- Baltimore is a 3-point home favorite over the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game
- Patrick Mahomes is 13-3 all-time in the playoffs while Lamar Jackson has a 2-3 postseason record
- Sunday afternoon’s game kicks off from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD at 3:00 pm ET
Quarterback matchups don’t get much better than this with soon to be two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson hosting another two-time NFL MVP in Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs superstar showed his championship mettle in a 27-24 road victory over Buffalo while Jackson looked dominant in Baltimore’s 34-10 Divisional Round win over Houston.
Who will advance to Super Bowl 58? Before we look at the AFC Championship Game odds and make our picks, here’s where you can find the best tips for betting on the 2024 NFL playoffs and the top betting sites for NFL football.
Ravens vs Chiefs
Lamar runs wild
Lamar Jackson lit up the Texans for four total touchdowns on Saturday, running for 100 yards and two scores in his second-career playoff win. Coming out of a halftime in a 10-10 tie, Jackson led four-consecutive scoring drives while Baltimore pitched a shutout on defense.
Lamar became the first player in NFL history with 2+ passing TDs, 2+ rushing TDs, 100+ rushing yards, 100+ passing yards and a 100+ passer rating. Following an MVP season where he led the Ravens to a 13-4 record, the 27-year-old is looking to make his first-career Super Bowl appearance.
The most games with 100+ rushing yards by a QB in #NFLPlayoffs history…
Lamar Jackson (3) pic.twitter.com/HP4mIlDShA
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) January 22, 2024
Mahomes magic
Kansas City advanced to its sixth-consecutive conference title game with a 27-24 road victory over the Bills. Hooking up twice in Sunday’s win, Mahomes and Travis Kelce passed Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski for the most combined TDs (16) by any QB-receiver duo in NFL postseason history.
Aiming for his fourth Super Bowl bid in six years, Mahomes is up against a Baltimore defense that ranked No. 1 in points allowed (16.1) and sacks (3.3) per game.
Baltimore vs Kansas City
Baltimore is a 3-point home favorite at M&T Bank Stadium with the over-under set at 44.5 points. The Ravens and Chiefs finished 1-2 in scoring defense, allowing 16.1 and 17.1 points per game, respectively. Mike MacDonald is one of the league’s hottest coaching candidates while Steve Spagnuolo’s defense is playing at the highest level of the Mahomes’ era.
Kansas City allowed Josh Allen to run for 72 yards and two TDs on Sunday, but his longest completion was just 15 yards. Spagnuolo’s gameplan might look much the same this week while MacDonald must find a way to pressure the NFL’s second-least sacked QB.
Patrick Mahomes vs. the Bills in the playoffs:
79/105
918 yards
8 TDs / 0 INTs
3-0 record pic.twitter.com/SBaLatM0td— PFF KC Chiefs (@PFF_Chiefs) January 22, 2024
AFC Championship Game
Baltimore is only the fourth club since the 1970 merger to have a first-team All-Pro QB and the No. 1 scoring defense, with all three previous teams (the 1972 Dolphins, 1978 Steelers and 1996 Packers) going on to become Super Bowl champions.
However, Mahomes has a 13-3 career playoff record with 4,561 passing yards, 38 TDs and seven interceptions. The 28-year-old living legend is 3-2 all-time in AFC Championship games.
Best Bet
Baltimore has been a far superior team to Kansas City this season, but it’s hard to bet against the reigning Super Bowl champions.
We’ll take Mahomes and the Chiefs to score another road upset (+154) to reach their fourth Super Bowl in six years, with the UNDER (44.5).
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
