Introduction:

Fans of football and sports bettors alike are looking forward to the meeting of the titans in the 2024 AFC Championship as the NFL playoffs heat up. We will examine the odds, professional picks, best bets, and how to watch all the action as we get into the finer points of the Ravens vs. Chiefs game in this blog article. Prepare yourself for a comprehensive examination that will bring you through the exciting trip that culminates in the championship game.

After this weekend’s games, the NFL “Final Four” will choose who will play in Super Bowl LVIII, which airs on CBS, Nickelodeon, and Paramount+ on February 11th. With Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens taking on Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship, it’s clear which game of the week is happening. With the exception of Super Bowls, Mahomes’ first-ever playoff road start occurred when the Chiefs stunned the Buffalo Bills. Baltimore is coming off of a commanding victory over the Houston Texans.

In his last four starts, Jackson has won by a margin of at least 14 points. Mahomes has only dropped four starts by more than 14 points in his career. This weekend, whose star quarterback will be the brightest? As we do each week, we’ve gathered the greatest selections and betting information from SportsLine and CBSSports.com and compiled it in one location for you to access. This includes picks against the spread from our CBS Sports experts along with extra feature content for every game, such as plays from leading SportsLine experts and the SportsLine Projection Model, staff picks, and more. Let’s get started.

Baltimore Ravens against Kansas City Chiefs

Duration: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (CBS); watch live on Paramount+ by clicking this link.

Open: 45 O/U, Ravens -3.5

Prisco Pete’s selection

“This matchup pits Lamar Jackson against Patrick Mahomes, who has already won two games. Jackson is expected to be this season’s MVP for the second time. Jackson is only attempting to reach the Super Bowl, whereas Mahomes already possesses rings from the competition.

“The Chiefs won a fiercely contested road game against Buffalo in Sunday, whereas the defense faced some difficulties due to Buffalo’s strong run game. It’s going to be a long day if that’s a problem versus Jackson and the Ravens. Jackson is going to run it and hit shots off it.

“I think the Chiefs defensive will be stronger this weekend, so Jackson will mostly require a victory with his dominant hand and maybe minus his lower body as well. He can do it better than anyone.

“For his part, Mahomes will have to contend with a defense that frequently targets quarterbacks. He has, however, seen them all and defeated them all. Here, I believe he will exercise patience while the Chiefs execute the play and he takes his shots off the run. The run game will help the Chiefs maintain their strong defensive performance from last week.

“I think Mahomes’ postseason experience will show through, but both quarterbacks should play well. Mahomes can win the game with some late-game magic, so expect the Chiefs to go to another Super Bowl.”

The selection of R.J. White

“I simply believe that the Ravens are a far better team than the Chiefs, the 49ers, and, to be honest, everyone else in the AFC. They showed why they are, in my opinion, the greatest team in the league right now a few weeks ago when they played the 49ers. Their offense adjusted to the intense Houston blitz last week with tremendous skill. Houston had a terrific game plan coming into the game, and while it succeeded in slowing down the Ravens attack for a short while, once the game started, they absolutely demolished them. That clearly shown to me that even with a well-thought-out game plan, they are capable of overcoming obstacles and making necessary modifications. I believe they can pull that off against Spagnuolo in this instance. Being among the top three in both yards per throw and yards per rush during the regular season gives them the opportunity to exploit the Chiefs’ vulnerability against the run. The Chiefs rank 28th in the NFL in terms of interception rate; last week, they were unable to intercept Josh Allen.

Due to their offense’s top three interception rate, Baltimore is likely to protect the ball. Irrespective of whether you happen to fumble or not, there won’t be any stupid plays that pivot the game. That being said, I believe that Kansas City will find it difficult to come back from behind against this excellent defense, even with Mahomes.”

R.J. White offers this analysis of the Pick Six Podcast, where he, Will Brinson, Katie Mox, and PropStarz, as they do each week, dissect the two championship games and lay down their best bets. Get fantastic NFL stuff by subscribing here.

Rashee Rice of the Chiefs has less than 6.5 total receptions (-132).

Should you have enjoyed followed me throughout the year, you already know that I have been proud of Rashee Rice since the moment the Chiefs took him with the 55th general pick out of SMU. been maybe the largest Rashee Rice truther. By many measures, Rice’s rookie season has been outstanding, made more so by the fact that he didn’t join the K.C. offense full-time until after Week 10. Although my confidence in Rice does not waver, it will be difficult to get seven receptions versus this Baltimore pass defense. The few receivers to catch seven or more passes in a game that Baltimore allowed all season are only six, and the last one was in Week 14. I anticipate that the Chiefs will rely more on their ground game, which may reduce the number of dropbacks.”

