Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson took full responsibility for the team's 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, but Stephen A. Smith took to social media to say what many were thinking, that tight end Mark Andrews was to blame.
“Appreciate the accountability on @Lj_era8's part. Right thing to do,” Stephen A. Smith said on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Kudos to him. But it's on Andrew's. So sad. The guy has been great for years — Mr. Reliable. What a horrible time for this to happen to him. But it happened.”
Of course, Andrews dropped the game-tying two-point conversion attempt, and the Ravens did not get the ball back after that. Andrews fumbled earlier in the quarter as well. Jackson had his miscues as well, especially in the first half. He threw an interception and then fumbled as well. The fumble led to a Bills touchdown, as the Ravens were in plus territory.
Jackson did play well in the second half, and especially in the fourth quarter. He has had some poor playoff performances before, but this one was not nearly as bad as the game against the Kansas City Chiefs was last year in the AFC Championship. Still, the playoffs have been a hurdle for Jackson, who might win his third MVP Award this season. He will have to wait another year to get over that hump.
The Ravens will likely try to add more around Jackson going into the 2025 NFL season. The addition of Derrick Henry made a huge difference for Baltimore on offense, and he will still be under contract. It will be interesting to see if there is some kind of extension that the two sides will work on this offseason, or if he will just play out the last year of his contract. Either way, the Ravens need to make the right moves to be back in contention for a deep playoff run once again.