Ravens Using Chiefs Downfall as Motivation

The Baltimore Ravens are determined to get over the playoff hump.

Jan 28, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws the ball around Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) while being sacked by Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) during the first half in the AFC Championship football game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens finished with the NFL's best regular season record at 13-4, but regular season success means nothing if it's followed by playoff disappointment.

Baltimore dispatched the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round to advance to the AFC Championship Game for the first time in the Lamar Jackson era, but the result in that game was incredibly disappointing. The Ravens' offense, which had been one of the best in the NFL all season, was ineffective after the first quarter, and some unforced errors proved incredibly costly. Kansas City walked away with a 17-10 victory, and would then go on to win its second-straight Super Bowl.

That loss stung at the time, and it still stings almost four months later. Jackson and the Ravens aren't wallowing in their defeat, but rather using it to better themselves going forward.

“I believe that just motivated us throughout the whole offseason,” Jackson said, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. “People are still talking about it; us players still talk about it. It definitely left a bitter taste in our mouths just being that close. We worked so hard in getting there and didn’t do what we wanted to do, didn’t fulfill our dream. Definitely a little chip on our shoulder.”

Unfortunately, the offense going cold has been a common theme in Baltimore's playoff losses. The Ravens have made the playoffs in five of six seasons under Jackson, and in their five postseason losses, they've scored an average of just 11.8 points per game.

Following another disappointing showing in the postseason, Jackson knows he and the rest of the offense have to be better.

“I believe it hurts more losing before the Super Bowl than actually being a part of it, because we worked so hard for 17 weeks, plus the little playoff games, and we get to a game away and lose,” Jackson said. “We didn’t really put any points on the board, and we were just scoring 30 points against crazy teams — great defenses. Don’t get me wrong, that’s a great defense as well, but we had played the top-ranked defenses. We just have to finish. We have to find a way to move the ball in the right direction and put points on the board because our defense did their thing the whole night.”

The Ravens have largely the same roster as last year, so most players will have that chip on their shoulder next season. The fact that they open the season against the Chiefs, in Kansas City, should be yet another motivating factor.

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