As the Baltimore Ravens gear up for their Divisional Round matchup against the Buffalo Bills, Ravens fans will also have a vested interest in Saturday’s other AFC playoff game. The Houston Texans will visit the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs in a battle that could determine where the AFC Championship game is played.
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
Ravens fans should be pulling for an upset by the Texans. If Houston shocks the Chiefs, the winner of Ravens-Bills will host the AFC Championship game. For Baltimore, that would mean a second consecutive year of hosting the conference title game at M&T Bank Stadium, a huge advantage in a high-stakes matchup.
A Texans victory won’t come easy, though. The Chiefs, led by two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes, are 15-1 this season when Mahomes plays, including a convincing 27-19 win over Houston in Week 16. Mahomes and key starters haven’t played since Christmas Day, so the big question is whether they’ll be fresh or rusty after a long layoff.
The Texans enter the game as significant underdogs, but their path to victory lies in stifling Mahomes with a strong defensive performance and leaning on their own stars to make plays. Houston’s offense struggled in their Week 17 loss to Baltimore, scoring just two points, but divisional playoff games are often unpredictable.
If the Texans and Ravens both win, Baltimore would host Houston in the AFC Championship. The Ravens have dominated this matchup recently, outscoring the Texans 76-8 across three meetings in the past two seasons, including a 31-2 road win in Week 17 this year. Baltimore’s defense has yet to allow a touchdown to Houston during that span.
Even if Kansas City takes care of business, there’s still reason for optimism for Ravens fans. Both Baltimore and Buffalo have shown they can compete with the Chiefs. The Ravens nearly defeated Kansas City in Week 1, falling short on a two-point conversion in a 27-26 thriller. Meanwhile, the Bills handed the Chiefs their lone loss with Mahomes this season.
A potential AFC Championship game at Arrowhead Stadium would be a daunting task, but Baltimore has the tools to succeed: a dominant run game, a suffocating defense, and Lamar Jackson playing at an MVP level.
For Ravens fans, the ideal scenario is clear—cheer for the Texans to pull off the upset and pave the way for another AFC Championship at home. However, if the Chiefs prevail, rest assured Baltimore has already proven they can hang with the best.
The road to the Super Bowl is always challenging, but the Ravens are built for this moment.