The Baltimore Ravens had the Buffalo Bills on their heels when Lamar Jackson led a thrilling 88-yard touchdown drive in the closing minutes of Sunday's Divisional Round playoff game, cutting Buffalo's lead to two points.
Even if overtime was guaranteed at the worst for the Bills, they'd taken quite a few blows from the Ravens. When Jackson hit veteran tight end Mark Andrews with a well-placed two-point pass, it appeared Baltimore had landed another big one.
Then Andrews shockingly dropped it, and the Bills hung on for a 27-25 win.
The pass might not have been perfect, but it hit Andrews in the chest. It was the play that will dominate Monday's water-cooler and talk-radio chatter -- and the lasting memory from another crushing playoff loss for the Ravens. But it was far from the only reason they lost on Sunday.
Jackson explicitly made the point that Andrews shouldn't be the scapegoat while venting about the Ravens' latest crushing postseason loss.
"It's a team effort," Jackson said after the game. "He's been busting his body. Making plays happen on that field for us, came up short. Like I've been saying all season every time we've been in a situation like this, turnovers play a factor. Penalties play a factor.
"Tonight, the turnovers, can't have that s---. That's why we lost the game. 'Cause as you can see, we're moving the ball wonderfully. Just hold on to the f------ ball. Sorry for my language, this s--- annoying. Tired of this s---."
Jackson added, : "I got to get over this. We're right there. I'm tired of being right there. We need to punch our ticket."
The Ravens' three turnovers were incredibly costly, including two by Jackson. He overthrew wide receiver Rashod Bateman on a first-quarter interception under pressure. Jackson later coughed up the ball while trying to escape more pressure, a fumble scooped up by Von Miller and run back 39 yards. That play set up a Bills touchdown that put them up 14-7 in the second quarter.
"We're a team," Jackson said. "First half, I had two costly turnovers. Me not holding the safety, me just knowing the coverage, me knowing it was man. Threw a B.S. interception. …
"The fumble. Just trying to make something happen. It was like a RPO play, so I couldn't really throw the ball to (tight end Isaiah) Likely. … I was trying to make something happen, tired to squeeze the ball. It slipped out of my hand. Von Miller picked it up, got some yards, I think that led to points for them."
The Ravens let too many opportunities slip through their fingers. Jackson's earlier two-point try was also knocked down by a Bills defender. That was four points Baltimore missed out on in a two-point loss.
Of course, Andrews also was guilty of his own crushing turnover, midway through the fourth quarter. Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard popped the ball loose from Andrews and recovered it after a 16-yard catch to the Bills' 44-yard line. Incredibly, it was Andrews' first lost fumble since 2019. The Ravens trailed, 24-19, at the time, with a chance to take the lead. Instead, the Bills converted that into an eight-point edge, prior to the Ravens nearly tying the game.
According to Next Gen Stats, the dropped two-point pass by Andrews cost the Ravens with a -22.8% win probability. But the three turnovers collectively cost the Ravens a total of -36.7% in net win probability. Interestingly, Jackson's interception (-5.9% win probability) was the least costly, but Jackson's fumble was the most hurtful of the three (-19.3%). Andrews' fumble was in the middle, at -11.5% win probability lost.
After a slow start this season, Andrews rediscovered his role in the Ravens offense, catching a team-high 11 TDs. On a day when the Ravens were without Zay Flowers, Andrews stepped up with five second-half catches for 61 yards. He also converted two key first downs with QB sneaks, including a 2-yard run on fourth-and-1 from the Baltimore 39-yard line with 10 minutes left.
But it's his two major mistakes in the fourth quarter of a winnable game that will linger for a long time. Andrews did not speak after the loss, but Ravens head John Harbaugh also came to his tight end's defense.
"I would say the same thing to all the guys, like Mark," Harbaugh said. "There is nobody that has more heart or cares (and) fights more than Mark. We wouldn't be here without Mark Andrews. That's what you say to him.
"So, it's like anything else, destiny is a decision that you make. It's a decision on how you handle what comes in your life. Mark will handle it fantastic like he always does. He's a high-character person, tough person and a good person. So, proud of him just like how I'm proud of all the guys."
Star safety Kyle Hamilton echoed his coach's sentiments.
"S--- happens in this league," Hamilton said. "I dropped a pick earlier in the year. People don't turn on one another, we go through so much from fall camp to now. One play doesn't define anybody. He's the all-time leading touchdown receiver in Ravens history. So, for anybody to say anything about him, you have to look in the mirror and evaluate your thought process. What he's done for this franchise and will do for this franchise in the future. He's been a consistent beacon of success the whole time he's been here. For anybody to take anything away from him and his work ethic is unfair."
