Dec. 20, 2015; Baltimore; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters (22) celebrates after returning an interception 90 yards for a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
The Kansas City Chiefs posted their eighth-straight win over the Baltimore Ravens, officially solidifying a third-straight winning season.
The Chiefs (9-5) were in control all day, handedly defeating the Ravens (4-10) in Baltimore, 34-14.
With the win, the Chiefs keep their lead in the Wild Card race against the New York Jets.
HIGHS
• Rookie safety Marcus Peters picked off Ravens quarterback Matt Clausen and ran 90 yards to the end zone to seal the win for the Chiefs in the fourth quarter. The pick six marked Peters’ second touchdown of the year.
But Peters wasn’t done.
Peters, on the ensuing drive, picked off Clausen again for a 3-yard return. The interceptions marked his sixth and seventh picks of his rookie campaign. Last season, the Chiefs as a whole defensive unit amassed six interceptions.
• Safety Tyvon Branch scooped up a linebacker Derrick Johnson forced fumble for a 73-yard touchdown return. Branch’s touchdown was his second of his career, with the first coming at Oakland on a 38-yard pick six.
• Punter Dustin Colquitt continued his magic on Sunday, as he placed 3 of 5 punts inside the 20-yard line and averaged 57 yards per punt.
• Kicker Cairo Santos drilled a 53-yard field goal to give the Chiefs a 24-7 lead. That field goal tied both his career long and the Chiefs franchise record for most 50-yard field goals in a single season. Nick Lowery posted four 50-yard field goals in 1980.
• All three of the Chiefs touchdowns in the first half capitalized on Baltimore mistakes. The first touchdown, a 38-yard run by running back Charcandrick West, came after a late-hit penalty on third down. The second touchdown, Branch’s fumble return, was off a Baltimore turnover. The third touchdown, a 13-yard reception by wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, resulted after a strange fake punt that was deep in Ravens territory.
BONUS
• Never before has an NFL team won eight-straight games after losing five-straight. Well. Until today.
LOWS
• Wide receiver Frankie Hammond has been the man at punt returning since wide receiver/running back De’Anthony Thomas has been sidelined since Week 12 with a concussion. Only Hammond hasn’t exactly filled Thomas’ shoes.
On the second Baltimore drive of the third quarter, Hammond caught a punt, and tried running backwards to gain some yardage, only that didn’t work. Hammond was tackled for a loss of 10 yards. On the day in total, Hammond fielded three punts for an average of 3 yards.
• Quarterback Alex Smith was sacked three times on the day, moving his season total up to 43. With the 43 sacks so far this season, Smith is already ranked No. 119 all-time in times sacked in a single season. Smith is on pace to be sacked 49 times this season, which would slot him at No. 48 all-time and would surpass his 45 times sacked from last season.
• The Chiefs defense did a solid job limiting the Ravens’ offensive producers, with the exception of wide receiver Kamar Aiken. Aiken racked up 128 yards receiving on eight receptions. Never before in Aiken’s career has he surpassed 100 yards receiving.
• With an opportunity to enter halftime with a 24-7 lead, the Chiefs allowed Aiken to score on a 48-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass as time ran off the clock.
“We brought five and we were an inch close on eliminating that thing,” coach Andy Reid said. “We work on it every week and we have to go back and work our box-outs.”
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Amie Just is a contributing writer for ChiefsDigest.com. Use the contact page to reach her or find her on Twitter: @Amie_Just.
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