Griffin convinced Glenn to revive the segment last season after a hiatus from the program for a few years, and it’s relatively simple how it works: on Tuesdays following Sunday’s game, we will sit down and map out the Five Plays That Told The Story Of Sunday’s Game.
It’s as simple as it sounds, if the Ravens lose, we’ll pick the five plays that we perceived embodied the loss, not all necessarily scoring plays, sometimes no scoring plays. And of course on the inverse, when the Ravens win, the five plays that most embodied the win.
Becoming an expected occurrence now, the Ravens were beaten handily once again, this time at the hands of the Chiefs in Kansas City. Here is how the boys saw the biggest plays of the game–they will count down in sequential order of the five plays they believed to tell the story of Sunday’s loss in KC.
Glenn’s Five Plays That Told The Story of Sunday’s Game:
5. 8:10 – 3rd (3rd & 3 at KC 12) (Shotgun) L. Jackson sacked at KC 14 for -2 yards (G. Karlaftis).
This lead to the kinda puzzling field goal try (yes it was a three possession game but you needed momentum and the field position was good) and was basically all she wrote.
4. 1:27 – 2nd (3rd & 1 at BAL 44) (Shotgun) L. Jackson sacked at BLT 42 for -2 yards. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by KC-D. Tranquill at BLT 47. Penalty on BLT-D. Faalele, Offensive Holding, declined.
It would be higher, but it lead to a missed field goal the other way. Still, they needed a touchdown before the half to get momentum back-particularly with KC getting the ball to start the second half-and this doomed the chances of that.
3. 1:50 – 1st (1st & 10 at KC 32) (Shotgun) L. Jackson pass deep right intended for M. Andrews INTERCEPTED by L. Chenal [N. Bolton] at KC 16. L. Chenal to KC 16 for no gain (M. Andrews)
Obviously this is when the tide started to turn.
2. 7:46 – 2nd (2nd & 10 at BAL 26) (Shotgun) L. Jackson pass incomplete short right [G. Karlaftis]. PENALTY on BLT-L. Jackson, Intentional Grounding, 16 yards, enforced at BLT 26.
As I looked back on the game, this sequence was probably the most telling sequence of the game. The Ravens still had a 7-6 lead when they got the ball back BUT a Tez Walker penalty on the kickoff started them at the 15. The next two offensive plays they actually ran were 11 and 10 yard gains! But they were offset by two delay of game penalties. And then…this. And the game was never on their racket again.
1. 3:01 – 2nd (4th & 1 at BAL 41) (Shotgun) L. Jackson pass incomplete deep right [G. Karlaftis].
And this was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Griffin’s Five Plays That Told The Story of Sunday’s Game:
5. 2-yd Run 14:20 – 2nd J.Taylor and M.Caliendo reported in as eligible. K.Hunt up the middle to BLT 34 for 2 yards (B.Okoye). 4th & 1 at BAL 36
I understand the argument for putting one of the two delays of game, or the intentional ground immediately following, but in terms of best telling the story of the game, this was it. The Chiefs going for it and converting on 4th down by basically doing whatever the hell they wanted against this defense, plus this prolonged the 14-play, 79-yard, 7-minute drive that only ended in a field goal! But that didn’t matter, it gassed the defense and any hopes they had at every stopping Mahomes and company
4. Interception. 1:50 – 1st (Shotgun) L.Jackson pass deep right intended for M.Andrews INTERCEPTED by L.Chenal [N.Bolton] at KC 16. L.Chenal to KC 16 for no gain (M.Andrews). 1st & 10 at KC 32
The turnovers have to be here. Horrible throw from Lamar, like cannot make this throw. It was still early though, so they could’ve rebounded, *spoiler alert* they did not.
3. Incompletion. 3:01 – 2nd (Shotgun) L.Jackson pass incomplete deep right [G.Karlaftis]. 4th & 1 at BAL 41
Another 4th down! At least the Ravens went for it this time, just looked completely over matched at the point of attack. Chiefs blitz, we lose. Story of the game.
2. Sack Opp Fumble Recovery. 1:27 – 2nd (Shotgun) L.Jackson sacked at BLT 42 for -2 yards. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by KC-D.Tranquill at BLT 47.Penalty on BLT-D.Faalele, Offensive Holding, declined. 3rd & 1 at BAL 44
This was awful, a turnover inside the two-minute warning that gives the Chiefs great field position as they go on to score a touchdown and go up two scores, never looking back. Also a strong recap of the first half: bad pass protection, Lamar holds the ball too long, gets sacked and commits a turnover.
1. Sack. 8:10 – 3rd (Shotgun) L.Jackson sacked at KC 14 for -2 yards (G.Karlaftis). 3rd & 3 at KC 12
Great synopsis of the football game. Lamar holding onto the ball too long, the pocket collapsing too quickly (both can be true), and Lamar getting sacked. This ultimately led to the waving of the white flag by John Harbaugh with yet another cowardly kick on 4th down. This is also the play Lamar supposedly was hurt on, which could prove to be one of the ‘Five Plays That Told The Story Of The 2025 Season’ is this injury lingers much longer.
Photo Credit: Colin Murphy/PressBox
