OWINGS MILLS, MD. — The extra cameras at practice, the noontime news conference carried live nationally, the media tents set up in the front of the team facility all suggested otherwise, but quarterback Lamar Jackson and other Ravens players insisted the AFC championship game this week is just the next game on their schedule.
The top-seeded Ravens host Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 28, at 3 p.m., with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. It’s the first home AFC championship game in Ravens history, and the Ravens’ first trip to the AFC title game since the 2012 season.
Baltimore hasn’t hosted the AFC championship game since the Colts beat the Oakland Raiders in the 1970 season to reach the Super Bowl.
“No different feeling,” Jackson said in his nationally televised news conference on Wednesday, Jan. 24. “It’s another game, a higher-level atmosphere game. That’s about it.”
Wide receiver Rashod Bateman echoed that, saying, “It’s the same as every week, just continuing to stay locked in … on our details. Treat it like any other week, but obviously, there is more at stake in this game, so we’ll just have to go out and play.”
Kicker Justin Tucker drew a throng at his locker after the team’s practice, with media eager to speak to the only player still with the team since the Ravens’ last Super Bowl appearance in the 2012 season.
And while Tucker said the increased attention was impossible to miss, he said it wouldn’t have much bearing on the team’s preparation.
“It’s just a matter of maintaining the same approach with all the little things throughout the week of preparation leading up to the game,” Tucker said. “Now, there’s probably like a hundred more reporters in here than would normally be [here] throughout the course of the regular season. All those things tend to look a little bit different, but they’re not that much different. At the end of the day, we’re still playing football.”
“None of the important stuff, as far as we’re concerned, has changed,” he added. “That’s how this locker room maintains its focus.”
The notion of “one day at a time” is a tired sports cliché, but Ravens players leaned hard into that, and with good reason. They can ill afford to look past the Chiefs and Mahomes, who has reached the AFC championship game in all six years he’s been a starter.
“Obviously, it’s hard not to look ahead and see what we’re striving for,” said cornerback Brandon Stephens, “but you’ve just got to bring it back to reality and understand that this is the most important game right now.”
This game, though, will be Mahomes’ first AFC title game on the road.
“He’s a great quarterback. We all know that,” linebacker Roquan Smith said. “But so are we on defense, so we’ll see.”
NOTEBOOK
HUMPHREY RETURNS TO PRACTICE: Cornerback Marlon Humphrey was back on the practice field for the first time in three weeks on Jan. 24. He was listed as a limited participant on the official Wednesday injury report.
Humphrey had not practiced since leaving the Week 17 game against the Miami Dolphins with a calf injury. He missed the Ravens’ regular-season finale and divisional round playoff game against Houston. During the team’s bye week, Humphrey worked off to the side with trainers while the team practiced.
Asked earlier this week about Humphrey’s availability for the Chiefs game, head coach John Harbaugh said, “I promise you, if Marlon can go, he will. If he can practice, he will. I think you will see it as the week goes on. Based on how much he practices, you’ll probably get a good feel for it. … I’m very hopeful. We’ll have to see what happens.”
Humphrey missed a career-high seven games this season, including the first four as he recovered from August foot surgery. He finished the regular season with 26 tackles, one interception and five passes defensed.
In four career games against Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Humphrey has 20 tackles and three passes defensed.
ZEITLER, WALLACE SIT OUT: Guard Kevin Zeitler and wide receiver Tylan Wallace were the only players on the 53-man roster who missed practice Wednesday. Zeitler, who has been dealing with a knee/quad injury and missed the final two regular-season games, was given a rest day.
Wallace missed the Texans game with a knee injury. He had taken over as the team’s primary punt returner after Devin Duvernay suffered a back injury, and Wallace in his first game in that role, Wallace returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown in overtime to beat the Los Angeles Rams. Duvernay returned from injured reserve last week, reclaiming that return role from the injured Wallace.
In addition to Humphrey, linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips (shoulder) and cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (knee) were limited in practice.
SIX CHIEFS MISS PRACTICE: According to the Chiefs injury report, six players missed practice: safety Mike Edwards (concussion), WR Sky Moore (knee, injured reserve), defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (triceps), running back Isiah Pacheco (ankle/toe), guard Trey Smith (illness) and guard Joe Thuney (pectoral).
LEWIS, REED TO BE LEGENDS OF THE GAME: The Ravens announced that Hall of Famers Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will be the team’s Legends of the Game and will be recognized before kickoff at the AFC championship game.
In addition, Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden will serve as the honorary captain, and the game ball will be delivered by Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps.
Throughout the game, the Ravens will recognize several other former Ravens including wide receiver Anquan Boldin, tight end Todd Heap, tight end Dennis Pitta, kicker Matt Stover and linebacker Terrell Suggs.
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