Lately, the Baltimore Ravens looked like the best team in the NFL, especially after they trounced the San Francisco 49ers in California on Christmas Day, and thus many were picking them to at least reach the Super Bowl.
But on Sunday, they fell short to the defending world champion Kansas City Chiefs at home in the AFC Championship Game, 17-10.
Baltimore led the NFL in rushing attempts during the regular season, but they ran the ball only 16 times on Sunday, while quarterback Lamar Jackson threw the ball an unusually high 37 times.
On ESPN’s “Around the Horn,” Kevin Clark criticized Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken for going away from the team’s identity, calling it “baffling.”
“It’s like they were setting it up for a Lamar masterclass, when really they should have just tried to win the game,” Clark said.
.@bykevinclark on Todd Monken’s ‘baffling’ offensive gameplan in the Ravens’ loss to the Chiefs:
“It’s like they were setting it up for a Lamar masterclass, when really they should have just tried to win the game.” pic.twitter.com/yB7thK0NgQ
— Around the Horn (@AroundtheHorn) January 29, 2024
Clark felt Monken was trying to set up Jackson for a “masterclass,” when in fact, Jackson completed just 20 of his 37 pass attempts and ended the game with a weak 75.5 passer rating.
Jackson was able to find rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers for a touchdown that tied the game in the first quarter, but that would do it as far as the offensive highlights for Baltimore.
The team fell behind 17-7 just before halftime, and it could never get anything substantial going.
Jackson, who is widely expected to be officially named the regular-season MVP, is now 2-4 in the playoffs, and Sunday’s loss added to the imagery of a man who thrives in the regular season but can’t get it done in the postseason.
Running back Gus Edwards, who ran for 810 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season, only mustered 20 yards on a mere three rushing attempts on Sunday.
What made Monken’s strategy that much more baffling was the fact that the Chiefs were just 18th in rushing yards allowed and 24th in yards per rush attempt allowed during the regular season.
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