Ravens @ Chiefs: Preview & Prediction Contest

When you take quick glance at the match-up between the visiting Baltimore Ravens and host Kansas City Chiefs, immediately you think this appears to be as clear of a blowout as there could be this week 5 in the NFL. The Ravens are 3-1 and only a point away from coming into this game undefeated. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are 1-3 and have already be blown out twice at Arrowhead Stadium in 2012.

The Ravens are +38 in scoring while the Chiefs are -48. Baltimore has scored 14 TD's, fourth best in the AFC, while Kansas City has scored nine TD's, fourth worst in the conference. Need we say more? We do? Fine, follow along closely:

Ravens QB Joe Flacco is third in the league in passing yards while Chiefs QB Matt Cassel is 14th. Flacco is 5th in yards per attempt, Cassel is 27th. Flacco leads the NFL with 23 passes of at least 20 yards while Cassel is tied for 12th. Finally, to end the suffering, Joe has a 95.8 QB Rating, 11th best in the NFL, while Matt'sis 70.4, only good enough for 29th in the league.

To be fair, Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles is 2nd in the league in rushing yards, compared to the Ravens' Ray Rice being 13th. WR Dwayne Bowe is tied for 7th in the league with 32 receptions while the highest ranked Ravens WR is Anquan Boldin with 19.

Defensively, you see the Chiefs at #13 and the Ravens at #29 in terms of yards allowed, but that is such a misleading stat as Baltimore has given up 83 points while the Chiefs have surrendered over 50 more, a total of 136 points.

The only thing keeping this game from being the lopsided one it appears to be on paper is that it is played on the gridiron and not based purely on statistics. The Ravens are just not nearly the same team on the road as they are at home. They regularly play both up or down to their level of competition and it is still tough to win on the road in the NFL.

Just ask the previously undefeated Arizona Cardinals who lost to the St. Louis Rams last night. The again, teams can do the complete opposite and go into enemy territory and embarras the home team in front of its fans. Just asked the New York Jets who laid a goose-egg, losing 34-0 at home to the San Francisco 49ers.

Expect the Ravens to overcome their road woes and be just too physical for the Chiefs to overcome. The game will not be a blowout, but should still end with a convincing Ravens victory as even the most loyal Chiefs fans are not expecting anything less. Baltimore is one of the better teams in the league, and the scary thing is that as good as their offense has been in the first four games, their defense has not and will only get better.

Perhaps getting better on defense will begin Sunday afternoon.

Ravens: 27-16

NEW NOTE: Post your prediction below and the closest wins a yet-to-be-determined prize!!!