The Baltimore Ravens 2024 season has officially come to a close at the hands of the Buffalo Bills. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens lost a close one, 27-25 in a game where it felt like their biggest competition was themselves.
The Baltimore Ravens were supposed to be playing the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. However, it quickly became the Ravens vs. Lamar Jackson vs. Carl Cheffers and the officiating crew vs. Mark Andrews. Aside from their opening drive touchdown, it never felt like they were in control of the game.
The Ravens had every opportunity to pull off the win, but they couldn’t get out of their own way. Costly turnovers, missed opportunities, and untimely penalties proved to be their undoing. Lamar Jackson made big plays when it mattered most, including an 88-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter to pull Baltimore within two.
But the two-point conversion miss to Mark Andrews—wide open at the foot of the end zone—was the final nail in the coffin. It was the kind of mistake that epitomized a game where the Ravens seemed to be battling themselves as much as the Bills.
The Ravens couldn't get out of their own way
Mark Andrews had a night he’ll want to forget. The Pro Bowl tight end was involved in three of the game’s most critical mistakes, fumbling on a fourth-quarter reception and dropping two key passes, including the potential game-tying two-point conversion.
Andrews has been Mr. Reliable for years, but when the Ravens needed him to shine the brightest, the spotlight proved too harsh. While pinning the loss on one player isn’t fair, it’s hard to ignore how much those moments cost Baltimore in the end.
Lamar Jackson’s night was a mixed bag. He threw for 254 yards, much of it coming on the final drive, and rushed for key yardage when the Ravens needed it. But two turnovers in the first half—a careless interception and a costly fumble that led to a Josh Allen touchdown—dug a hole the Ravens spent the rest of the game trying to climb out of. Despite Jackson’s late heroics, it wasn’t enough to overcome the mistakes that plagued the team early on.
The defense had its moments but ultimately came up short when it mattered most. They held Josh Allen to just 127 passing yards, but they couldn’t keep him out of the end zone as he rushed for two touchdowns, including a backbreaker in the second quarter. Buffalo also converted critical third downs and drained the clock on an 11-play drive—which resulted in a field goal—late in the game that forced Baltimore to play from behind.
The Ravens’ defense has been a strength since Week 11, but against the Bills, it just couldn't make enough plays when called on.
Now, the Ravens head into an offseason full of questions. With one of the league’s best rushing attacks and a roster loaded with talent, this team has the foundation to contend for years to come. But games like this show just how thin the margin for error is in the playoffs. Baltimore will need to retool and refocus if they want to take the next step. For now, it's the same old tired story—Lamar can't get this team over the proverbial hump.