Tight finish Mark Andrews will go down as one of many biggest offensive gamers within the historical past of the Baltimore Ravens, however a pair of costly mistakes he made in Sunday’s 27-25 divisional-round loss on the Buffalo Payments might endlessly hang-out him if he by no means performs in a Tremendous Bowl.
Following that defeat, Ravens gamers resembling quarterback Lamar Jackson have been fast to defend Andrews.
“I am simply as damage as Mark,” Jackson defined, as shared by Jamison Hensley of ESPN. “[It’s not] his fault. All of us performed a consider that sport. It is a crew effort. We’re not going to put that on Mark as a result of he is been battling all season. He is been doing all the nice issues he is been doing all season. It [doesn’t] at all times go our method. We would like it to, however in the meanwhile in time, it isn’t going our method. We have to determine it out.”
Jackson wasn’t innocent concerning Sunday’s end result, as he tossed an avoidable first-quarter interception after which committed a fumble that resulted within the Payments scoring a landing throughout the contest’s second body.
With that stated, Baltimore trailed Buffalo by simply 5 factors with roughly 8:45 left in regulation when Andrews lost a fumble close to midfield whereas attempting to realize just a few extra yards after a catch. Jackson later related with tight finish Isaiah Probably for a 24-yard landing go that introduced the guests to inside two factors with 1:33 remaining within the fourth quarter.
Baltimore subsequently dialed up what ought to’ve change into a game-tying two-point conversion play. Nonetheless, Andrews dropped a go that hit him within the abdomen.
The Ravens offense by no means once more touched the ball earlier than Buffalo ran the clock out.
“There’s no one that has extra coronary heart and cares extra and fights greater than Mark,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh stated. “We would not be right here with out Mark Andrews. Future is a call that you just make and the way you deal with what is available in your life. Mark will deal with it improbable.”
ESPN stats present that Andrews led the Ravens for this previous common season with 11 landing catches. He was second on the crew with 55 receptions, third with 69 targets and third with 673 receiving yards.
However, many will not bear in mind such stats whereas recalling Andrews’ efficiency at Highmark Stadium on Sunday.
“I dropped a decide earlier within the yr,” Ravens security Kyle Hamilton stated whereas having Andrews’ again throughout postgame feedback, per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. “Folks don’t activate each other. We go by a lot from fall camp to now. One play doesn’t outline anyone. [Andrews is] the all-time leading touchdown receiver in Ravens historical past, so for anyone to say something about him, it’s a must to look within the mirror and actually consider your thought course of (given) what he’s accomplished for this franchise, what he’ll do for this franchise sooner or later. He’s been a constant beacon of success the entire time he’s been right here, and for anyone to take something away from him and his work ethic, I believe it’s simply unfair.”
Such phrases of assist probably will not cease Andrews from reliving these pivotal moments from Sunday’s loss all through Baltimore’s offseason that is now underway.
