Ravens Rout Chiefs, 30-7, Move On To Face Steelers In Divisional Round

The Pro Bowl safety left Kansas City immediately following the game on a private jet to get back to his family. Before boarding, however, Reed was awarded the game ball by his teammates. After receiving the ball, Reed took a moment to address his teammates. His speech was short but encapsulated everything you need to know about the man, his family and his team.

Brian Reed has been missing since Friday, when he apparently jumped into the Mississippi River. His shoes and jacket have been found but the search for him was called off yesterday.

The first half Baltimore Ravens weren’t quite the same as the second half Baltimore Ravens this weekend as they defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 30-7 en route to a divisional round matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens were down 7-3 late in the first half before a Ray Rice touchdown gave them a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Ravens fans should be celebrating this win because they walked into Arrowhead Stadium, where the Chiefs had won 7 of 8 games, and dominated the Chiefs. SB Nation’s Baltimore Beatdown recognizes the importance of this win and says fans can enjoy it -- but only for a little bit. That’s because Pittsburgh is the next stop.

It’s all over in Kansas City, where the Ravens left the Chiefs black and blue.

The Ravens forced five Chiefs turnovers and blanked Kansas City in the second half, turning a close game into a 30-7 blowout with 27 unanswered points.

When they needed it to, the Ravens’ running game put the Chiefs on ice.

Willis McGahee burst up the middle for a 25-yard touchdown run to finish a 15-play, 80-yard drive that killed 10:20 of clock and gave the Ravens a 30-7 lead. That score should end this one for certain, bringing the curtains down on the Chiefs’ surprising 2010 season.

If the rout isn’t on in Kansas City, it’s at the very least dangerously close.

A second Matt Cassel interception gave the Ravens the ball deep in Chiefs territory, and the Ravens went 31 yards in six plays to score their second touchdown of the day.

The Chiefs offense is stalling. And the Ravens keep tacking on points.

After an eventful drive that featured an interception that turned into a fumble recovery for Jamaal Charles and a fourth-down stop by the Ravens, the Chiefs gave Baltimore great field position. And Joe Flacco helped the Ravens capitalize on it, moving them into the red zone before the Chiefs defense forced a field goal try.

Baltimore still can’t seem to move the ball on the ground. But Joe Flacco and the Ravens’ passing game are picking up the slack.

The Ravens got a touchdown through the air on their final drive of the first half, after Flacco found Ray Rice wide open and hit him for a nine-yard touchdown pass. It’s the first ever touchdown catch for a Baltimore running back in a playoff game, and just the second touchdown pass in a playoff game for Flacco.

Check out Baltimore Beatdown and Arrowhead Pride for game threads to follow along.

The Ravens marched down the field with a passing attack that the Chiefs couldn’t seem to stop. But when they got to the threshold of the end zone, Kansas City wouldn’t let them in.

The Chiefs staged a goal line stand after the Ravens had goal to go from the Kansas City 1, and held Baltimore to just three points on a Billy Cundiff field goal after an impressive opening drive.

The brother of Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed is still missing, and there was some doubt as to whether Reed would be able to join his team on their flight to Kansas City. According to one report, though, Reed has decided to catch the plane and play against the Chiefs in Sunday’s playoff game. Jason La Canfora reports:

The last 24 hours of Reed’s life have doubtlessly been a whirlwind. There is precedent, though, for athletes taking the field shortly after a personal tragedy. It looks as though the plan is for Reed to start at safety on Sunday, but in the meantime, we join Reed and his family in hoping for the best.

On Friday, it was reported that Brian Reed, brother of Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed, has gone missing. Police reported that Brian Reed, in an apparent attempt to elude arrest, jumped into the Mississippi River. Authorities have yet to find any evidence that he has re-surfaced. From New Orleans’ WWL-TV:

Understandably, Ed Reed may not be traveling to Kansas City with his Ravens for Sunday’s playoff game against the Chiefs. Jason La Canfora reports:

The Baltimore Ravens are heading to Arrowhead Stadium where the Kansas City Chiefs have won 7 of 8 games this year. The Chiefs have shown they’re clearly a different team at Arrowhead versus on the road yet the oddsmakers still give Baltimore the edge as a three point favorite.

The reasons for a line like that are fairly obvious. First, no one really fully believes in the Chiefs to this point. They won 10 games from 2007-2009 until winning 10 in 2010 so they’re relatively new to being a good team. Second, the Ravens are well tested on the road. While the Chiefs were at home the last two years, the Ravens were playing in five road playoff games winning three of them.

The Kansas City Chiefs are preparing to face the Baltimore Ravens in the wildcard round of the NFL playoffs and they began their preparation without WR Dwayne Bowe, who missed practice on Wednesday. This is concerning because as Bowe goes, so goes the Chiefs passing offense.

It sounds like Bowe just has a stomach bug or something like that and will be available to play for the Chiefs this Sunday against the Ravens. What had people concerned is that, on the day Bowe missed practice, the Chiefs also signed a receiver, Kevin Curtis. The last time a Chiefs player missed practice with an illness, and a player at his position was signed, it was Matt Cassel and an appendectomy.