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John Harbaugh, Lamar Jackson support Mark Andrews after critical fumble, drop on 2-point conversion: 'We wouldn't be here without Mark'

jason owens
Staff writer
·4 min read

Mark Andrews is a seven-year NFL veteran and one of the best Baltimore Ravens players of his generation.

He had one of the worst games of his career Sunday at a brutal time. The three-time Pro Bowl tight end dropped a ball in the first half then made two critical mistakes late in Baltimore's playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills.

With 8:44 remaining and Buffalo leading, 24-19, Andrews fumbled after making a would-be first-down catch in Bills territory. Buffalo recovered and converted the turnover into a field goal to extend its lead to 27-19.

Then, with the game on the line, Andrews dropped a would-be game-tying 2-point conversion with 1:33 remaining after the Ravens drove 88 yards on eight plays for a touchdown. Lamar Jackson found Andrews at the goal-line on a designed rollout to the right. The ball hit Andrews in his hands, but he lost control of it as he fell backward into the end zone.

The drops were Andrews' first since Week 6 of the regular season. The 2-point drop was a stunning miscue from a reliable player at the highest-stakes juncture of the season.

It allowed the Bills to run out the clock on their 27-25 win and advance to play the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. The Ravens, meanwhile, saw another successful regular season come up painfully short in the playoffs.

Andrews didn't speak with reporters after the game. But head coach John Harbaugh and his Ravens teammates did, and they expressed their support for Andrews.

"There's nobody that has more heart and cares more and fights more than Mark," Harbaugh said. "We wouldn't be here without Mark. That's what you say to him.

"It's like anything else. Destiny is a decision that you make. The decision is how you handle what comes in your life. Mark will handle it fantastic like he always does because he's a high-character person. He's a tough person. He's a good person. I'm proud of him just like I'm proud of all the guys."

Longtime Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley called Andrews a "warrior" and said that he told Andrews that he loves him and has confidence that he'll bounce back, per The Athletic. All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, meanwhile, urged accountability for anybody blaming Andrews for the loss.

“For anybody to say anything about him, you have to look in the mirror,” Hamilton said.

Andrews' weren't the only mistakes made by the Ravens on Sunday. Jackson committed two first-half turnovers with an interception and a fumble that helped the Bills open up a 21-10 halftime lead.

Like his teammates, he refused to put the blame of the loss on Andrews.

“I talked to him on the sideline,” Jackson told reporters. “I’m just as hurt as Mark. I don’t — ain’t his fault. All of us played a factor in that game. It’s a team effort.

“I’m not gonna put that on Mark, bro. He’s been battling all season. He’s been doing all the great things he’s been doing all season.”

Jackson instead shouldered the blame as his own.

"I threw a b.s. interception," Jackson said. ... "It was 7-7 at the time. I believe they scored after that. Battled back.

"Fumble. Snap, trying to make something happen. It was like an RPO play, so I couldn't throw the ball to [Isaiah] Likely, an offensive lineman was down the field. ...

"Like I've been saying all season every time we're in a situation like this. Turnovers play a factor. Penalties play a factor. Tonight, turnovers. Can't have that s***. That's why we lost the game. As you can see. We're moving the ball wonderfully. Just hold on to the f***ing ball. Sorry for my language. It's f***ing annoying. I'm tire of this s***."

Jackson recovered from his mistakes to lead the late Ravens touchdown drive while accounting for all 88 yards with his arm and his legs. But the touchdown was moot after Andrews' drop, and the Ravens are left to pick up the pieces from another disappointing postseason.