The Lamar Jackson-led Baltimore Ravens are all geared up for their AFC championship bout against the Kansas City Chiefs. Baltimore’s star tight end, Mark Andrews, who has been sidelined since their Week 11 win against the Bengals, was officially marked for a return from the Injured Reserve.
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The three-time Pro Bowler suffered a cracked fibula and ligament damage to his right ankle after a hip-drop tackle from Bengals LB Logan Wilson. The hip-drop tackle has been one of the most controversial tackles over the past few years, and Wilson faced fury from both fans and pundits alike. There are also reports that the league is considering eliminating the tackle altogether.
After missing eight games, Andrews is inches away from joining the 53-man roster. The star TE practiced every day last week and also took part on Wednesday and Thursday, as per baltimoreravens.com. However, Andrews was still not activated in the Ravens’ debut playoff win against the Texans. Head coach John Harbaugh is looking forward to how Andrews fares this week in practice and made sure that he will step into the field if he’s ready.
“We’ll just see how it goes. We’re looking forward to it. He practiced last week and I’m sure he’ll practice again this week,” Harbaugh said. “If he’s ready to play, he’ll play.“
Ravens coach John Harbaugh expects TE Mark Andrews (ankle) to practice this week: “If he’s ready to play, he’ll play”https://t.co/nCcSsCKL6z pic.twitter.com/UbyiLvrzpo
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) January 22, 2024
Andrews has been a trustee target of the Ravens QB since 2018. Prior to this season, the duo didn’t take the gridiron together only twice: once against the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 and then against the Saints in 2022. Smiley Face still managed to lead the team to victory in both of those matchups.
In this season, since Andrews got sidelined, the Purple Pain won six back-to-back games until their season finale against the Steelers, where most of the key players were benched to avoid any injuries that would hinder their outcome in the postseason.
On the other hand, Jackson has a 54-24 record with the Ravens with Andrews by his side, as per Statmuse. So, it’s safe to say Mark Andrews has a very big chance of being benched in the AFC Championship bout.
Can Lamar Jackson and His Ravens Overcome the Chiefs?
It’s no secret that the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense is somewhat weak against a dual-threat quarterback. We even witnessed the same last week when Josh Allen was able to tally two rushing scores only in the first half. Now that the defending champs are on their way to meet with the league’s most formidable dual-threat QB, Lamar Jackson, it sure looks like it could be a massacre.
However, Chiefs HC Andy Reid isn’t altering their plays against the Ravens. Ahead of the AFC Championship bout, Big Red expressed how both Allen and Jackson have proven time and time how they can thread through the secondary players. He also noted how Jackson effectively manages to throw the ball on the run, a challenge the Chiefs defense needs to overcome during this week’s practice.
“I would tell you, it’s somewhat the same,” Reid said. “You have to stay in your lanes, you have to stay disciplined with any quarterback that runs. Lamar is special, he’s fast and one of the faster guys on the field when it’s all said and done and he’s shifty. Where Josh will go right through you, he doesn’t care, he’s a big big man and probably equally as fast.” as per NFL.com.
Since the Ravens clinched the top AFC seed this season and won their Divisional round bout, the Chiefs will have to travel to Baltimore. This will be Mahomes’ second career playoff game on the road. This highly anticipated matchup is set to take place at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, January 28. Viewers can catch this game on CBS at 3:00 p.m. ET.
As per BetMGM, the Ravens are a 3-point home favorite against the Chiefs. The betting odds also favor the Ravens at -175 on the money line, while the Chiefs are at +145.
