3 Ravens to blame for AFC Championship Game loss

Stop me if you've heard this one before: the Kansas City Chiefs are going to the Super Bowl, and the Baltimore Ravens have come up short in the playoffs.

Though the Ravens were playing at home and favored by 4.5 points, it can't come as a surprise that Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs found a way to do what they've now done four out of the last five years. In a bit of a twist, though, it was the Chiefs' defense that won the day, holding Lamar Jackson, the presumed MVP, to just 10 points while capitalizing on a litany of Ravens mistakes.

The Ravens defense allowed touchdowns on the Chiefs' first two possessions, but after that, they were heroic, limiting Travis Kelce to just one catch and Mahomes to just 80 yards passing in the second half, 32 of which came on the final throw to Marquez Valdes-Scantling that sealed the win.

There's no questioning the greatness of Mahomes and Andy Reid, but Baltimore has to feel like they let this game slip away. Who is most to blame for the Ravens coming up short?

1) Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken

Baltimore's bread and butter this year has been its running game. The Ravens ranked No. 1 in the NFL in total rushing yards, and while much of that can be attributed to the electric running ability of Lamar Jackson, the combination of Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, and a formidable offensive line allowed the Ravens to run the ball on pretty much any team they faced this year.

While much of the hype leading up to the game understandably centered on the battle between Mahomes and Jackson, Baltimore's biggest advantage was its running game against Kansas City's rushing defense, which ranked 28th in the league.

Why, then, did Baltimore all but abandon the run? Gus Edwards took his first carry in the first quarter for 15 yards, then only got two more carries the entire rest of the game. Justice Hill only had three, as well. The Ravens played right into the Chiefs' hands, and Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo feasted, sending pressure time and time again since he had no reason to fear the run.

The Ravens have had a love/hate relationship with their offensive coordinators ever since Lamar Jackson entered the league in 2018. First was Marty Mornhinweg, who was let go after Lamar's rookie season. Greg Roman then got the job, and though his run-heavy offense helped the Ravens QB win an MVP award, it didn't lead to postseason success.

Todd Monken came to Baltimore after winning back-to-back national championships as the offensive coordinator of the Georgia Bulldogs, and he's been praised all year for helping make the Ravens offense more balanced. In the AFC Championship Game, though, he didn't rise to meet the moment, and he played right into the Chiefs' hands.