ExtremeRavens

While Ravens tight end Mark Andrews dealt with online vitriol following his dropped pass on a key 2-point conversion in Sunday’s playoff loss to the Bills, there’s a contingent of Ravens fans strongly supporting the franchise’s all-time touchdowns leader. Count Mezeh Mediterranean Grill among his fans. The Maryland-born restaurant chain, which has 14 locations in the state and 52 nationwide, announced Tuesday that it is offering Andrews free meals at any of its locations — for life. “As Coach Harbaugh said after last weekend’s playoff game, the Ravens wouldn’t have been there without Mark,” Saleh Mohamadi, founder and CEO of Mezeh, said in a news release. “Mark has been a fan favorite and one of the team’s most valuable players since he arrived in 2018. We love him and we’re showing it with this invitation to eat at Mezeh whenever he likes, on us. For the rest of his life.” The offer likely won’t lessen the sting of the loss for Andrews, who wasn’t available to speak to the media Sunday or Monday after the Bills loss. His otherwise stellar season — he caught a career-high 11 touchdown passes — ended on a sour note. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Bills fans start GoFundMe for charity supported by Ravens TE Mark Andrews Baltimore Ravens | 6 potential targets for Ravens with 27th pick in 2025 NFL draft Baltimore Ravens | Ravens end-of-season betting notes: Trends that defined their 2024-25 season Baltimore Ravens | Ravens TE Mark Andrews absent as players clean out lockers after season ends Baltimore Ravens | Inside the Ravens’ somber and reflective locker room clean-out Mohamadi thinks the majority of Ravens fans are more appreciative of Andrews’ career-long efforts than the three-time Pro Bowl selection may realize. “Whether you’re in the mood for a flatbread wrap, rice or salad bowl or anything else on our flavor-packed menu, we’ll be ready to show our appreciation for all you’ve done for Ravens fans over the years, Mark,” Mohamadi said. “I know our loyal guests would love to do the same. We hope you’ll take us up on our offer soon … and often!” Even Buffalo fans supported Andrews in the aftermath of Sunday’s postseason battle. A pair of Bills fans created a GoFundMe to raise money for a charity close to Andrews’ heart: Breakthrough T1D. The organization raises money to cure, prevent and treat Type 1 diabetes, which Andrews has. The page has raised more than $35,000 as of 9 p.m. Tuesday. Sunday’s performance was heartbreaking for Andrews, but strangers have been quick to share support for the former All-Pro tight end. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

Two Canisius University sophomores who run a Bills blog saw the endless vitriol directed toward Ravens tight end Mark Andrews online and wanted to help. Andrews’ drop on a potential game-tying 2-point conversion in Baltimore’s AFC divisional round loss has dominated discourse since late Sunday night. The ensuing death threats and one vile hashtag – an indictment on the darkest corners of sports internet fandom – sprung the college buddies into action through their webpage, The Buffalo Brief. Nicholas Howard and Ryan Patato started a GoFundMe on Monday morning with the goal raising $5,000 toward, Breakthrough T1D, raising money to cure, prevent and treat Type 1 diabetes. Andrews, who has Type 1 diabetes, supports the charity. As of Tuesday at 3 p.m., the fundraiser has topped 570 donations accumulating over $13,000. Howard and Patato started their site, The Buffalo Brief, only six months ago. It was a passion project before the start of the season as a way to create content surrounding their favorite team. Howard said this kind of response isn’t abnormal for Bills Mafia. Buffalo’s fan base also raised money when quarterback Josh Allen’s grandmother died in 2020. Howard chose his sports management major because of the Bills. He’s currently working with the Buffalo Sabres’ promotional team. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native has family in Buffalo and was sitting in the opposite end zone beside his dad for Sunday’s playoff game. Since moving to Western New York himself, he’s become fully ingratiated in the fan base. The Buffalo Brief has gotten some assistance from other dominant fan accounts online. They’ve watched the fundraiser for Andrews spread quickly, nearly tripling their original goal. “At first, it was just Bills mafia,” Howard told The Sun. “But as it grew and grew, I’ve gotten a lot of Ravens fans, Texans fans, all kinds of fans donating to the fundraiser. I’ve gotten Ravens fans hitting up our DMs on Instagram saying, ‘We love what you’re doing. We appreciate it. As much as we don’t like the Bills, we appreciate it.’ It’s very heartwarming getting those messages.” When contacted by The Baltimore Sun on Tuesday, Andrews’ agent said his client was not available for comment, though he has been made aware of the GoFundMe page. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 6 potential targets for Ravens with 27th pick in 2025 NFL draft Baltimore Ravens | Ravens end-of-season betting notes: Trends that defined their 2024-25 season Baltimore Ravens | Ravens TE Mark Andrews absent as players clean out lockers after season ends Baltimore Ravens | Inside the Ravens’ somber and reflective locker room clean-out Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How would you grade the Ravens’ season? Andrews was not made available to the media following the Bills game. He also did not appear during the hour-plus long media availability the next day at the team’s practice facility in Owings Mills, though was in attendance for exit meetings earlier on Monday. “I know he is going to be hurting for a while,” fullback Pat Ricard said. “He is going to continue to do great things. In my eyes, he’s going to be a Hall of Famer, just an all-time Ravens. I think time will heal all things.” Andrews isn’t the first Raven to experience the agony of committing such a costly gaffe. Kicker Billy Cundiff as well as wide receivers Lee Evans and Zay Flowers have all made similar mistakes when the lights were brightest. If there were a support group for athletes experiencing that kind of thing, the line would be a mile long. Even famed Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer chimed in on X, writing “Different sport, but I can relate.” Palmer recalled he didn’t pitch well in final game of the 1982 season. Palmer let up a run in each of the first three innings, including two homers, in a series-deciding loss. “Stuff happens and you move on,” Palmer added. Baltimore Sun reporter Brian Wacker contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Another early playoff exit means another long offseason for the Ravens. After a season with Super Bowl expectations ended with a 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional round Sunday night, work begins to retool a roster built around star quarterback Lamar Jackson. That work, as always, will be focused on the draft. Baltimore’s class of free agents this offseason is not particularly deep, but several key contributors could be on the way out. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley is a pending free agent, as is fullback Patrick Ricard, offensive lineman Patrick Mekari, wide receiver Nelson Agholor, cornerbacks Brandon Stephens and Tre’Davious White and linebackers Malik Harrison and Chris Board. Safety Marcus Williams, who was benched near the end of a five-year, $70 million deal he signed in March 2022, is expected to be released. Those are not huge gaps for general manager Eric DeCosta and the front office to fill, but for Baltimore to keep ascending and finally get over the hump in the postseason, an influx of young, cost-controlled talent is a must. With that in mind, here’s a first look at some potential targets for the Ravens at pick No. 27 overall when the first round begins April 24 in Green Bay, Wisconsin: Marshall edge rusher Mike Green The Ravens got a career year out of 33-year-old Kyle Van Noy, Odafe Oweh recorded double-digit sacks for the first time and Tavius Robinson showed improvement in his second season, but there’s plenty of room for another pass rusher on this roster. Green has been a fast riser after recording a nation-leading 17 sacks this past season, displaying an explosive first step and rare bend off the edge. Though a bit undersized at 6 foot-4 and 248 pounds, he’s a strong run defender, posting a 90.1 Pro Football Focus run-defense grade to go with a stellar 91.0 PFF pass-rush grade. With 2022 second-round pick David Ojabo yet to live up to expectations and 2024 third-round selection Adisa Isaac coming off an injury-hampered rookie year, Green would be a welcome addition to coordinator Zach Orr’s defense. Other EDGE options: Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton, Ohio State’s JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison Marlon Humphrey returned to a Pro Bowl level this season and rookie Nate Wiggins looks like a rising star, but there are plenty of questions about how the Ravens will handle their outside cornerback position this offseason after a disappointing year from Stephens. Morrison comes with some concerns after suffering a season-ending hip injury in October, but when he’s been on the field, the 6-foot, 190-pound cornerback has been a star. As a true freshman in 2022, he finished seventh nationally with six interceptions, then led Notre Dame with 10 pass breakups and ranked second with three interceptions in 2023. He had 20 tackles and four pass breakups in six starts before getting injured this year. With long