Are Baltimore Ravens Equipped To Handle Loss Of Mark Andrews?
If the Baltimore Ravens are going to continue to be the top team in the AFC, they'll have to do it without one of their best offensive players, tight end Mark Andrews.
Barring a deep playoff run and speedy recovery, Andrews will be out the rest of the season with a fractured fibula and ankle injury that he suffered on Thursday Night Football in the Ravens' 34-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals (5-5) at M&T Bank Stadium. With one of Lamar Jackson's top weapons out for the foreseeable future, it'll be up to the rest of the tight ends and receivers to make up for his absence.
Andrews is second on the team in catches (45) and receiving yards (544), and he leads the team in receiving touchdowns (6).
While Baltimore's (8-3) offense has been one of the best in football, Jackson and head coach John Harbaugh had differing opinions on the unit's ability to overcome to loss of Andrews. Harbaugh thinks the offense is equipped to withstand the loss of the All-Pro tight end, while Jackson didn't agree.
"I don't think we're equipped to lose him at all just because of the guy he is – one of our leaders on offense besides myself," Jackson said. "We have great receivers, and we have a great backfield, we have great tight ends who are stepping up. Just our team, I'll say, is just different all around. That's why we're able to go on without our brother."
Mark Andrews making a leaping catch against the Cleveland Browns.
USA Today Sports
Jackson also noted Andrews' impact whenever plays would break down and he would have to improvise.
"That was my No. 1 guy when I got off script," Jackson said. "Me and him are going to have a connection somehow someway...We're going to be missing that."
The honus will be on tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar to step up. There will also be more pressure on receivers Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr. to continue to produce. Flowers leads the team in catches and receiving yards, while OBJ is coming off his best game of the season with four catches for 116 yards in the Ravens' win over the Bengals.
'They're doing a great job," Jackson said of the Ravens' receivers. "So, when we start connecting down the field, the sky's the limit for our offense."
Time will only tell if Baltimore can overcome the loss of one of Jackson's top weapons. The Ravens will get their first glimpse at the offense without him on Sunday Night Football when they head to SoFi Stadium to face the Los Angeles Chargers (4-6).
