3 biggest reasons Baltimore’s Super Bowl dreams ended in Buffalo

The Baltimore Ravens’ 2024 season came to a crushing halt Sunday night with a 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round. It was a game Baltimore seemed poised to win, but they couldn’t overcome their own mistakes in key moments. Despite a late rally led by Lamar Jackson, the Ravens fell just short, ending their playoff run and leaving fans with more questions than answers.

It’s a tough pill to swallow. The Ravens had the pieces to make a deep run, with a dominant rushing attack and a defense that had been lights out since midseason. But in the playoffs, it’s often the smallest details that determine who moves on and who goes home. Baltimore made too many errors to survive, and the Bills capitalized on every one of them.

This game will be remembered for the opportunities Baltimore let slip through its fingers. From Lamar Jackson’s early turnovers to Brandon Stephens’ blown coverage and Mark Andrews’ costly mistakes, the Ravens couldn’t get out of their own way. Here are the three biggest reasons why Baltimore’s Super Bowl hopes ended in Orchard Park.

3. Lamar Jackson... and his playoff struggles

It’s a familiar story for Ravens fans: Lamar Jackson dazzling in the regular season only to falter in the playoffs. Jackson’s stat line against Buffalo was respectable—254 passing yards, two touchdowns—but two first-half turnovers set the tone for Baltimore’s struggles. A careless interception and a fumble deep in Buffalo territory gifted the Bills points and momentum.

This was Jackson’s fourth playoff game where he threw an interception and lost a fumble, and the Ravens are now 0-4 in such contests. While his late-game heroics gave Baltimore a chance to tie it, playoff games are won in the details—and Jackson’s early mistakes were the kind you can’t afford in January.

Until Jackson can string together mistake-free postseason performances, the narrative surrounding his playoff struggles will persist.

2. Brandon Stephens got cooked

Josh Allen and the Bills’ offense didn’t have gaudy numbers, but when they needed a big play, they knew where to look: Brandon Stephens. The Ravens corner was repeatedly targeted, and his critical miscue on Buffalo’s first drive changed the game’s trajectory.

After Baltimore took a 7-0 lead, the Bills faced a 3rd-and-8 from their own 32-yard line. Allen uncorked a 34-yard bomb to Khalil Shakir, who torched Stephens for the completion.

Instead of getting off the field and preserving momentum, the Ravens handed Buffalo a lifeline. Four plays later, the Bills were in the end zone, and the floodgates opened. The Ravens drafted corners Nate Wiggins and T.J. Tampa last year for a reason, and this game underscored why Stephens might not be a part of the future.

1. Mark Andrews' feet for hands

Mark Andrews is one of the most reliable tight ends in football, but Sunday night was a disaster. Three critical mistakes doomed the Ravens, starting with a costly fourth-quarter fumble that set up a Buffalo field goal. Andrews also dropped two passes that could have altered the outcome.

The most glaring was the 2-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game. Andrews was wide open in the end zone, but the ball clanged off his chest, leaving Ravens fans stunned.

Andrews has been a cornerstone of Baltimore’s offense for years, but this performance will haunt him—and the team. One bad game doesn’t erase his legacy, but it certainly played a massive role in Baltimore’s early exit.

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