NFL - AFC Conference Final Tips
All eyes will be on the M&T Bank Stadium this weekend as the Kansas City Chiefs face the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game.
Sunday's matchup will pit the best team in this year's NFL against the defending champions, and it promises to be a fascinating encounter.
The Ravens enjoyed a bye week for the first round of the playoffs before beating the Houston Texans 34-10, while the Chiefs beat the Miami Dolphins 26-7 in the Wild Card Round before overcoming the Buffalo Bills 27-24 in the Divisional Round.
Tip 1 - Baltimore Ravens to win @ 4/7
The Baltimore Ravens will play at home for the second week in a row in the playoffs as they host the Chiefs.
Lamar Jackson ended the regular season with a 13-4 record, while they were 6-3 at home.
They managed to finish as the top seed in the AFC, even without tight end Mark Andrews, who missed a large chunk of the season with an ankle injury.
Thankfully for the Ravens, Andrews is likely to be passed fit this weekend, and his return will further boost this incredible Baltimore offence.
Jackson is in the form of his life, and he has the rushing ability to bail out his teammates when necessary.
Baltimore's defence has been so consistent all year that they have taken the pressure off Jackson, but he showed on Saturday that he can shoulder the responsibility.
Tip 2 - Under 44.5 points @ 10/11
Baltimore quarterback Jackson is likely to win this year's MVP award, but the Ravens have been built on a bulletproof defence.
The Ravens stopped Houston from having any success on the ground while they put Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud under constant pressure.
Houston's only touchdown came on a 67-yard punt return, and they failed to reach the end zone after that success.
Baltimore's defence is mean and relentless, and while the Chiefs have improved on offence, it is difficult to see them handling the Ravens' ranks.
The Ravens registered an NFL-high 60 sacks in the regular season, while they tied for the league lead with 31 turnovers.
John Harbaugh's team allowed only 16.5 points per game on average, the best in the NFL, and the unders line certainly appeals for this clash.
The Chiefs' defence has got them to this stage, with Andy Reid's team struggling on offence all season. They finally clicked against the Bills last time out, but this matchup could be nail-bitingly close for large parts.