Selection of Tyler Sullivan

“The Chiefs offense has been clicking lately, which is good news for the team as a whole, but I don’t think it will be enough to get them to another Super Bowl. And why? But up until now, they haven’t encountered a defense like the Ravens’. Although they did manage an average of 7.7 yards per play in the divisional round against the Bills, the injuries to their defensive unit have been catastrophic. Baltimore is an entirely other league.

The Ravens lead the NFL in takeaways (31) and sacks (60), as well as points per game allowed (16.5). With eight plays of 20 yards or more versus Buffalo, the Chiefs recorded a season-high for yardage gained, again mostly due to chunk plays. Among plays of 20 yards or more this season, the Ravens have given up the third fewest and the ninth fewest yards.

Rashee Rice, who appeared to be limited during the Chiefs’ victory against the Bills, has been a major X factor for the team this playoffs. It may be difficult for Patrick Mahomes to move the ball if he’s not fully recovered and the Ravens can use safety Kyle Hamilton on Travis Kelce.

Lamar Jackson can definitely hurt Kansas City with his legs, in my opinion, when Baltimore’s offense faces up against their defense. I envision Jackson having an effect on the ground similarly to Josh Allen, who they allowed to dash for 72 yards and two scores last weekend. Jackson’s previous seven starts have seen the Ravens go 6-1 ATS.”

John Breech’s selection

“Lamar Jackson will play in the AFC Championship game for the first time in his career, and all he has to do to win is defeat the man who has attended the AFC title game so many times that the NFL probably simply named it after him: Mahomes Patrick.

The one thing about this game that I know I’ll adore is that Jason Kelce will undoubtedly be seen pounding drinks and devouring crab cakes while wearing no shirt. Crab cakes are a must-have while visiting Maryland, really. What makes this the ideal location for Kelce is that you can’t visit Maryland and not take off your shirt. Taylor, I assume, will be present as well.

The Josh Allen vs. Patrick Mahomes matchup was only the beginning of the conversation, even if it occupied the whole previous week. This is the main event: Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes, with a Super Bowl spot up for grabs. The crazy thing is, I’m not going to talk about either player much for the remainder of this pick because I believe it will all come down to which defense performs better.

The Ravens topped the NFL in sacks with sixty, in addition to giving up the fewest points (16.5 per game) this season. It’s incredible that the Chiefs finished just behind them in all categories. That means that the two best defenders in football will face their toughest test of the year.

“The ability of the Ravens to pressure Mahomes will determine their best chance of winning. This playoffs, the Chiefs quarterback has been sacked exactly ZERO times. The Dolphins and Bills have both discovered that if you can’t get to Mahomes, he will scorch you. Mahomes was sacked at least three times in just four games this season, and the Chiefs lost all three of those contests. The Ravens are the only team in the NFL with the most sacks, so they ought to be able to pressure Mahomes.

The fact that this isn’t a Myles Garrett or T.J. Watt scenario, where one player is accumulating all the sacks for your defense, is crucial for the Ravens. Three players on the Ravens have at least nine sacks under their belt, while seven players have at least three sacks under their belt. They have plenty of players who can pressure the quarterback, and Mike MacDonald, the defensive coordinator, understands how to make the most of them.

“I would be persuaded to choose the Ravens in this game if it were a regular season game, but it isn’t. The Chiefs offense has undergone a dramatic transformation from the start of the postseason in these playoffs. It’s possible that throughout the regular season they were unaware of the location of that switch, but now that they’ve located it and turned it, they appear to have unlimited potential.

Since the beginning of the postseason, the Chiefs have succeeded in producing greater scores per contest and yard per attempt rather than they did throughout the regular season. Travis Kelce’s decision to play following his absence over the last several weeks of the regular season is a major factor in that. Before the playoffs began, Kelce had only averaged 29.3 yards per game and zero touchdowns during the last three games of the season. However, since then, he has been the unstoppable Kelce that we have come to anticipate, averaging 73 yards per game and two touchdowns.

However, Kelce could be able to be slowed down by the Ravens. They surrendered only three touchdown catches to tight ends this season, which was tied for the second-fewest in the NFL.

“Mahomes will only have started a postseason game on the road twice in his career, this one being the second instance. Despite his victory in Buffalo last week, Mahomes KNOWS that things will likely be considerably wilder in Baltimore, where he will now be playing. The quarterback for the Chiefs recently acknowledged that he had only played in two stadiums where the noise level was so high that he was unable to communicate with his offensive line: Baltimore.

While Mahomes often doesn’t have to deal with crowd noise, it seems like it may be a role in this instance.

“I am compelled to select against any opponent, even if I would rather not select against the likes of Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes in this scenario. of them because I had a very good crab cakes for dinner, so I’m choosing with …”

Chiefs lose 23–20 against the Ravens.