arms, excellent recovery speed and good instincts, Morrison would give the Ravens a budding young tandem alongside Wiggins and allow Humphrey to maintain his standout role in the slot. Other CB options: East Carolina’s Shavon Revel Jr., Texas’ Jahdae Barron, Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston Oregon offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr. could be a long-term solution at left tackle. (Amanda Loman/AP) Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. Whether or not Stanley re-signs, the Ravens need a long-term plan at left tackle. This draft could be the best time to address it. A former five-star recruit, Conerly took his game to another level in his second season as a starter. The 6-4, 315-pound left tackle allowed just 10 pressures on 521 pass-blocking snaps, according to PFF, while earning a 78.0 pass-blocking grade on true pass sets. While still raw, his athleticism will have teams buying into his potential as a future star. He might very well rocket up draft boards before the Ravens have a chance to pick him. Other OT options: Ohio State’s Josh Simmons, Texas’ Cameron Williams, Minnesota’s Aireontae Ersery Arizona guard-tackle Jonah Savaiinaea With the versatile and dependable Mekari hitting the open market, the Ravens could have holes to fill at both left tackle and left guard. Savaiinaea could play either spot. After lining up exclusively at right guard in 2022, the 6-5, 330-pound Savaiinaea spent time at both tackle spots over the past two seasons with the Wildcats. He took a big step forward in 2024, posting a career-high 83.4 PFF pass-blocking grade while allowing just 16 total pressures on 738 pass-blocking snaps. The question will be whether his game is better suited for the interior, where he can use his power and quickness to displace defenders. Other OT/G options: Missouri’s Armand Membou, West Virginia’s Wyatt Milum, Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson Stanford wide receiver Elic Ayomanor had 63 catches for 831 yards and six touchdowns this past season. (Michael Reaves/Getty) Stanford wide receiver Elic Ayomanor If the Ravens are thinking about filling out their wide receiver room like a basketball team, Ayomanor is the type of player they’re missing. At 6-2 and 210 pounds, he’s bigger and taller than both Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers with enticing ball skills to win one-on-one matchups on the outside. Playing in a Stanford offense that was one of the worst in major college football this past season, Ayomanor still had 63 catches for 831 yards and six touchdowns. He ranked 23rd in the country with 14 contested catches, according to PFF, winning nearly half of the 50-50 balls thrown his way (48.3%). His one-handed grab against Syracuse was one of the best across the sport all season. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens end-of-season betting notes: Trends that defined their 2024-25 season Baltimore Ravens | Ravens TE Mark Andrews absent as players clean out lockers after season ends Baltimore Ravens | Inside the Ravens’ somber and reflective locker room clean-out Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How would you grade the Ravens’ season? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens head home, trying to make sense of another disappointing ending The redshirt junior rose to the occasion in big moments, too. In Stanford’s comeback win over Colorado in 2023, Ayomanor finished with 13 catches for 294 yards and three touchdowns – all in the second half. More impressively, seven of those catches and two of those scores came against two-way star and future Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, perhaps the top overall player in this year’s draft. Other WR options: Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka, Texas’ Matthew Golden, Ole Miss’ Tre Harris Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell The loss of Patrick Queen opened the door for Trenton Simpson to step up as Roquan Smith’s running mate, but the 2023 third-round pick was eventually benched in favor of a combination of Harrison and Board. With both of those players hitting free agency, there might be a desire for an upgrade at inside linebacker. With his size, speed and ability to rush the passer, Campbell might be a perfect fit in Baltimore. The 6-3, 245-pound linebacker led the Crimson Tide in tackles (117), tackles for loss (11 1/2), sacks (5) and forced fumbles (2) while recording an interception and two pass breakups. If he improves in coverage, Campbell could help the defense take another step forward in Year 2 under Orr. Other LB options: Georgia’s Jalon Walker, UCLA’s Carson Schwesinger Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

The Ravens’ season came to a disappointing end Sunday, as they fell to the Buffalo Bills, 27-25. The playoff loss featured significant heartbreak, as the usually reliable Mark Andrews fumbled and dropped a 2-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter. Baltimore fans and star quarterback Lamar Jackson won’t be pleased with the final outcome, as anything short of a Super Bowl is largely considered a failure for a team with an NFL Most Valuable Player-caliber quarterback. As the Ravens regroup after a devastating playoff exit, let’s take a glance at a few betting stats that help explain the Ravens’ many successes and painful failures: Two losses as a big favorite While Andrews and others will receive blame for Sunday’s loss to the Bills, the Ravens should be kicking themselves for September and October mistakes. Baltimore was an 8 1/2-point home favorite in Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders, and the Ravens held a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. Baltimore squandered the game by giving up 13 straight points, eventually losing by a field goal in its home opener. On Oct. 27, the Ravens visited the Cleveland Browns and struggled to slow down Jameis Winston. A 29-24 loss was easily avoidable, especially with Baltimore opening the game as a 7-point favorite against a lowly opponent. Losing two games as a touchdown favorite might not seem correlated to Baltimore’s AFC divisional round loss, but the Ravens finished one game behind the Bills in the AFC standings despite a head-to-head victory. Even if Buffalo won in Week 18 in an alternate universe — the Bills lost to the subpar Patriots when resting many of their best players — the Ravens could have secured the AFC’s No. 2 seed and home-field advantage against the Bills simply by avoiding sloppy losses to the Browns and Raiders. Those teams went 7-27 this year. The Bills are now 10-0 at home this season and 5-4 on the road, including a 35-10 loss to Baltimore in Week 4. Speaking of alternate realities, playing in Baltimore could have been the difference between a playoff win or loss. Buffalo and Kansas City both went undefeated this season when favored by a touchdown or more. Baltimore’s two losses when favored by at least a touchdown are more than the Bills, Chiefs, Commanders and Eagles have combined (one) this season. The NFL’s best typically handle teams competing for draft positioning. Favored in 18 games This won’t calm the frustrations of Ravens fans, but betting oddsmakers loved Baltimore. The Ravens were favored in every game this season, except when it was about a field-goal underdog in Week 1 against the Chiefs. Power ratings and advanced analytics, including DVOA, considered the Ravens the best team in the NFL by season’s end. FanDuel’s hypothetical odds available before Sunday’s game with the Bills had the Ravens as a road favorite against the Chiefs in the AFC championship game, had they advanced. If Baltimore had advanced to the Super Bowl, it would’ve been favored to beat either the Eagles or the Commanders. The Ravens, on paper, were as dangerous as any team in the NFL. Turnovers were the team’s undoing in the postseason, as Baltimore coughed the ball up three times in Sunday’s loss to the Bills. The betting markets and power rankings didn’t account for Jackson and Andrews faltering in key moments after nearly flawless seasons. That’s why they play the games. 13 regular-season overs Of Baltimore’s 17 regular-season games, 13 went over the projected point total. The stat speaks to both the Ravens’ historic offense and the defense’s struggles through Week 10. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens TE Mark Andrews absent as players clean out lockers after season ends Baltimore Ravens | Inside the Ravens’ somber and reflective locker room clean-out Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How would you grade the Ravens’ season? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens head home, trying to make sense of another disappointing ending Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-25 postseason loss to the Buffalo Bills Baltimore became the first team in NFL history to throw for 4,000 yards and run for 3,000 in the same season. The duo of Jackson and running back Derrick Henry delivered on preseason hype, as Jackson is on the verge of winning his third NFL MVP Award and Henry nearly topped 2,000 rushing yards in the regular season. Defensively, the Ravens improved dramatically in the final weeks of the season. Before those improvements, Ravens games were a treat to watch for unbiased observers — and over bettors. Baltimore battled the Commanders to a 30-23 win, outdueled the Buccaneers, 41-31, on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” and won a pair of shootouts (41-38 and 35-34) over the Bengals. All four of those scoring bonanzas occurred before Thanksgiving. For fans of offense, the Ravens were must-watch TV. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

