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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Doug Farrar

After the Chiefs’ first loss in 337 days, the AFC’s elite are as close as ever

Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) scores a touchdown during Sunday’s game against the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) scores a touchdown during Sunday’s game against the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. Photograph: Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

There were two games on Sunday that allowed fans and analysts to get a good read on the AFC. In the early slate, there was the now 8-2 Pittsburgh Steelers v the now 7-4 Baltimore Ravens. In the late slate, it was the Kansas City Chiefs against the Buffalo Bills.

Lamar Jackson has been great against most opponents as a passer, but the Steelers have had his number. In six previous career games against Baltimore’s most prominent divisional opponent, Jackson had completed 78 passes on 132 attempts for 870 yards, four touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a passer rating of 66.8 – by far his lowest against any opponent. And against Pittsburgh on Sunday, Jackson completed just 16 of 33 passes for 207 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and a passer rating of … 66.1. Pittsburgh have a knack for forcing Jackson to stay in the pocket, compressing things with pressure, and blanketing his receivers with tight coverage.

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