KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Veteran linebacker 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 NFL playoffs.
The Chiefs (10-7), who won the AFC West with a six-game improvement this season and took pride in not beating themselves, 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 dismantling of the Chiefs.
“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,” Lewis added.
Baltimore (13-4) broke open a close game at Arrowhead Stadium with a touchdown and two field goals off turnovers in the second half.
Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes for the Ravens, Billy Cundiff kicked three field goals and Willis McGahee galloped 25 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The Ravens play Saturday at Pittsburgh in the AFC semifinals, renewing one of the league’s fiercest rivalries. They split their regular-season series with the Steelers, each team winning on the other’s home field.
Kansas City was dealt an NFL-record seventh consecutive 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.”
Baltimore 3 7 13 7 — 30
Kansas City 7 0 0 0 — 7
First quarter
Bal — FG Cundiff 19, 9:01. KC — Charles 41 run (Succop kick), 2:09.
Second quarter
Bal — Rice 9 pass from Flacco (Cundiff kick), 0:19.
Third quarter
Bal — FG Cundiff 29, 6:36. Bal — FG Cundiff 29, 4:20. Bal — Boldin 4 pass from Flacco (Cundiff kick), 0:27.
Fourth quarter
Bal — McGahee 25 run (Cundiff kick), 4:26. A — 72,190.
Bal KC
First downs 26 8
Total yards 390 161
Rushes-yards 40-142 19-108
Passing 248 53
Punt returns 0-0 0-0
Kickoff returns 1-29 4-83
Interceptions-return yards 3-12 0-0
Comp.-att.-int. 25-34-0 9-18-3
Sacked-yards lost 4-17 3-17
Punts 2-31.0 3-51.0
Fumbles-lost 3-2 2-2
Penalties-yards 2-20 5-40
Time of possession 41:44 18:16
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Baltimore, Rice 17-57, McGahee 10-44, Flacco 7-26, Parmele 4-13, L. McClain 1-1, Stallworth 1-1. Kansas City, Charles 9-82, Jones 5-15, Cassel 3-6, McCluster 2-5. PASSING — Baltimore, Flacco 25-34-0-265. Kansas City, Cassel 9-18-3-70. RECEIVING — Baltimore, Heap 10-108, Boldin 5-64, Rice 5-42, McGahee 2-10, Houshmandzadeh 1-28, Mason 1-11, Dickson 1-2. Kansas City, McCluster 4-17, Moeaki 1-22, Charles 1-15, Jones 1-8, Tucker 1-5, Curtis 1-3. MISSED FIELD GOALS — None.