There were giant black garbage bags and cardboard boxes. Bottles of wine and stacks of blown up cardboard photos. On Lamar Jackson’s locker hung his huge chain, a blown-up version of the logo for his clothing brand. On Derrick Henry’s locker hung another one, with a crown and the word “King.” There was, however, no Mark Andrews. A day after the Ravens tight end wasn’t made available to the media following Baltimore’s 27-25 divisional round loss to the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium — where he dropped a would-be game-tying 2-point conversion inside the final two minutes and had a costly fumble earlier in the fourth quarter — did not appear as players cleaned out their lockers at the team’s practice facility in Owings Mills on Monday afternoon. Instead, those who did make their way through the hour-plus media availability were left to speak for him. “Mark’s a complete competitor,” All-Pro fullback Patrick Ricard said. “He’ll be fine. He’s the heart and soul of this team. “He’s the guy to go to in big situations. I know he’s going to be hurting for a while. But he’ll continue to do great things. … Time will heal all things.” The loss no doubt stings for the franchise’s record holder for career touchdowns (51), former All-Pro, three-time Pro Bowl selection and Lamar Jackson’s bonafide security blanket. His fumble midway through the fourth quarter on Sunday night as Baltimore crossed into Buffalo territory and was driving toward a potential go-ahead touchdown was recovered by Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard and led to an eventual field goal to extend Buffalo’s lead to eight points. Then, after connecting with tight end Isaiah Likely for a 24-yard touchdown to culminate an eight-play, 88-yard drive with 1:33 remaining, the quarterback lofted a short pass to Andrews in the front right corner of the end zone on a 2-point try, but the seven-year veteran bobbled then dropped it as he fell backward across the goal line. After the game, Andrews got dressed and left the locker room while most of the media was still in the postgame news conference for coach John Harbaugh, Jackson, safety Kyle Hamilton and linebacker Roquan Smith and was not made available to reporters before departing. He also wasn’t the only one missing on Monday, of course. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews caught five passes for 61 yards against the Bills, but his late-game miscues attracted more attention. (Timothy T Ludwig/Getty) Jackson, Hamilton and linebacker Kyle Van Noy were among the more notable absences. Running back Derrick Henry was in the room, though he tried to be inconspicuous with a fleece pullover that covered most of his face as he emptied his locker. Injured receiver Zay Flowers was also on hand. Flowers, who was inactive for the Bills game with a sprained knee that he suffered in the regular season finale, said it was “killing him” not to be on the field on Sunday. It also marked a difficult ending for a second straight year for Andrews. Last season, he suffered an ankle injury on a hip-drop tackle that caused him to miss the final six games of the regular season and a divisional round game against the Houston Texans. He returned for the AFC championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs at M&T Bank Stadium but had just two catches for 15 yards on 18 snaps in the 17-10 loss. Sunday night’s loss to the Bills, however, will likely sting even more for Andrews. “Once he’ll get away from here, spend time with his family, his girlfriend and he’s only gonna grow from this and be even better, which is scary because he’s already very good,” Ricard said. “He’s had a great year. You can’t let one game or one play decide your whole career. We know this won’t define him or shape him.” Andrews, 29, finished the year with 55 catches for 673 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s also slated to enter the final year of a four-year, $56 million contract he signed in 2021 that currently makes him the fifth-highest-paid tight end in the league. How the Ravens address his future remains to be seen, given several priorities, including Pro Bowl safety Hamilton and Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum being extension-eligible before next season. These are just some of the roster decisions general manager Eric DeCosta is juggling with 16 players unrestricted free agents and another four who are restricted. Ricard and left guard Patrick Mekari along with left tackle Ronnie Stanley are among the former who are due to be free agents this offseason. “This is one of the most fun I’ve had playing football,” Ricard said of playing alongside Jackson and Henry. “This is the best offense I’ve ever been a part of. I got to play with the best quarterback in football, the best running back in football. “I wanna stay here. I wanna be here. I wanna retire here. But we’ll see what happens when the time comes.” Mekari said he has yet to think about his future with the loss to the Bills still smarting. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Inside the Ravens’ somber and reflective locker room clean out Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How would you grade the Ravens’ season? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens head home, trying to make sense of another disappointing ending Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-25 postseason loss to the Buffalo Bills Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Playoff Lamar and MVP Lamar remain separate QBs | COMMENTARY “Yeah, still sucks,” he said. “Have to move on but it’s OK that it stings for a little bit. That’s part of it.” For how long? “A day at a time,” Mekari continued. “Hopefully quick. “It’s tough to make it this far and not get to the Super Bowl.” Then he eyed the five bottles of wine at his locker that were ready to be packed — or drank. “Maybe a couple of bottles of that would be good,” he said. “Yeah, I don’t know. “Throughout the year there was a lot of ups, a lot of downs. Right now it’s easy to focus on the negatives because we didn’t get what we wanted. But as the days go on you look back you say we did a lot of good stuff. It’s not to where we want to be and hoping for a better outcome next year, but we did some special things this year and we’ll remember that.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The missing piece of this short-lived Ravens playoff run was swarmed by cameras and microphones beside his locker stall not 15 hours after they were eliminated in Buffalo. Zay Flowers said missing a pair of playoff games took a toll on him. Flowers suffered a knee injury Week 18 that sidelined him for both playoff games — the first absences of his two-year career. Baltimore’s Pro Bowl wide receiver had his sights set on a return next week in Kansas City. He could all but watch that plan crumble before his eyes. “It was killing me, for sure,” Flowers said, tucked under a gray hoodie and designer coat. “I want to be out there every game. I want to go through everything they go through.” What the Ravens went through was a gutting 27-25 loss at Highmark Stadium, their season wrapped up prematurely courtesy of the Buffalo Bills. Monday afternoon’s locker room clean-out at the team’s Owings Mills facility was an extension of the previous night’s somber spirit. Several players returned for exit meetings and to retrieve their belongings. The most notable and surprising absence was tight end Mark Andrews. He was not available to speak with reporters after dropping the game-tying pass and did not answer questions a day later, meaning he likely won’t comment on the matter until the spring. Fullback Pat Ricard offered some next-day context in his place. “We went into the tight end room. [Tight ends coach] George [Godsey] spoke about the whole season, just about us as a group,” he said. “Mark is a complete competitor, so he’ll be fine. We all know he’ll be fine. He is the heart and soul of this team. He has won big games for us. He will continue to win big games here. He’s the guy to go to in big situations. I know he is going [to] be hurting for a while. He is going to continue to do great things. In my eyes, he’s going to be a future Hall of Famer, just an all-time Raven. I think time will heal all things.” The snapshot of Andrews, curled up beside the right pylon with a football squirting loose from his grasp, won’t soon be forgotten. Teammates came to his defense, calling it “unfair” to pin the loss on him, particularly after one of the best seasons of his career. Fairly or unfairly, it’s how this season will be remembered. Lamar Jackson’s typical play-extending touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely moments before will fade into the ether, behind a shadow of what could have been for a team that had much greater plans. It was one mistake in a loss full of them: five penalties, a shaky first-half defensive showing in a game in which starting fast was a requirement, and a pair of costly Jackson turnovers. “You go the whole season and Lamar do what he do, run around the backfield and make plays,” Flowers said, “and then everybody like, ‘Oh, he great. He this. He that.’ And then he mess up one time and now everybody don’t want him to do what he do. Just like Mark. He catches everything. He dropped two. It’s football, sometimes that happens.” Inside the locker room, players exchanged helmets to collect signatures. There was a line to sign Michael Pierce’s. Derrick Henry made a brief pit stop to dig through a deep box of cleats. Rashod Bateman and Ar’Darius Washington snuck in and out. Patrick Mekari spoke to reporters with five bottles of wine perched beside him. On left, Baltimore Ravens’ Derrick Henry cleans out his locker a day after Sunday night’s AFC divisional round playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Baltimore Ravens’ Patrick Ricard cleans out his locker a day after Sunday night’s AFC divisional round playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Baltimore Ravens’ Patrick Mekari shares his thoughts a day after Sunday night’s AFC divisional round playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Jan 20, 2025: Baltimore Ravens’ T.J. Tampa, Jr. puts cleats into a donation box as he cleans out his locker a day after Sunday night’s AFC divisional round playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. (Kim Hairston/Staff) An inscribed ball commemorating the Jan. 4 game against the Browns sits in Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s locker a day after Sunday night’s AFC divisional round playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Baltimore Ravens’ Patrick Ricard cleans out his locker a day after Sunday night’s AFC divisional round playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Baltimore Ravens’ Roger Rosengarten cleans out his locker a day after Sunday night’s AFC divisional round playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Jan 20, 2025: Baltimore Ravens’ Patrick Ricard shares his throughs a day after Sunday night’s AFC divisional round playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Show Caption1 of 8On left, Baltimore Ravens’ Derrick Henry cleans out his locker a day after Sunday night’s AFC divisional round playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Expand “It’s tough to make it this far and not get to the Super Bowl,” Mekari said. “But either way we got another opportunity next year. Hopefully a better outcome next year.” Across the locker room, Nnamdi Madubuike reflected on a season that “stings.” The defensive tackle who finished the year with 6 1/2 sacks and a season-high seven tackles in Buffalo hasn’t quite felt the loss fully sink in. The wound is too fresh. But “you just process it one day at a time. Still trying to cope with it, returning our iPads today, it felt like we should have kept going.” Anticipation for a deep playoff run began in the offseason in the eager buildup to a season pairing a two-time Most Valuable Player award-winning quarterback and surefire first-ballot Hall of Fame running back. Jackson and Henry were cornerstones in Baltimore turning around a sluggish, mojo-less 0-2 start and finishing the regular season with four consecutive wins to steal the AFC North crown from Pittsburgh. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: How would you grade the Ravens’ season? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens head home, trying to make sense of another disappointing ending Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-25 postseason loss to the Buffalo Bills Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Playoff Lamar and MVP Lamar remain separate QBs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens say blaming TE Mark Andrews for loss to Bills is ‘just unfair’ “For us, it was a really good, developmental year,” running back Justice Hill said, “just going through a lot of adversity early on, fighting through adversity, fighting through being down and coming back and winning games. That’s something we hadn’t done that much since I’ve been here, so I feel like it was a good building year for us. That’s going to carry us into next year.” This locker clean-out day was one for reflection and page-turning. There’s some uncertainty around who might return and who might be wearing a different jersey by summertime. For now, players are still stomaching what happened in Orchard Park. “The results are the results,” Madubuike said. “You’re just processing it all and just trying to move forward with a positive light and do better.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

The Ravens’ season is over. Baltimore fell to the Bills, 27-25, in the AFC divisional round Sunday night in a mistake-filled loss in Orchard Park, New York. A 12–5 regular season featured more magic from quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is vying to win his second straight and third NFL Most Valuable Player Award. With the season complete, we want to hear from you. How would you grade the Ravens’ season? After you vote, leave a comment and we might use your take in The Baltimore Sun. The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To read the results of previous reader polls, click here. View the full article

The Ravens have gotten too good at this routine, looking shell-shocked as they clean out their lockers less than 24 hours after their own errors doomed them to final defeat. With majestic quarterback Lamar Jackson leading the most efficient offense in team history, they were good enough to win the Super Bowl this year. But they’re headed home two steps short of playing in the big game after three turnovers and an excruciating Mark Andrews drop left them two points short of the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night. The ending cut deeper because it so closely evoked the collapse of a year earlier when the Ravens also turned the ball over three times in a devastating AFC championship game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. “We know our team. We know what we’re supposed to do,” wide receiver Zay Flowers said Monday. “We know the only way we can’t do what we want to is what we did yesterday.” National commentary quickly zeroed in on the numbing familiarity. “So to show up in a game like this — on the road and against a 13-4 team, with an extremely small margin for error — and just give the ball away twice in the first half … well, it’s not the kind of thing that helps knock down narratives,” wrote ESPN’s Dan Graziano. The Ravens knew going in that giving the ball away would be their quickest road to another letdown, and sure enough, it was. “It’s how football works,” coach John Harbaugh said. “If you want to draw some big cosmic thread, you draw it for every single team in the league except the team that wins. That’s why the Chiefs — you have to admire what they’ve done. It’s tough to win playoff games.” The talk coming out of last year’s final loss said the 2024 Ravens would not be judged on anything they did in the regular season, only by whether they could advance further in the playoffs. They did not, and by that reckoning, their season was a failure. It would be incorrect, however, to write the Ravens off as a team that made zero progress. They signed Derrick Henry in the offseason, betting the 31-year-old running back would defy common NFL aging patterns with his awe-inspiring blend of size of speed. If anything, Henry exceeded those lofty expectations, running for 1,921 yards, growing stronger as the season progressed and forming an unstoppable partnership with Jackson, the greatest running quarterback in league history. Ravens running back Derrick Henry, left, cleans out his locker on Monday. (Kim Hairston/Staff) These two Hall of Fame talents magnified one another, leading an offense that moved the ball more efficiently than any other both on the ground and through the air. “The best offense I’ve ever been a part of,” fullback Patrick Ricard said as he stuffed the contents of his locker into garbage bags Monday afternoon. Jackson won his second NFL Most Valuable Player Award a year ago and was clearly better in 2024, setting career highs in passing yards, touchdown passes and passer rating. He and Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen staged a thrilling MVP duel, with the winner to be announced Feb. 6. Teammates still believe that as long as they have Jackson, they’ll have a real chance to go all the way every year. “How special he is — this year, you’ve seen how he’s grown as a player, how quickly he’s making decisions, the way he throws the ball and decides when to run — it’s inevitable he’s going to win a Super Bowl, and I want to be a part of it,” Ricard said. For all their firepower, the Ravens started unsteadily, losing their season opener after tight end Isaiah Likely’s toe landed an inch out of bounds on a potential game-winning score and blowing a lead at home against the hapless Las Vegas Raiders. Such 0-2 starts sometimes portend rocky seasons, and the Ravens did slip up a few more times, squandering another lead in Cleveland against the woeful Browns and stumbling to a sloppy 18-16 defeat at the hands of the archrival Pittsburgh Steelers. Their defense, in the hands of first-year-coordinator Zach Orr after wunderkind Mike Macdonald departed for Seattle, looked hopeless through 10 weeks, unable to protect leads as opponents connected on deep pass after deep pass. The Ravens went into their bye week in early December looking certain to make the playoffs but trailing the Steelers by two games in the AFC North. Then, they found their footing. An already-potent offense hit another gear. Orr’s defense no longer surrendered explosive plays. The Ravens crushed their last four regular-season opponents by an average of 23 points and raced past the Steelers to repeat as division champions. They overpowered Pittsburgh in the wild-card round of the playoffs, running for an incredible 299 yards against a proud defense. Suddenly, it was not hard to find national pundits who viewed the Ravens as the best team left standing, even without their top wide receiver, Flowers, who injured his knee in the regular-season finale. But they would have to win in Buffalo and then Kansas City to reach Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans. Ravens rookie cornerback T.J. Tampa clears out his locker on Monday. (Kim Hairston/Staff) The Ravens will return for training camp in late July with a team expected to be built around the same core players. Jackson, one of the league’s signature stars, cannot play much better in the regular season, but he’ll chase that elusive perfect postseason. Henry is under contract for another year. None of Jackson’s top targets are headed for free agency in March. The most significant offensive player set to hit the open market is left tackle Ronnie Stanley, and general manager Eric DeCosta will have to decide whether to continue the youth movement he kicked off this season on his offensive line. