Four Keys to Exacting Revenge in Kansas City

Ladies and gentlemen, Baltimore Ravens football is back. The moment you’re waiting for is almost here: the kickoff game featuring the Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs. For the first time since January, it’s time to look at a Ravens game from four different angles and perspectives. We call it 4 Downs and you know we’re going for it.

First Down: Don’t overthink it; keep your calm

The kickoff game is traditionally intended to be a party for the home team, still high on their Super Bowl glory. The problem for Baltimore is that the Chiefs stole their shot at the Super Bowl. That still stings deeply and viscerally in this organization. The Ravens can come into the game with the mindset of being party crashers and flipping the script, but they can’t get lost in a stream of revenge game emotion. In the NFL you take things one game at a time and this is the first of 17 games.

Zay Flowers had an emotional moment when he got called for taunting in the AFC title game. Lamar Jackson threw what was essentially a frustration-blinded interception into double coverage. Travis Kelce started getting under the Ravens’ skin before kickoff. The Ravens must forget the pain of AFC Championship, but remember that this game will be a trigger upon emotions. They have to keep their cool.

The biggest game-plan takeaway that has haunted the Ravens from the AFC Championship defeat was that they didn’t run the ball enough. John Harbaugh tends to overthink things. I can see the Ravens saying to themselves “they expect us to come in and pound the rock, let’s lean into the passing game.” The Chiefs are probably going to put a minimal software update on their plan of attack. They’ll blitz the Ravens (with an offensive line with three big changes from a year ago), and see if the Ravens can make the adjustments Todd Monken and Lamar Jackson couldn’t months ago. The Ravens signed Derrick Henry for a reason. The veteran running back should be showcased in this game. If Henry has a big day, the Chiefs’ aggressive attack will backfire on them.

Second Down: Make each KC drive a pain in their neck

The Chiefs love hitting big plays down the field. They are the NFL equivalent of a basketball team that likes to play in a constant fast break. The Ravens have to make the Chiefs drive down the field and make every point they score a tediously earned reward. In the AFC Championship game, Patrick Mahomes was efficient, but his 30 for 39 passing performance only got the Chiefs 241 yards and a touchdown. The Baltimore defense had the right approach in the AFC Championship, especially in the second half. The Ravens know that Mahomes is going to make some plays. They know Travis Kelce won’t be completely contained. The goal isn’t to stop them dead in their tracks – it’s to limit them and keep the game in reach at all times.

This game is supposed to be the Chiefs’ party. Every big play on the arm of Mahomes is going to get the crowd in a frenzy. Arrowhead is an easier place to play when those big plays don’t come often. Expect Zach Orr’s defense to bracket Kelce and make Mahomes find other weapons to beat him with. Expect the Ravens to try to keep Kansas City in front of them – maybe this time with a bit more pass rush on big third downs. Mahomes is a gunslinger. He wants to take shots, he wants to have fun. If he has to nickel and dime the Ravens he could get frustrated and make a costly mistake.

Third Down: Showcase Andrews & Likely – together

Isaiah Likely has become a star and one of the biggest pieces of the offense. Mark Andrews is one of the best tight ends in the NFL. The Ravens need to utilize both of their star tight ends in this game. It can’t be a game of taking turns on the field. The Ravens need to have Likely and Andrews work as a tandem as the best pass catchers on the field not named Zay Flowers. This gives Jackson two targets with whom he’s comfortable, each featuring a huge catch radius. The Chiefs’ defense is very talented and can match up well with a lot of targets. Andrews and Likely are both matchup problems. Two tight end sets will create a lot of stress on the opponent.

Having both tight ends gives the Ravens a lot of options. They can easily go into both run-heavy and pass-oriented formations. They can force the defense to balance their attack having to respect Andrews and Likely as almost equal threats. Henry is used to being the workhorse of an offense that used him as the feature back in a run-first offense. The Ravens can have a balanced offense that doesn’t tip off their play-call by having two tight end sets as their base offense.

Fourth Down: Speaking of King Henry…

Henry has never played with a quarterback like Lamar Jackson. If he can have 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground with Ryan Tannehill in decline and Will Levis trying to be the Titans’ rookie savior, just imagine what he can do with Jackson and the Ravens. Henry is 30-years-old and it’s the time most running backs begin to lose a step. Henry has a vibe about him going into this season. With the best opportunity he’s had to win since his early days in Tennessee you almost expect him to have one of his strongest seasons. The Ravens need Henry to get off to a strong start. If Henry rushes for over 100 yards the Ravens probably win this game.

The more the Ravens run the ball, the more opportunities they will set up for Jackson and the passing game. The key to efficiency is a strong 15-20 carries for Henry and a handful of touches from Justice Hill for good measure. The Ravens need to go into Kansas City and out-physical the Chiefs at the line of scrimmage. Quite frankly, they need to punch them hard right away and put the Chiefs on their heels.

The Ravens also want to hog the football as much as possible in this contest. If the Ravens can dominate in time of possession they will win the game (as long as they finish enough drives with touchdowns). Limiting the chances for Mahomes and controlling the momentum and flow of the game makes for a strong motivation to win the time of possession battle. Henry is the biggest offseason acquisition and the biggest key to the first game. If the Ravens can play bully ball, they can grab the first win of the NFL season.

It’s a big if, and a perfect test to see what kind of mettle this team has in week one.

The post Four Keys to Exacting Revenge in Kansas City appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2024/09/04/four-downs/four-keys-to-exacting-revenge-in-kansas-city/