This season, his record is 13–6 straight up and 11–8 against the spread when betting on Chiefs games.

This season, eight out of ten Ravens games have been correctly predicted; nineteen games have been spread.

Expert selection from SportsLine

See what SportsLine NFL analyst Mike Tierney has to say before making your own Chiefs vs. Ravens predictions. Veteran reporter Tierney has covered the NFL for decades and covered seven Super Bowls. Her writing may be seen on occasion in The New York Times and Los Angeles Times. In 2022, he had a very successful NFL season, going 68-54-6 on his choices and earning $815 to $100 in player returns! Furthermore, he has returned an incredible $2,702 on his last 69 picks against the Ravens, going 48-19-2!

1. AFC Championship Odds Overview: Let’s start our investigation by looking at the current odds for the Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs 2024 AFC Championship game. The world of sports betting is always changing, so knowing the odds is essential to make wise choices. The public’s attitude toward betting is reflected in the odds in addition to the forecasts of the bookies.

1.1 Ravens Predictions:

The Baltimore Ravens are strong favorites going into the AFC Championship, headed by franchise quarterback and playmaker Lamar Jackson. When analyzing the Ravens’ odds, one must take into account the team’s dynamics as a whole, important player statistics, and recent performance. The Ravens want to make it to the Super Bowl with a strong defense and offensive line.

1.2 Chiefs Premises:

The Kansas City Chiefs, led by the gifted Patrick Mahomes, have a strong offensive line and a defense that can force big stops on the other team. In order to analyze the Chiefs’ chances, one must consider their regular-season record, postseason itinerary, and the contributions of their star players. The Chiefs are keen to establish themselves as the AFC’s dominant team and make a statement as the reigning champions.

2. Expert Picks and Insights: Let’s now focus on the advice given by subject-matter specialists. It might be helpful to get insights on the impending championship game from seasoned commentators, past players, and NFL insiders.

2.1 Expert Selections:

Several prominent sports analysts and insiders have offered their professional choices and predictions about the Ravens vs. Chiefs game. These predictions may be used as a reference for fans and bettors who want to make well-informed decisions, from analyzing individual matches to team dynamics.

2.2 Crucial Player Assemblies

The key to comprehending the possible influence on the game is to examine player matchups individually. Professional analyses of player dynamics may offer a greater comprehension of the subtleties of the game, whether it’s the quarterback duels between Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson or important defensive matchups.

3. greatest Bets and Betting methods: Researching the greatest bets and winning betting methods is essential for anybody hoping to amp up the excitement around the AFC Championship. Knowing the many possibilities available, from prop bets to standard spread betting, may improve the whole watching experience.

3.1 Spread Betting:

It is possible for gamblers to speculate on the winning margin by examining the point spread for the Ravens vs. Chiefs game. Making wise spread betting selections may be aided by taking into account variables including previous team performance, head-to-head matches, and potentially game-changing plays.

3.2 Parlay Bets:

More alternatives than just the game’s outcome are available with proposition bets, or prop bets. Prop bets give an added element of excitement, ranging from player-specific wagers to first team to score predictions. A fun part of the AFC Championship experience might be examining the most alluring prop bets and the odds that go along with them.

4. A Detailed Guide on How to Watch:

As excitement mounts, spectators must learn how to see every exhilarating second of the AFC Championship game between the Ravens and Chiefs. We’ll bring you a thorough rundown of how to watch the game, complete with broadcast information, streaming choices, and extra watching tips.

4.1 Broadcast Specifics:

There will be big network broadcasts of the AFC Championship, therefore it’s important to know which ones to watch. To ensure that fans don’t miss a play, we’ll present a rundown of the television networks that will be showing the game.

4.2 Choices for Streaming:

Watching live sports via streaming has grown in popularity in the digital era. For fans who would rather watch the game on their laptops, tablets, or cellphones, we’ll go over the several alternatives available, ranging from official NFL streaming platforms to additional internet streaming services.

4.3 Watching Experience Pointers:

We’ll offer advice on how to create the ideal game-day environment to improve the watching experience. Whether throwing a watch party, cooking game-day munchies, or getting the greatest audio-visual system, this guide will help fans enjoy this exciting AFC Championship matchup to the fullest.

Conclusion:

There is a tangible sense of excitement as the Ravens and Chiefs get ready to play for the 2024 AFC Championship. We have covered the odds, professional picks, best bets, and a thorough how-to guide for watching the game in our extensive blog article. This page seeks to be your go-to source for all things pertaining to the Ravens vs. Chiefs AFC Championship game, regardless of whether you’re an avid fan or an experienced bettor. So grab a seat, and get ready for an exciting trip as we watch football history being made on a massive platform.