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who has helped Jackson reach another level the last two years, is a candidate for several head coach openings, and if he leaves, replacing him would become offseason task No. 1. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | 5 things we learned from the Ravens’ 27-25 postseason loss to the Buffalo Bills Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Playoff Lamar and MVP Lamar remain separate QBs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens say blaming TE Mark Andrews for loss to Bills is ‘just unfair’ Baltimore Ravens | National pundits weigh in on Ravens’ playoff loss to Bills: ‘Absolutely tragic’ Baltimore Ravens | Bills QB Josh Allen praises Ravens’ Lamar Jackson after playoff battle: ‘One of the greatest ever’ The team’s defensive leaders, from linebacker Roquan Smith to safety Kyle Hamilton to cornerback Marlon Humphrey to edge rusher Kyle Van Noy, are under contract for 2025. Orr, still just 32, grew into his role as the season went along and will expect to be better in year two, just as his mentor, Macdonald, was. Then there’s Harbaugh, who has not led the Ravens back to the Super Bowl since he won it 12 years ago. Some fans inevitably blame the coach when his team comes to a disappointing end, even if Harbaugh had little power to stop Jackson and Andrews from losing those critical fumbles. In his 17th season in Baltimore, he had the Ravens peaking going into their trip to Buffalo, and there’s no indication owner Steve Bisciotti is considering a change, though Harbaugh is going into the last year of his contract and will be up for an extension sooner rather than later. Players weren’t contemplating an overhaul as they emptied their lockers. They want another shot, with the 2024 team as intact as possible. “I wish the whole group could come back,” Flowers said. “These are my guys. Why not take another crack?” Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Mark Andrews’ fumble and drop sealed the Ravens’ fate in an agonizing 27-25 divisional round loss to the Bills that will again send them home wondering what could have been. Here are five things we learned from the game: Mark Andrews’ agony epitomized that of a great team that can’t take the last step How awful and cosmically unfair that it was him, the guy who cares so much that he attacks midsummer workouts with an intensity many players reserve for the last possession of the Super Bowl. Andrews had not lost a fumble since 2019. He shares an extrasensory connection with Lamar Jackson that has made them the defining passer-receiver partnership in Ravens history. But all that passion, all that trust could not save Andrews in the defining moments of another soul-crushing playoff loss. The Ravens were moving relentlessly toward a potential go-ahead score when Andrews caught Jackson’s pass in the middle of the field midway through the fourth quarter. The three-time Pro Bowl tight end turned up field to pick up more yards as he has hundreds of times before. Instead, the ball popped out of mitts that are normally as reliable as a sunrise. The Ravens knew turnovers could doom them against an opponent that wouldn’t give them much margin for error. Andrews’ fumble was their third, to none for Buffalo. That alone probably should have been enough to do them in. But cruel fate was not done with Andrews, who came back from an ugly ankle injury last season and a terrifying car wreck at the start of this one to catch a career-high 11 touchdowns. After the Ravens’ defense did its job at the goal line, holding Buffalo to a field goal that made it 27-19, Jackson drove Baltimore back the other way, maneuvering coolly and rediscovering his sharpshooter’s aim when he needed it most. His 24-yard dart to Isaiah Likely pulled the Ravens within a 2-point conversion of the tie. With the season hanging by a thread, Jackson rolled to his right, spotting No. 89 — his self-described security blanket — alone in the front corner of the end zone. He flipped the ball and watched it ricochet excruciatingly out of Andrews’ grip. This wasn’t 2019 or 2023, when the Ravens rolled into the playoffs high and mighty only to fail utterly to reach their regular-season standard in elimination games. They out-gained Buffalo 416 yards to 273, 7.3 yards per play to 4.6. Each time they made a seemingly unrecoverable error, they recovered to push for the lead once more. They were the more dynamic team despite the 18-degree kickoff temperature and the coating of snow slicking the field. That the final result was the same had to hurt so much more because they dug up so many answers throughout this season. All along, players (and even some opponents) said only the Ravens could beat the Ravens. That turned out to be true, but not in the identity-crisis way that we lamented after they ran the ball just 16 times in their AFC championship loss to the Chiefs last season. Unsteady hands killed this beast of a team. No one could have predicted Andrews would be the man unable to secure the ball, but sometimes, the model soldier is fated to be wounded deepest. Afterward, teammates did what they could to share his burden, to express how much they admire him. “He does everything right,” Likely said. “That’s why he’s my big brother. I look up to Mark in everything he does. I try to be a sponge with everything he does. It happens. He’s human.” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson committed two turnovers for the first time all season in Sunday’s loss to the Bills. (Al Bello/Getty) Lamar Jackson too is in for an offseason of self-recrimination Jackson vs. Josh Allen was the story within the story — two uniquely gifted quarterbacks who staged a monumental tug-of-war for Most Valuable Player honors and who both need a Super Bowl to complete their masterpiece careers. Their battle Sunday night turned into a microcosm of the battle between the mighty teams they lead. Jackson was the more dynamic passer and runner, combing for 293 yards to Allen’s 137 and digging into his sorcerer’s bag when the Ravens faced extinction in the fourth quarter. But Allen didn’t make any major mistakes, while Jackson dug his team a hole with two turnovers in the first half. It’s not romantic when the more careful titan bests the one who inspires greater awe. Then again, who ever said playoff football has to be romantic? “We can’t have that [expletive],” an angry Jackson said when it was over. “That’s why we lost the game, because as you can see, we’re moving the ball wonderfully. It’s just hold onto the [expletive] ball. I’m sorry for my language. I’m just tired of this.” On the Ravens’ second possession, Bills linebacker Matt Milano drew uncomfortably close and Jackson did not have time to calculate the proper angle as he fired down the sideline to wide receiver Rashod Bateman. The ball floated away from Bateman and into the arms of Buffalo safety Taylor Rapp. Interception — only Jackson’s fifth of a previously near-perfect season. The Ravens’ defense held, and Jackson seemed none the worse for his error, guiding his offense to the Buffalo 28-yard line. On second-and-10, a wild snap caught him off guard. As he tried to recover, he lost his grip on the snow-slicked football. The Bills’ Von Miller picked it up and chugged 39 yards the other way to set up a go-ahead touchdown. Two plays, and Jackson was right back in the playoff Bermuda Triangle that has given critics ammunition to pick at his otherwise irreproachable career. The interception-fumble combo was a chilling reminder of his most disappointing games — the 28-12 shocker against Tennessee five years ago and the 17-10 misfire against Kansas City last January. Those losses cut down the soaring hopes of No. 1 seeded Ravens teams. It was supposed to be different this time, with Jackson coming off his most masterful regular season and flanked by the greatest partner he’s ever had in running back Derrick Henry. Again, however, his mistakes put the Ravens on treacherous ground. They had a chance for a resounding answer after Jackson fired a 42-yard strike to Bateman to give them first-and-goal at the 2-yard line. But they could not punch the ball in as the Bills stonewalled Derrick Henry on first down and sacked Jackson on second. They had been deadly in such scenarios all season, scoring touchdowns on a league-best 74.2% of their red zone trips. Again, Jackson and his Ravens weren’t quite the juggernaut we expected to see. They went to the halftime locker room down 21-10 to a foe entirely capable of matching them score for score. Jackson did much to redeem himself in the second half, especially when the Ravens had to