The Baltimore Ravens were touted as the team best equipped to end the Kansas City Chiefs' two-year reign as AFC champions. However, they never got the chance to battle them in the playoffs after a gut-wrenching 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round.
Ravens fans and players will continue to ponder what could have been had tight end Mark Andrews held on to quarterback Lamar Jackson's pass on a two-point play toward the end of the game which would have leveled the scores and pushed the game to overtime.
While many bashed the veteran and pinned the blame on him for the loss, former Ravens running Mark Ingram absolved his former teammate of the blame. In an interview with The Sports Daily, the 35-year-old said:
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“You can never blame it on one person. It’s a team game and there’s so many things that happen throughout the game that can affect the outcome.
"I just think that they have to focus on not beating themselves and putting themselves in the best opportunity to be successful, which they are capable of doing, but they haven’t been able to do it in the playoffs.”
Mark Andrews' reaction to catch drop vs. Bills
Mark Andrews did not speak with the media after the loss to the Bills or the following day. He broke his silence on Instagram with a lengthy post, where he detailed how he felt. He wrote:
"I’m absolutely gutted by what happened on Sunday. I’m devastated for my teammates, my coaches and Ravens fans. I pour every ounce of my being into playing at the highest level possible, because I love my team and the game of football like nothing else.
"That is why it’s taken me until now to collect my thoughts and address this publicly."
Andrews vowed to bounce back from the setback, addressed the mockery he was subjected to on social media, and expressed gratitude for Bills fans who graciously donated to a charity he supports:
"I refuse to let the situation define me. I promise that this adversity will only make me stronger and fuel us as we move forward... Despite the negativity, I’ve seen heartfelt love and encouragement, including from those who have generously donated to the Breakthrough T1D organization.
"Even when the moment seems darkest, perspective can reveal that there’s still a lot of light in this world."
While Andrews is staying positive, the drop will continue to haunt him until he steps on the field again and gets a chance to redeem himself.
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