens have flexed that dominance being the only team in the Divisional Round to win by more than one score. All of the other matchups were decided on the second-to-last possession of the game with a turnover or a missed field goal. The Ravens were picking the Texans out of their teeth by the start of the fourth quarter.
Besides the Bills, every home team was considered a touchdown favorite over the weekend. While the Lions covered, they had to fend off a late push by the Bucs. Only the Ravens were able to squash and flush their opponent. They covered the 10-point spread and wrangled an offense that scored four touchdowns against arguably the best defense in the league the week prior.
One sign of a dominant team is they don’t let teams they are significantly better than hang around. The 49ers were unlucky when Deebo Samuel went down early in the first half against the Packers. That injury made it more difficult for San Fran to dominate possession, which exposed some defensive flaws. The Lions should have beaten the Buccaneers handily, but they, too, have some question marks amongst their defensive personnel.
The Ravens are not flawless, but they are far closer to it than any team remaining in the postseason. To get to the franchise’s third Super Bowl, the final level-boss awaits them. Those who doubted Patrick Mahomes and Co. were reminded on Sunday night that he is the best, and the stout Chiefs defense made huge plays when necessary.
Viewers are in store for a dynamic AFC Championship matchup. Never count out the Chiefs, but also don’t lie to yourselves. The best team in the NFL is the Baltimore Ravens.
Original source here
#Ravens #team #left #playoffs #itx27s #close