have a touchdown on their last drive. Without his best wide receiver in Zay Flowers and with Bateman temporarily knocked from the game, he made wonderful decisions and equally wonderful throws. That rally will not save him from another interminable offseason of hard questions. Jackson is one of the three best football players in the world with Allen and Patrick Mahomes, so he’s judged by standards that do not apply to almost anyone else. He wasn’t good enough for half of the season’s biggest game, and that will eat at him until he finally rolls through an entire postseason devoid of self-defeat. Ravens running back Derrick Henry, right, had 16 carries for 84 yards and a touchdown against the Bills. (Adrian Kraus/AP) The Ravens built the right offense around Jackson The many prognosticators bullish on the Ravens guessed they would simply overpower the smaller Bills as they had in a 35-10 win over Buffalo at the end of September. Derrick Henry ran for 199 yards, 87 on his first carry, that night, and few could see how the Bills would stand up to four quarters of his unyielding pressure in the rematch. “As good a one-two punch as we’ve ever seen in the National Football League,” CBS commentator Tony Romo said of Jackson and Henry. Give the Bills credit. With Milano and nickel back Taron Johnson, both of whom were injured for the previous meeting, they presented stiffer resistance. Defensive tackles Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones fought hard against Baltimore’s interior blockers. The Ravens ran for 176 yards on 30 carries, plenty impressive but well short of the overpowering 271 they rolled up in September. Still, offensive coordinator Todd Monken did not abandon the run after his team fell down 11. In fact, he used it to control the third quarter as the Ravens rallied to within 21-19. Everyone involved seemed to understand this was the team’s offensive bedrock. If not for Andrews’ fumble, we might be talking about how the Ravens gradually imposed their will despite Buffalo’s vigorous hitting and pursuit. It’s cold comfort at the moment, but we just watched the greatest offense in Ravens history, one that moved the ball more efficiently than any other team both on the ground and through the air. That potency did not vanish on a bitterly cold night in Buffalo despite the terrible mistakes that undermined the machine. Monken is a candidate for multiple head coaching vacancies. Henry’s two-year, $16 million contract is weighted in such a way that it will be in the Ravens’ interest to seek an extension or re-negotiation over the next few months. But this worked stupendously well, and they should look to run it back if at all possible. Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins tries to bring down Bills quarterback Josh Allen on Sunday. (Al Bello/Getty) Again, the Ravens’ defense played well enough to win a playoff game The first time Buffalo had the ball, Khalil Shakir got behind Brandon Stephens for 34 yards on third-and-8. That chunk gain was key to Buffalo’s 70-yard drive to make it 7-7. It was a gut punch to fans worried that the Bills would isolate Stephens and pick on him all night. It turned out to be Buffalo’s most explosive play of the night. The Ravens did not go down because they could not hold the back end. Allen averaged a paltry 5.8 yards per attempt. Some of that was the Bills playing conservatively with a lead, but safeties Kyle Hamilton and Ar’Darius Washington, in many ways the saviors of first-year coordinator Zach Orr’s defense, again stood tall. No, the Ravens won’t be satisfied with giving up 147 rushing yards. “I didn’t think we were physical enough in the first half,” Hamilton said. But those yards came on 36 carries, so it wasn’t as if their defensive front was overpowered by Buffalo’s excellent offensive line. Down 21-10 with the Bills getting the ball to start the second half, the Ravens had no chance to climb back if the defense did not deliver stops. They held Buffalo to 19 yards on nine carries over two drives in the third quarter. Defending a short field after Andrews’ fumble in the fourth quarter, they held the Bills to a field goal to give Jackson his chance at a tying drive. Remember, this same Buffalo offense piled up 471 yards against a very good Denver defense in the previous round. No opponent (other than the New England Patriots facing reserves in a meaningless Week 18) had held the Bills under 300 yards since the first weekend in October. This Ravens defense never reached the heights of the 2023 edition and didn’t dominate in Buffalo. But the resurrection Orr supervised was real, and his crew gave the team a heartbeat when its deficit to the Bills could have mushroomed. Ravens coach John Harbaugh will live with this bitter disappointment just like everyone else involved. (Al Bello/Getty) This loss isn’t principally on John Harbaugh and his staff Some fans will seize on this latest playoff disappointment as further evidence that the Ravens have stagnated under Harbaugh, that the disconnect between their regular-season and postseason performance is unforgivable. But did we really watch a team that wasn’t prepared to play in Buffalo? The Ravens stormed to a touchdown on their first drive of the game. They didn’t punt once all night and moved the ball at a more efficient clip than they did during the regular season when they posted a historically elite DVOA. Their defense prevented big plays and stood tough when the game could have gotten away. They responded to disappointment after disappointment by refusing to circle the drain. The Ravens lost because their MVP quarterback and their great tight end turned the ball over at inopportune moments. How exactly would a coach or his coordinators prevent that? Do we seriously think Harbaugh and his staff failed to harp on ball security as they prepared for the Bills? “Well, it’s a point of emphasis always, and it’s a point of emphasis right now big time,” Harbaugh said Wednesday when asked about this very issue. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Playoff Lamar and MVP Lamar remain separate QBs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens say blaming TE Mark Andrews for loss to Bills is ‘just unfair’ Baltimore Ravens | National pundits weigh in on Ravens’ playoff loss to Bills: ‘Absolutely tragic’ Baltimore Ravens | Bills QB Josh Allen praises Ravens’ Lamar Jackson after playoff battle: ‘One of the greatest ever’ Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 27-25 playoff loss to Bills “It was uncharacteristic to have turnovers like that,” he said after the game. “There were opportunities for us to not have those, but we had them. So, you try to bounce back from them. That’s what you try to do, in the course of the game. You can’t take them back. Once they happen, they happen. You try to make the next play.” Sometimes, as after the Ravens’ disturbingly flat performance against the Chiefs a year ago, a coaching staff has to wear a defeat. In this case, it’s some of the team’s top players who bear greater responsibility. The fact is, the Ravens annihilated their competition over the last four weeks of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs. They built a great offense and fixed their defense on the fly. There was no evidence that Harbaugh lost his team’s attention or ran out of fresh ideas as the Ravens stormed into the divisional round. There was far more to suggest this was one of his best coaching jobs. If owner Steve Bisciotti abruptly dumped his coach of the last 17 seasons, the rest of the NFL world would be stunned, Franchises with openings would crawl over one another to hire Harbaugh. He will live with this bitter disappointment just like everyone else involved. No one as proud as he will feel OK with bowing out one round earlier than the season before. But the Ravens were a better, more resilient team at the end of 2024 than they were at the end of 2023. They found a once-in-a-lifetime formula with Jackson and Henry, and their defense seems unlikely to face a recurrence of the growing pain that plagued it through the first 10 weeks of this year. This team, with Harbaugh at the helm, earned another shot. