The Kansas City Chiefs are gearing up to face the Baltimore Ravens in Sunday's AFC Championship game as 3.5-point underdogs, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook. This marks the second time Patrick Mahomes will be playing a road playoff game in his NFL career.

In their previous matchup as road underdogs, the Chiefs emerged victorious against the Buffalo Bills in a close 27-24 divisional-round victory. Mahomes played a stellar game, throwing for 215 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Isiah Pacheco also made significant contributions, rushing for 97 yards and one touchdown.

Nevertheless, there are some concerns for the Chiefs heading into the upcoming game. Mahomes' regular-season statistics against man coverage place him in the bottom half of the league's quarterbacks in terms of QBR. It is worth noting that the Ravens deployed the sixth-most man coverage in the NFL during the 2023 season and allowed the fifth-lowest QBR to opposing quarterbacks under this scheme.

Despite these challenges, the Chiefs are not to be underestimated. Aaron Schatz of FTN Fantasy highlighted that although the final score was close, the Chiefs outperformed the Bills with an average of 7.7 yards per play compared to the Bills' 4.7 yards per play. In fact, the outcome of the game could have favored the Chiefs even more if a few more bounces had gone their way, as they were unfortunate not to capitalize on certain opportunities.

For those considering a Chiefs moneyline bet, the team is currently listed as +145 underdogs to beat the Ravens outright and secure a spot in the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five years.

As the highly anticipated matchup approaches, the Chiefs find themselves facing doubts yet again. However, with the momentum of their recent victory and the talent of their star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, they remain resilient in their pursuit of a Super Bowl berth in 2024.