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According to running back Charcandrick West, the coaching staff knew it.
It was the first drive of the game and Andy Reid's Kansas City Chiefs faced third-and-1 on Baltimore's 38-yard line. Reid called West's number out of a heavy I-formation.
"The crazy part about it is the coaches told us when they put the play in, 'We have one shot, one kill, and this play is going to go for a long one,'" West said after the game.
Fullback Anthony Sherman and offensive linemen Eric Fisher, Zach Fulton, Jah Reid and Donald Stephenson all executed their blocks perfectly, opening up a gaping hole for West in the process.
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"Oh yeah, I had an amazing block on the backside of that," Jah Reid said. "I was pretty jacked up about it. Charcandrick is an amazing running back. The rest of the line did an amazing job, the receivers blocking and just everybody."
West took the ball 38 yards for a touchdown to put the Chiefs up 7-0 early in the first quarter, marking the sixth time this season the Chiefs scored on the opening drive. The run was the longest for West this year.
"It was a great play call by the coaches," he said. "The offensive line and the fullback did a great job. It made my job very easy. All I had to do was just take off running."
West's 12-yard reception later in the game on third-and-8 kept a key 14-play drive going. The drive took 8 minutes and 41 seconds off the clock in the fourth quarter as the Chiefs held onto a 27-14 lead.
Over the past few weeks, West has split carries with Spencer Ware, but due to a lingering rib injury, Ware stayed on the sidelines Sunday. West took the bulk of carries for the Chiefs, rushing for 76 yards on 16 carries.
"We always prepare for these moments," West said. "We lose a soldier today, but he'll be back with us next week."
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Photos from Chiefs Week 15 matchup against the Ravens.
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Next week, West and the Chiefs return to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Cleveland Browns, and a win would mean a franchise record-tying ninth consecutive victory.
In addition, because of the win and the Denver Broncos loss on Sunday, the Chiefs now sit just 1 game out of first place in the AFC West.
Once at 1-5, West and the Chiefs have dug themselves out of a hole into serious playoff contention, but ask any of them about it, and they will say they remain focused on continuing in the mentality that got them there, and that's by not looking too far ahead.
"We need to keep taking it like we've been taking it, taking it one day at a time," he said. "We'll just keep getting better each and every day, and when game day comes, we're going to lay it on the line.
"We're really taking it as a one-day-at-a-time approach. Each day in practice, every play, we're just going to keep pushing it."
West has now rushed for 538 yards and has 5 total touchdowns this season.