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Until further notice, there is Playoff Lamar Jackson and Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson. Both were on display in the Ravens’ 27-25 season-ending loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional round Sunday night here at Highmark Stadium. Playoff Lamar threw an interception that Bills safety Taylor Rapp picked off at the Buffalo 43-yard line with 3:52 left in the first quarter. Playoff Lamar then fumbled on their next drive, which Bills outside linebacker Von Miller returned 39 yards to the Ravens’ 24 to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Josh Allen. Playoff Lamar also tripped over the foot of center Tyler Linderbaum and was sacked in the first half. Then there is MVP Lamar Jackson: running, gunning, improvising and throwing some darts into tight windows, as he did on the 24-yard touchdown pass to tight end Isaiah Likely with 1:33 left before fellow tight end Mark Andrews dropped a potential game-tying 2-point conversion attempt. MVP Lamar needs to show up in the postseason. Right now, Jackson has a 3-5 record in the playoffs after seven years in the NFL. We all expected better after last season, when the Ravens lost at home to the Kansas City Chiefs, 17-10, in the AFC championship game. I’m not blaming Playoff Lamar for the loss to Buffalo. There are plenty of fingers to be pointed, including at the Ravens’ No. 1 run defense that allowed 147 yards on 36 carries. There was Andrews, whose fumble after a catch early in the fourth quarter led to a 21-yard field goal by Tyler Bass. There is this myth about an improved Ravens defense, which lacks a quality cornerback on the left side of the field. But it all starts with Playoff Lamar, and it should because he is the starting quarterback. It always starts with that position. In the first half Sunday, he looked lost at times. He appeared frustrated and flustered as he completed 6 of 10 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown, but he didn’t appear in control. Excuse me, the term is “locked in.” That’s popular among the media. He wasn’t locked in during the first half Sunday night. Because of his record in the postseason, Jackson is now in the same class as Buffalo’s Jim Kelly and Miami’s Dan Marino for setting all kinds of records but never hoisting a Lombardi Trophy for winning a Super Bowl. In the postseason, Jackson has committed 11 turnovers. He had some explaining to do after Sunday’s loss. Where to begin? Let him try. “We’re a team. In the first half, I had two costly turnovers,” he said. “Me not holding the safety, me just knowing the coverage and knowing it was man [coverage], I threw a B.S. interception. It was 7-7 at the time. I believe they scored after that. We battled back, fumbled the snap trying to make something happen. It was like an RPO [run-pass option] play, so I couldn’t really throw the ball to [Isaiah] Likely [because] the offensive line was down the field, so I tried to make something happen, tried to squeeze the ball. It slipped out of my hand, [and the Bills] picked it up, got some yards that I think lead to points for them, so it’s a team effort out there. “Turnovers play a factor. Penalties play a factor. Tonight, the turnovers … We can’t have that [expletive]. That’s why we lost the game, because as you can see, we’re moving the ball wonderfully. It’s just hold onto the [expletive] ball. I’m sorry for my language. I’m just tired of this.” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson fumbles in the second quarter Sunday night against the Bills. (Al Bello/Getty) Then there is MVP Lamar. He set career highs in passing yards (4,172), touchdown passes (41) and passer rating (119.6) while throwing just four interceptions during the regular season. His seven games with a passer rating of at least 135 also set a single-season NFL record, and he rushed for 915 yards to lead all quarterbacks. MVP Lamar will probably win his third NFL Most Valuable Player Award this year. He won it in 2019 and in 2023, but it’s not about winning MVP. It’s about Super Bowl titles. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens say blaming TE Mark Andrews for loss to Bills is ‘just unfair’ Baltimore Ravens | National pundits weigh in on Ravens’ playoff loss to Bills: ‘Absolutely tragic’ Baltimore Ravens | Bills QB Josh Allen praises Ravens’ Lamar Jackson after playoff battle: ‘One of the greatest ever’ Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 27-25 playoff loss to Bills Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ season ends with mistake-filled 27-25 loss to Bills in AFC divisional round The MVPs are something a player can talk about with his children or grandchildren after they retire, but not now. Jackson outdueled the other MVP candidate in Buffalo’s Josh Allen, who completed only 16 of 22 passes for 127 yards against the Ravens while Jackson, after a quiet first half, finished with 254 yards and two touchdowns on 18 of 25 passing. But now it’s Allen who has the chance to ruin Kansas City’s quest for a record third straight Super Bowl title while Jackson is home. Jackson is a pure pleasure to watch and deserves all the accolades. That last eight-play, 88-yard drive that resulted in Likely’s touchdown catch was vintage Jackson, from the scramble to throwing back across his body to just sitting in the pocket and delivering a strike over the middle. But right now he’s in the same class as Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, who did not win his first title until when he was 37 years old. It’s not about MVPs, but winning Super Bowls. Playoff Lamar will have to carry that burden for another offseason. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Déjà vu? The Ravens trotted their offense onto the field at Highmark Stadium on Sunday night with a little more than three minutes left, needing eight points to tie the game and keep their season alive in the AFC divisional round against the Buffalo Bills. It was a methodical drive kept alive by Lamar Jackson scrambles and chunk gains out in space. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Award winner spent eight seconds scanning upfield before firing to tight end Isaiah Likely streaking across the front of the end zone for a touchdown. Coach John Harbaugh wagged two fingers from the sideline, signaling the obvious decision. “For anybody to say anything about him, you have to look in the mirror and really evaluate your thought process [given] what he’s done for this franchise [and] what he will do for this franchise in the future,” safety Kyle Hamilton said. “He’s been a consistent beacon of success the whole time he’s been here, and for anybody to take anything away from him and his work ethic, I think it’s just unfair.” Running back Derrick Henry called Andrews “a warrior” with plenty to hang his hat on from this season. Right tackle Roger Rosengarten said he sits with Andrews the night before every game to glean as much wisdom from the veteran as he can. Likely called Andrews his big brother but “it happens, he’s human.” Jackson curtailed the blame, saying, “It’s a team effort. We’re not going to put that on Mark, because he’s been battling all season.” The stench of a season cut short of expectations lingered in the postgame locker room yet again. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Playoff Lamar and MVP Lamar remain separate QBs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | National pundits weigh in on Ravens’ playoff loss to Bills: ‘Absolutely tragic’ Baltimore Ravens | Bills QB Josh Allen praises Ravens’ Lamar Jackson after playoff battle: ‘One of the greatest ever’ Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 27-25 playoff loss to Bills Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ season ends with mistake-filled 27-25 loss to Bills in AFC divisional round Jackson sunk into his locker trying to make sense of this reality beside quarterbacks coach Tee Martin. Center Tyler Linderbaum scratched his head in dismay. Some were slow to grieve, still in their uniforms. Others wanted to get as far from Buffalo as quickly as possible. Few in that visiting locker room could find the right words to articulate the feeling. “It’s like anything else — destiny is a decision that you make,” Harbaugh said. “The decision is how you handle what comes in your life. Mark will handle it fantastic like he always does, because he’s a high-character person, he’s a tough person, and he’s a good person. I’m proud of him just like I’m proud of all the guys.” Ravens fans might feel their mind wander back to Jan. 22, 2012, when Lee Evans dropped a potential game-winning touchdown with Baltimore trailing by a field goal in the waning seconds of the AFC championship game against the New England Patriots. This ending might feel a bit too familiar to last year’s. As the snow settles, uncertainty looms. “The message,” the often candid veteran cornerback Marlon Humphrey said, “is, ‘We lost. Get over it,’ and we’ll kind of see where the offseason goes.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. Ravens coach John Harbaugh said tight end Mark Andrews, left, “will handle it fantastic like he always does, because he’s a high-character person, he’s a tough person, and he’s a good person.” (Timothy T Ludwig/Getty) View the full article

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens fell in heartbreaking fashion in the NFL playoffs again, this time losing to the Bills, 27-25, in the AFC divisional round Sunday night. Baltimore jumped out to a quick start, taking a 7-0 lead on a surgical opening drive. But the Ravens slowed down after that as they fell behind at halftime, 21-10. Baltimore rallied back in the second half but never fully erased the deficit. A pair of failed 2-point conversion attempts in the second half kept the Ravens from pulling even. Here’s what national analysts had to say about Baltimore’s season-ending loss. Dan Orlovsky, ESPN analyst The former NFL quarterback had no interest in blaming Sunday’s loss on Jackson, the favorite to win this year’s NFL MVP Award. “If you put the loss on Lamar tonight, respectfully, you’re a loser,” Orlovsky posted on X. “Mark Andrews is one of the all time ravens — he had a brutal drop and fumble yes. If you’re gonna use that to trash him, respectfully, you’re a loser.” Jackson turned the ball over twice for the first time all season, but he also rallied the Ravens late. He led Baltimore on an 88-yard drive in the final minutes, and his 2-point conversion pass to Andrews was on target, only for Baltimore’s usually reliable tight end to drop the pass. Andrews has just four drops this season, according to Pro Football Reference. Stephen A. Smith, ESPN personality Smith agreed with Orlovsky, his ESPN colleague. “This is not on [Lamar Jackson],” Smith posted on X. “He did his job. Unfortunately, the great Mark Andrews — who hasn’t lost a fumble since 2019, and doesn’t drop passes — got stripped for a fumble and then dropped the 2-pt conversion