Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andries took 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 closely fought divisional round game at 27. The Ravens were instead forced to attempt an offside kick, which was recovered by the Buffalo Bills. A handoff and a pair of kneels by quarterback Josh Allen secured the Bills a ticket to the AFC Championship game.
Instead of just pointing the finger at Andrews, former NFL quarterback and current analyst Chris Simms suggested that Jackson should take a significant portion of the blame.
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Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens steps back to pass against the Buffalo Bills in the third quarter during the AFC Divisional Playoff at Highmark Stadium on January 19, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
“A lot of people are going to follow Mark Andrews because of the dropped two-point conversion,” Simms said during an appearance on “Up & Adams” this week as the video of the botched two-point call played.
Although Simms admitted that Andrews had 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 makes $55 million a year, that ball has to be on time, and it wasn’t accurate. Mark Andrews has to catch it, don’t get me wrong, but Lamar Jackson’s He made 55 million dollars a year and he double-clutched it and threw it like a dart.”
NBC Sports Chris Simms before an AFC divisional playoff game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs on January 21, 2023 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Simms then praised the Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken for making the “perfect play call” while continuing to emphasize Jackson’s throw during the play in question.
“That 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 today’s meeting with Baltimore is going to get a negative grade for the drop, but also that Lamar Jackson’s meeting with his quarterback coach and the offensive coordinator is going to get a negative grade for this throw was late. He didn’t throw it with the same authority as usual, and then he threw it as hard as he could for a wide open touchdown.
Mark Andrews #89 of the Baltimore Ravens drops a pass on a two-point conversion during the second half of an NFL football divisional playoff game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 19, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Jackson ended the 27-25 loss with a pair of touchdown passes against one interception. The Ravens also lost two fumbles, one of which came at Jackson’s expense. Andrews also fumbled the ball in the fourth quarter.
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After the game, Jackson pushed back against the idea that Andrews was responsible for the loss. “We are a team,” the two-time NFL MVP quarterback said. ‘It’s not his fault. We’re not going to do that to Mark.’
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