Kansas City Chiefs continue surge with win in Baltimore

BALTIMORE -- Both the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens started the season at 1-5 and appeared to be jockeying for the top pick in next year's NFL draft.

Since then, the teams have gone in completely opposite directions.

The Chiefs (9-5) took advantage of several miscues and continued their recent surge toward the playoffs with a 34-14 victory over free-falling Ravens on Sunday. Kansas City became the first team in NFL history to bounce back from a five-game losing streak with eight straight wins in the same season.

The Ravens (4-10), meanwhile, suffered their third, three-game losing streak of the season.

Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown, while safety Tyvon Branch picked up a fumble and ran 73 yards for a score.

"My hats off to our guys," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "They've taken advantage of opportunity and they've done that really all year. We still have to clean up some things."

Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith did an effective job managing the game. He completed 21 of 25 passes for 171 yards with a touchdown and a quarterback rating of 108.5.

In his second straight start for Baltimore, quarterback Jimmy Clausen was 26 of 45 for 281 yards with a pair of touchdowns and two interceptions. Baltimore wide receiver Kamar Aiken set career-highs with eight receptions for 128 yards.

A fake punt by the Ravens backfired and gave the Chiefs a short field at the 24. This set up a 13-yard pass from Smith to wide receiver Jeremy Maclin for a 21-7 lead with 14:56 left in the second quarter.

"It was risky, gutsy, whatever you want to call it," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said about the fake punt. "It wasn't a good call because it didn't work. We thought we could get it. We're down 21-7 and we want to make something happen."

The Ravens managed to pull to within 24-14 as time expired in the first half when Aiken jumped in front of three Kansas City defenders on a deep throw by Clausen for a 48-yard score.

From there, though, the Chiefs stayed in control. A 32-yard field goal by Cairo Santos gave Kansas City a 27-14 lead with 6:45 left in the game. Peters then put the game away when he picked off Clausen and ran down the sideline for the 90-yard score.

"That's a really good defense we just faced," Clausen said. "They're going to be a playoff team probably this year and they're on a hot streak right now."

The Ravens have lost five games at home for the first time in franchise history.

Ravens' defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan had a costly unnecessary roughness penalty on Smith on third down that extended Kansas City's opening drive. On the next play, running back Charcandrick West scampered 38 yards to provide a 7-0 lead.

"What sets this team apart is that we have a lot of character," Smith said. "We have great focus and we play hard together. That's sometimes the difference in this league."

Baltimore tied the game on the ensuing possession on 1-yard pass from Clausen to fullback Kyle Juszczyk. However, Kansas City retook the lead when Branch picked up a fumble by Ravens running back Javorius Allen and ran 73 yards for the score.

"That's our defense, we all go to the ball and that's the name of the game, running to the football and making plays," Branch said.

NOTES: OT Jah Reid returned to Baltimore for the first time since signing with the Chiefs in the offseason. Reid was selected in the third round of the 2011 draft by the Ravens and spent four years with the organization. ... Baltimore CB Jimmy Smith suffered a thigh injury in the first quarter and did not return. Smith had a season-ending foot injury last season. ... Kansas City LB Justin Houston (knee) missed his third consecutive game. Houston has not played since Nov. 29 when he hyperextended the knee against the Buffalo Bills.