The hottest team in the NFL will visit one of the most disappointing when the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Ravens in Baltimore this Sunday.
The Chiefs (8-5) have rattled off seven straight victories are among three teams fighting for the two AFC wild card spots. Last week they fought tooth and nail to hold off the 3-10 San Diego Chargers at home, holding off Philip Rivers and company with a goal-line stand at the end. If Kansas City plays down to its opponent for a second straight week, a postseason spot could be severely jeopardized with both the Jets and Steelers nipping at its heels.
The Ravens (4-9) have endured tough luck and injuries all season. They have 18 players on injured reserve, including stars Joe Flacco, Steve Smith Sr. and Terrell Suggs. Last week, Flacco's backup Matt Schaub was unable to play, leaving Jimmy Clausen to get the nod against the Seahawks in what turned out to be a humiliating 35-6 defeat. Head coach John Harbaugh called the performance the worst of the season by far, and said his team is already playing for next season.
Here are three keys to the game for both the Chiefs and Ravens.
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CHIEFS
1. Get ready for the high heat
The Chiefs have Ryan Mallett's scouting report handy from a Week 1 win in Houston. It'll be put to good use if the lanky quarterback who signed on Tuesday makes his first Ravens appearance on Sunday. Marcus Peters and Sean Smith should both press up if Mallett gets into the game; he's got an arm like a fastball pitcher, but rarely displays any touch.
2. See if Kelechi Osemele can play tackle
Oddly enough, Baltimore's line offers any starting quarterback a solid amount of protection; only two teams have surrendered fewer sacks than the Ravens (20). K.C. needed to buck that trend, and they'll probably need to do it without outside linebacker Justin Houston (knee). One area that replacement Dee Ford can target? Left tackle, where career guard Kelechi Osemele slides over.
3. Keep throwing long to... Albert Wilson?
Playoff opponents will be able to key on Jeremy Maclin and take him out of the game plan. It'd be a boon for Andy Reid's offense if he can establish Wilson on the other side and create a pick-your-poison type passing game. Wilson's long 44-yard touchdown catch last weekend suggests he'll be able to step up.
RAVENS
1. See what Maxx Williams can do
The Ravens traded up in the second round to draft Maxx Williams for a reason, but the rookie only has 19 catches this season. With Crockett Gillmore and Nick Boyle out, there is no time like the present to see how much Williams has learned so far this season. Williams has only been targeted more than seven times once this season, a number that should increase Sunday.
2. Get it to Javorius
Javorius Allen is only a rookie, but he needs to lead the team in touches. While Allen did cough the ball up last week, he is still the best weapon on an offense that has been depleted by injuries. The Ravens need to stay dedicated to the run game in order to dictate the pace of the game with manageable third-down opportunities.
3. Play more nickel
Lardarius Webb was eaten alive last week by Russell Wilson and the Seahawks offense. Harbaugh conceded this week that Webb would be better suited on the inside, meaning more nickel defense may be in store. The Ravens' secondary could use all the help it could get, so an extra man in coverage wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. The best coverage scheme might be to single up Jimmy Smith against Kansas City's No. 2 receiver and then bracket Jeremy Maclin with Shareece Wright with safety help over the top.
