The Baltimore Ravens losing to the Buffalo Bills 27-25 in their latest divisional round playoff game was a punch in the gut for those who support Lamar Jackson. After putting together a furious second-half comeback, Baltimore's loss went down in the most brutal fashion possible for both quarterback and team alike. Tight end Mark Andrews may be primarily to blame.
With the Ravens down 24-19 and driving, Andrews decided to do a Tyreek Hill impression, juking out defenders while turning down an open field of green grass in front of him. The subsequent fumble led to a field goal that put Buffalo up 27-19.
Jackson was able to put together a legacy-altering drive, finding Isaiah Likely in the end zone after nearly driving the length of the field and making the score 27-25. Jackson trusted Andrews, who may be playing his final game for the Ravens, once again, and he felt the sting afterward.
Jackson threw a pass to a wide-open Andrews on the two-point conversion, but Jackson's throw was dropped despite hitting him right in the chest. Baltimore's onside kick was not recovered, and the game was over.
Jackson will get the slings and arrows, but Andrews' performance may have contributed to the result just as much, if not more so. Without those mistakes, there's a good chance Baltimore pulls out a victory here.
Mark Andrews, not Lamar Jackson, to blame for Ravens' playoff loss to Bills
Let's get this out of the way immediately. Jackson had a wretched first half. After missing some huge plays in the red zone, throwing an interception, and essentially handing Buffalo a free score thanks to his ill-timed fumble, he looked like the "Playoff Lamar" of old. Then the second half happened, and he turned it on.
Jackson finished the game 18-25 for 254 yards with two touchdowns to go along with 39 yards rushing.
Jackson and Derrick Henry were grinding the Bills' defense down, even without Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman following the latter's mid-game injury. Jackson had two different chances to take the league with legacy-altering drives, and both times he ended up just a bit short.
Andrews' fumble in Buffalo territory took at least a field goal off the board, and his dropped two-point conversion sealed Baltimore's fate. The drop came after an 88-yard touchdown drive on the road in frigid weather in which Jackson did just about everything in his power to will his team to victory.
Jackson will get his share of the blame, as he helped put them in the hole he dug Baltimore out of. However, when Jackson needed to show why he could win his third career MVP in clutch situations, he was making all the plays that needed to be made. It's a shame Andrews couldn't do the same.
Ravens fans will need to brace for an onslaught of takes that question Jackson's playoff mettle, even if they may ignore the fact that two of his best plays of the night were essentially ruined by factors of which he had no control. Andrews may never live this moment down, as his butter fingers cost Jackson and the Ravens.