The Baltimore Ravens’ heartbreaking divisional-round loss to the Buffalo Bills came down to a single, agonizing moment: Mark Andrews’ dropped catch on a critical two-point conversion attempt. However, it was the hole they dug for themselves that proved impossible to climb out of. Costly turnovers plagued Baltimore throughout the game—mistakes that are nearly impossible to overcome. After the game, Cam Newton emphasized this point but absolved Mark Andrews of blame.
Advertisement
On the latest episode of 4th&1, Newton pointed out that while Andrews didn’t do himself or his team any favors by dropping a crucial pass, he emphasized that the tight end doesn’t deserve all the blame and abuse he’s getting in the past few days. Football requires a collective effort, and it was a collective failure on the part of the Ravens.
Newton believes, however, that protecting the ball is what separates dynastic teams from mere contenders. Champion teams do the basic things excellently, and that includes ball security—something the Ravens failed to do throughout the game. Andrews just happened to fail at it at the tail end of the game, making it more noticeable.
“I think, over this whole weekend, we learned the importance of football. The ball is gold. Treat it like your firstborn. Ball security is job security,” Newton said.
Newton also speculated on what Jackson must have said to Andrews after his drop. As a leader, Newton believes Lamar would have consoled him, reassuring him that everything was okay, emphasizing that they wouldn’t even have made it that far without Andrews’ efforts throughout the season. The star quarterback would also have pointed out that a competitor like himself would never make such a mistake on purpose, Newton added.
“We got here on your back and it is okay. Cuz I know the competitor in you didn’t intentionally mean to drop the ball. You just happen to drop it.”
The former Panthers QB also didn’t hold back in his criticism of the play call on the Ravens’ final attempt. He expressed his frustration with the decision to have Lamar Jackson roll out wide to the right, pointing out that it effectively cut the field in half.
Newton stressed that a football field is 53.3 yards wide, and limiting Jackson’s options in such a crucial moment narrowed his angle and reduced his ability to read the play. He argued that Lamar should have had the full field ahead of him instead, giving him more freedom to analyze the situation, pass, or take off running.
Another promising regular season ended in disappointment for the Ravens as their and Lamar Jackson’s wait for a Super Bowl continues. However, the core of the team remains intact, and with Derrick Henry still under contract for another season, the window of opportunity is far from closed. Now is the time for the Ravens to reflect on their mistakes, learn from them, and shift their focus to preparing for next season.
