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Flacco leads Ravens past KC; Steelers next
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo
Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry tackles Baltimore Ravens tight end Todd Heap during the first quarter of an NFL AFC wild card football playoff game Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011, in Kansas City, Mo.
Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo.
Ray Lewis knows a championship defense when he sees one. Now the Kansas City Chiefs do, too.
Lewis and Baltimore’s tough and savvy defense overwhelmed the young Chiefs on Sunday, sacking Matt Cassel three times and forcing five turnovers in a 30-7 victory in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Chiefs (10-7) managed just 25 yards in the second half.
“To set records is one thing,” said Lewis, who forced a fumble and had a sack in the second half. “To come out and play the way we’ve played in the third quarter all year and the last two weeks, just giving up seven points to opponents, that’s championship-caliber football.”
Baltimore (13-4) broke open a close game with a touchdown and two field goals off turnovers in the second half. Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes, Billy Cundiff kicked three field goals and Willis McGahee closed out the scoring with a 25-yard run in the fourth quarter.
The Ravens will head to Pittsburgh next Saturday, renewing one of the league’s fiercest rivalries. They split their season series with the Steelers, with each team winning on the other’s home field.
Kansas City finishes the season saddled with an NFL-record seventh straight playoff loss, dating back 17 years.
“Our defense played phenomenal,” Ravens running back Ray Rice said.
“They came out in the second half and gutted that offense. It was impressive. It’s impressive to be a part of this.”
On a raw, windy afternoon, with temperatures hovering in the low 20s, Flacco and Cundiff took advantage of three interceptions by Cassel and fumbles by Dexter McCluster and Jamal Charles to pull away. Pro Bowlers Lewis safety Ed Reed led the charge.
“You just come in and make up your mind when things start going your way they start going your way,” Lewis said.
“We knew that this was a very tough place to come play. They have a very talented ball club. We were able to show them and that’s kind of how we are built. We are built for 60 minutes.”
In an emotional postgame locker room, the Ravens gave the game ball to Reed. On Friday morning, his family said they believe a young man who jumped into the Mississippi River trying to elude police was probably his younger brother, Brian Reed. The search for a body at the scene in Louisiana has been called off.
“Just being there for strength, respect for what’s going on,” Reed said of his teammates he calls his second family.
It was a week of heartache for the Ravens in more ways. Earlier in the week, the sister of linebackers coach Dean Pees died.
The Ravens led 10-7 in the third quarter when Kansas City lost a fourth-and-inches gamble and then collapsed, quickly.
Dawan Landry stopped the play, throwing Charles for a 5-yard loss. On the next play, Tamba Hali drew a 15-yard penalty for a late hit on Flacco and the Ravens drove in for Cundiff’s 29-yard field goal, making it 13-7 with 6:36 left in the third.
A moment later, Lewis put a jarring hit on McCluster, knocking the ball loose. Chris Carr recovered on the Kansas City 17, leading to another 29-yarder by Cundiff.
Then, Cassel was intercepted by Landry, who angled left to the 21. An illegal block on Baltimore’s Cody Redding pushed the Ravens back 10 yards, but Flacco converted the opportunity into a touchdown pass to Anquan Boldin.