How the Chiefs neutralized Ravens star QB Jackson: ‘We threw the book at Lamar’
His defensive teammates were convinced cornerback L’Jarius Sneed got payback on Zay Flowers when he forced a fumble into the end zone and changed the course of the Chiefs’ 17-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game.
Four plays earlier, Sneed lost track of Flowers, who’d hauled in a 54-yard catch from Lamar Jackson — and then kept Sneed on the ground with a push and stood over him.
Flowers received a 15-yard taunting penalty for his post-play antics. But Sneed claimed he had no idea that Flowers had seemingly disrespected him.
“I didn’t know that he did that,” Sneed said. “I just walked away.”
Sneed was angry ... at himself, for allowing Baltimore such a big gain. Then he and the Chiefs’ defense rose up and made the game’s biggest play of all.
From the Chiefs’ 9-yard line, Flowers took a short pass from Jackson and made a beeline to end zone. A touchdown would make it a three-point game early in the fourth quarter.
But Sneed, closing from the right, reached Flowers as he dived into the end zone. Before the ball crossed the plane of the goal line, Sneed reached across Flowers’ body and batted out the ball.
Trent McDuffie then fell on the football in the end zone for a touchback.
“That was a helluva play by L.J.,” McDuffie said. “I know he was upset a couple of players earlier giving up the long ball. He said, ‘I’m going to get you back.’ And he did. And we on the ball so fast.”
That play, along with a strip-sack by defensive end Charles Omenihu in the first half and an end zone interception by safety Deon Bush on the series after Sneed’s play, reversed a trend that had bewildered the Chiefs all season.
A fire-breathing defense has emerged, surrendering the second-fewest points and yards in the NFL. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo had molded a ferocious pass rush with a lockdown secondary that helped the Chiefs win low-scoring games.
But what this group didn’t do — until Sunday — was get takeaways in bunches and win the turnover battle. The Chiefs finished the postseason tied for 29th in turnover margin at minus-11.
Against the Ravens, the Chiefs went 3-0. They didn’t commit a turnover for the first time since since their Week 12 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, a span of eight games. And they won the turnover battle for only the third time this season.
But that’s only part of the story. The Ravens’ 10 points matched a season low. The league’s top rushing offense was held to 81 yards on the ground. The Chiefs came fast and furious at Jackson, who is poised to win his second MVP trophy.
Blitzes came from all angles — and several players.
“We threw the book at Lamar,” said safety Justin Reid, who recorded his first playoff sack. “Zone pressures, man pressures, fake pressures. We tried to do as much as we could to confuse him and not give him the same look twice throughout the whole game.”
It all worked, especially early. Baltimore went 75 yards on its second possession for a touchdown that made it 7-7. The Ravens’ next five possessions netted 63 yards, four punts and a fumbles. The one after that ended with the play by Sneed and McDuffie.
The Chiefs didn’t exactly pile up points during this stretch, but the way their defense played, they had enough. And playing from in front kept the Ravens mired in a sense of urgency.
Linebacker Drue Tranquill, an indispensable addition to this year’s defense, led the Chiefs with eight tackles and chased Jackson throughout the game. When Sneed forced the fumble on Flowers, Tranquill felt the Chiefs’ confidence swell.
“We came up with some huge plays,” Tranquill said. “None bigger than L.J.’s at the goal line. We talked about protecting every inch of the field. That’s what we did.”
This story was originally published January 28, 2024 at 8:28 PM.