Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews received the lion’s share of the blame after the Baltimore Ravens’ playoff run came to an abrupt and excruciating end. Andrews failed to secure a short pass from Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson on a two-point conversion attempt late in the fourth quarter.
A completed catch would have tied the hard fought divisional round game at 27. The Ravens were instead forced to attempt an onside kick, which was recovered by the Buffalo Bills. A handoff and a couple of kneel downs by quarterback Josh Allen punched the Bills ticket to the AFC Championship game.
Rather than pointing the finger solely at Andrews, former NFL quarterback and current analyst Chris Simms suggested Jackson needed to shoulder a significant portion of the blame.
“A lot of people are going to be on Mark Andrews for the dropped two-point conversion,” Simms said this week during an appearance on “Up & Adams,” as video of the failed two-point conversation played.
While Simms admitted Andrews needed “to catch” the ball, he also argued that Jackson’s pass was “not accurate.”
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“Throw it, throw it! It’s too late, Lamar Jackson’s making $55 million a year, that ball needs to be on time, and it was not accurate. Mark Andrews needs to catch it, don’t get me wrong, but Lamar Jackson’s making $55 million a year and he double-clutched it and threw it like a dart.”
Simms then lauded Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken for making the “perfect play call,” as he continued to highlight Jackson’s throw during the play in question.
“This was the perfect play call. So we can’t get mad at Todd Monken,” Simms said. “What I’m saying is that Mark Andrews in the meeting today with Baltimore is going to get a negative grade for the drop, but also, Lamar Jackson’s meeting with his quarterback coach and the offensive coordinator, he’s going to get a negative grade for this throw. It was late. He didn’t throw it with the same authority he usually throws it, and then he threw it behind him. He made it as hard as it possibly could be for a wide-open touchdown.”
Jackson finished the 27-25 loss with a pair of touchdown passes against one interception. The Ravens also lost two fumbles, one of which was charged to Jackson. Andrews also fumbled the ball in the fourth quarter.
After the game, Jackson pushed back against the idea that Andrews was responsible for the loss. “We’re a team,” the two-time NFL MVP quarterback said. “It’s not his fault. We’re not gonna put that on Mark.”
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