The Ravens came fully prepared.
It was clear: John Harbaugh didn't lead his team into Arrowhead just for a friendly reunion with his mentor. Off the field is one thing—but on the field is war.
Right from the kickoff, Harbaugh made his intentions clear:
They came to steal a win.
After all—
"Coach, if you lose, all that happens is you slip from the 1 seed to the 2 seed;
But we're fighting for our playoff lives."
One side seeking perfection, the other fighting for survival.
Not the same stakes.
So Harbaugh wasn't here to play nice.
This Ravens defense, while not on par with the legendary 2000 unit, was still among the NFL's elite in talent, experience, and intensity.
Their base look was a 3-4—but unlike most 3-4 teams, all three defensive linemen and all four linebackers could attack.
Whether rushing the passer, clogging running lanes, sacking the QB, or stuffing running backs—they could do it all.
In truth, their scheme was a hybrid, blending 3-4 and 4-3 principles with constant variation, borrowing lessons from Seattle's "Legion of Boom" and refining them to fit Baltimore's style.
Of course, that flexibility relied on having the right players:
Patrick Onwuasor,
C.J. Mosley,
Terrell Suggs,
Matthew Judon.
Apart from Onwuasor—an undrafted gem—the others were all proven stars, with accolades like Pro Bowls and All-Pro honors.
Suggs was their heart and soul.
Drafted 10th overall in 2003, Suggs filled the void left by Ray Lewis' retirement and became the new face of the Ravens defense:
Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003, Defensive Player of the Year in 2011, seven Pro Bowls…
Though age and injuries had slowed him, Suggs remained the emotional anchor.
Behind him, their linebacker depth was formidable.
Za'Darius Smith and Tyus Bowser weren't household names when drafted, but under Harbaugh's tutelage they'd become reliable contributors, rotating seamlessly to maintain pressure and throw off opposing offenses.
Up front, defensive ends Brent Urban and Chris Wormley were classic blue-collar workhorses.
Not flashy, not hyped, but incredibly effective—especially against the run, and capable of surprising QBs with pressure.
This was what defined "aggressive defense":
Despite veteran legs and injury setbacks, Baltimore ranked among the league's best in sacks and takeaways.
Their mission today: make Mahomes and Lance feel like they were in hell.
And Harbaugh's gameplan was crystal clear—
Pressure.
Relentless pressure.
Use his front seven's physicality to overload Mahomes and Lance, and turn every snap into a test of composure and patience.
But this wasn't mindless blitzing—it was nuanced.
Harbaugh wasn't necessarily trying to sack Mahomes early;
His priority was constant harassment—force Mahomes to hurry, keep throws short, deny time for deep routes.
Short passes?
Harbaugh would live with that.
The Ravens invited the Chiefs' short game:
Mahomes could connect with Kelsey or Lance underneath.
That was fine.
The key was:
First, shut down Mahomes' deep-ball ability—turn him into Alex Smith.
Second, have the secondary swarm immediately after the catch to prevent any yards after catch.
You could see it in their alignment:
Safeties crept up to about 15 yards off the line of scrimmage.
The entire formation squeezed forward, flooding the underneath zones.
Of course, this strategy put Baltimore's secondary under pressure.
Unlike their star-studded front, their defensive backs weren't as individually gifted.
At corner:
Marlon Humphrey—Lance's former Alabama teammate.
Brandon Carr—a journeyman who started his career in Kansas City before bouncing through Dallas and now finally thriving in Baltimore under Harbaugh.
At safety:
Tony Jefferson—an undrafted grinder who'd found a home here.
And Eric Weddle—a six-time Pro Bowler and widely considered one of the best safeties of the 2010s.
In a way, Baltimore's secondary mirrored Kansas City's:
One veteran star holding everything together.
But Baltimore's advantage was their ferocious front.
The pass rush bought time for a disciplined but modest secondary to shine.
This let Harbaugh dictate terms from the start:
Bring heat up front, bait Mahomes into short passes… then swarm to the ball.
And the same approach applied to Lance.
Baltimore's defensive scheme aimed to choke off Kansas City's offensive rhythm and suppress their explosiveness.
Force Mahomes into a conservative game.
Make him uncomfortable.
Take away his deep shots and YAC plays.
In short—
The pressure was the disguise;
Controlling the tempo was the real goal.
----------
Powerstones?
For 20 advance chapters: patreon.com/michaeltranslates