We’re not sure why the description persists but it happens seemingly every year now. When the K.C. Chiefs are scheduled to face the Baltimore Ravens at some point, it’s referred to as some major clash of titans, a battle between two of the NFL’s dangerous teams, the sort of must-see TV feature pitting heavyweight opponents against each other.
It’s as if we’ve somehow ignored the fact that the Ravens lose every time.
When it comes to playing against the Chiefs, we need to retire the dated notion that the Ravens are a “dangerous opponent.” That’s not to say that the Ravens aren’t able to put together a winning season. They can and they likely will again this year. They have a quarterback that most teams would be happy to have. They’re coached by one of the league’s best. They have proven excellent at building a competitive roster year after year after year.
They are, by all definitions, a successful NFL franchise.
The Ravens aren’t the “dangerous opponent” every says they are for the Chiefs.
But at this point, the Ravens are “dangerous” only in the way that you might say any team is dangerous if you believe in the “any given Sunday” philosophy (that any team can win on any given Sunday in the NFL). So why do we refer to them as some sort of juggernaut opponent placed on the Chiefs schedule once again?
When the NFL revealed the Chiefs’ regular season schedule for the 2021 season, the front third was referred to as the gauntlet. And that much is true in that it’s weighted heavier than other sections. The Cleveland Browns proved to be a worthy opponent in Week 1. The Chargers are always a difficult out as a division rival in Week 3. The Buffalo Bills await the Chiefs at home in Week 5. The Ravens have been included in that mix on the same level as the Browns and Bills—as if they warrant mention among contenders.
Here’s the more accurate story: recent history says the Chiefs have a better chance of wiping the floor with Harbaugh’s minions than they do enjoying a competitive game.
In 2015, Andy Reid’s first game coaching against the Ravens while on the Chiefs sidelines, the Chiefs won by 20 points. Twenty.
Three years later, the Chiefs put Patrick Mahomes under center and the streak has only continued in each of the last three seasons. In 2018, the teams faced off in a legitimately competitive battle, one the Chiefs took in overtime on a short Harrison Butker field goal to win at home, 27-24.
In 2019, however, the theme shifted back to a not-that-difficult matchup. The final score of 33-28 makes it look as if the Ravens kept things close, but the Chiefs were up 23-6 at halftime and the Ravens put together garbage time production to bring it back close in a laughable contest—one that was hyped as Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes.
In 2020, Jackson was fresh off of his MVP campaign and the buzz once again stated that the Chiefs were taking on the dangerous Ravens. However, the Chiefs were up 27-10 at halftime and even felt relaxed enough to give Eric Fisher a chance to catch a touchdown in the fourth quarter. They won by 14.
The Chiefs haven’t lost to the Ravens since Andy Reid arrived in 2013, and it seems silly to believe that’s likely to start now. The Chiefs are focused and loaded with talent. The Ravens are on the ropes having already lost the Raiders and are suffering with plenty of injuries. They’ll be motivated at home, in primetime, and with a sense of desperation of falling farther behind in the AFC North. That said, the Chiefs are the NFL’s bullies at this point and teams need to play perfect games to even have a chance.
The Ravens will get back to their winning ways at some point this season. The talent is there and the coaching is too good. They might even put together a postseason run. But at this point, they deserve the sort of mention we might give the Tennessee Titans or L.A. Chargers or Miami Dolphins. They are a good team who could be in the mix, but it’s not a franchise anyone should consider “dangerous” for the Chiefs. That notion is tired.