that would’ve tied the game with under 2 min left. Tragic! Absolutely Tragic.” Jackson finished the game with 254 passing yards and two touchdowns, as well as 39 rushing yards on six carries. He averaged 10.2 yards per pass attempt, while Bills quarterback Josh Allen averaged 5.8 yards per pass and 2 yards per carry. “Appreciate the accountability on @Lj_era8’s part,” Smith added. “Right thing to do. Kudos to him. But it’s on [Andrews]. So sad. The guy has been great for years — Mr. Reliable. What a horrible time for this to happen to him. But it happened.” Emmanuel Acho, FS1 analyst “People will slander Lamar Jackson, bring up Lamar Jackson’s playoff history and bring up his turnovers, ignore them,” Acho, a former NFL linebacker, posted on X. “Mark Andrews cost them the game. Lamar took his team 88 yards down the field in 8 plays & threw a dot to Mark Andrews to tie the game.” Andrews also had a fourth-quarter fumble. He finished the game with five catches for 61 yards on seven targets. Jordan Schultz, FOX Sports NFL insider “He may not have gotten the dub, but Lamar Jackson proved – once again – that he is not only a tremendous player, but a leader and champion as well — highlighted by a clutch, eight-play, 88-yard TD drive to end the game,” Schultz posted on X. “It’s only a matter of time before he wins the big one.” Jackson is 3-5 in the postseason as a starting quarterback, and he’s yet to reach the Super Bowl in his illustrious career. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Playoff Lamar and MVP Lamar remain separate QBs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens say blaming TE Mark Andrews for loss to Bills is ‘just unfair’ Baltimore Ravens | Bills QB Josh Allen praises Ravens’ Lamar Jackson after playoff battle: ‘One of the greatest ever’ Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 27-25 playoff loss to Bills Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ season ends with mistake-filled 27-25 loss to Bills in AFC divisional round Bill Barnwell, ESPN NFL analyst Barnwell commented not on Jackson’s legacy, but rather the shock of Baltimore’s failed 2-point conversion attempts. The first was batted down at the line of scrimmage, but intended target tight end Isaiah Likely was open. Andrews was open on the Ravens’ final offensive play, but he couldn’t hold onto Jackson’s pass. “Ravens got two open receivers on two two-point tries and didn’t score on either of them,” Barnwell wrote on X. “Not ideal!” Baltimore went 1-for-5 on 2-point conversion attempts this season and is now 12-for-29 (41.4%) since 2018. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

When Sunday night’s playoff game ended, Josh Allen’s first thought wasn’t to celebrate with his teammates, nor the frenzied home crowd. He looked for Lamar Jackson. After taking a knee that ran out the final 38 seconds of the Buffalo Bills’ thrilling 27-25 victory over the Ravens in the AFC divisional round, the star quarterback pumped his fist and immediately turned around and scanned the Baltimore sideline. He found Jackson and gave his counterpart a warm embrace, with Jackson putting a hand on Allen’s helmet as they exchanged words. Even after a crushing loss, one that will continue to raise questions about Jackson’s legacy after he fell to 3-5 in the postseason in his otherwise sensational career, the Ravens’ star managed to crack a smile. “I’ve just got so much respect and love for him,” Allen said in a postgame interview with CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson. “The way he plays the game. He’s a true competitor, a true football player. One of the greatest to ever step on the football field, so nothing but love.” It might seem strange, considering that Allen and Jackson have not only been competing against one another on the field but in the ballot box, so to speak. Jackson was voted NFL Most Valuable Player twice in his first six seasons and is a candidate to win a third this year after putting together one of the most dominant statistical seasons in league history. Allen was in the running last season, earning one vote to deny Jackson a second unanimous MVP, and is considered neck-and-neck with Jackson for this season’s honor. The votes were cast after the conclusion of the regular season, though, which means Sunday’s game does not factor in the race. But if Allen has any jealousy or animosity toward Jackson as online and talk-show debates rage around them, he’s never shown it. Their bond was forged when they were both picked in the first round of the 2018 draft and silenced critics on their way to becoming superstars. Jackson and Allen rank first and second, respectively, in playoff rushing yards by a quarterback in NFL history, and neither has reached their 30th birthday. Sunday’s game was the second playoff matchup between the two after the Bills’ 17-3 divisional round win in January 2021. It’s a rivalry that will likely continue for a long time. “I told him, man, go get something. Go win something,” Jackson said after the game. “MVP, Super Bowl, do something. I want him to be successful.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Playoff Lamar and MVP Lamar remain separate QBs | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens say blaming TE Mark Andrews for loss to Bills is ‘just unfair’ Baltimore Ravens | National pundits weigh in on Ravens’ playoff loss to Bills: ‘Absolutely tragic’ Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 27-25 playoff loss to Bills Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ season ends with mistake-filled 27-25 loss to Bills in AFC divisional round That means going through another rival in next Sunday’s AFC championship game: Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Neither Allen nor Jackson have defeated Mahomes in the postseason as Kansas City has advanced to seven straight conference title games and won three of the past five Super Bowl titles, including two straight. Mahomes is 16-3 in the playoffs, tying Joe Montana for the second-most wins behind only Tom Brady, while Allen is 7-5. For his part, Allen said all the talk about the quarterback battle going into the game didn’t affect him. He finished 16 of 22 passing for just 127 yards but also ran for two touchdowns and took just one sack. Jackson, on the other hand, threw an interception and lost a fumble that was nearly returned for a touchdown. He completed 18 of 25 passes for 254 yards and two scores while rushing for 39 yards on six carries. And although Jackson was left to rue another early, mistake-filled playoff exit, he’ll always have a fan in Buffalo. “I’ve got nothing but love for Lamar,” Allen said. “He’s one of the greatest to ever put a uniform on and play in the NFL. Honored to share the field with him.” Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Here’s how the Ravens graded out at every position after a 27-25 AFC divisional round loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night at Highmark Stadium: Quarterback Lamar Jackson is now 3-5 in the postseason, and his turnovers were costly in the first half of the game. One resulted in a Buffalo touchdown. Jackson played well in the second half and had the Ravens in position to tie the game, but tight end Mark Andrews’ fumble at midfield led to a Buffalo field goal and his dropped pass on a 2-point conversion attempt inside the final two minutes was their last offensive play in a two-point loss. Jackson was 18 of 25 passing for 254 yards and two touchdowns and finished with a passer rating of 114.4. But he can’t play so poorly in the first half of a game, especially on the road where the crowd is a factor. Grade: C Running backs Buffalo stifled the Ravens in the first half as running back Derrick Henry had only eight carries for 21 yards. But the Ravens made some adjustments to Buffalo stacking the line of scrimmage and Henry finished with 84 yards on 16 carries and had a 5-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Backup Justice Hill also had six carries for 50 yards, including some tough runs in the second half when the Ravens loaded up with fullback Patrick Ricard. Overall, though, it wasn’t as dominant as the Week 4 matchup when Henry rushed 24 times for 199 yards against the Bills in Baltimore. Grade: C Offensive line The Ravens had 416 yards of total offense and changed up the blocking scheme in the second half. But overall the Bills successfully got after Jackson. He was sacked twice and pressured five other times. He had to improvise and move in the pocket for most of the night. The Ravens have a habit of rolling up a lot of offensive yards, but this unit struggles when there isn’t much of a running game. That happened in the first half as the Ravens had only 182 yards of total offense, including 73 on the ground. Grade: C Receivers Like the rest of the offense, this group became better blockers in the second half. The receivers do a great job of roaming when Jackson is under duress. Rashod Bateman had four catches for 66 yards for a touchdown and tight end Isaiah Likely had four receptions for 73 yards, but fellow tight end Andrews had a turnover and a costly drop that sealed the victory for Buffalo. There is sympathy for Andrews because, since Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis retired, there hasn’t been a Raven who has worked harder in practices or games. Unfortunately, the Ravens couldn’t overcome those mistakes. Baltimore missed slot receiver Zay Flowers, who was out for a second straight game with a knee injury. Grade: D+ Defensive line This group got whupped. The Ravens came into the game with the No. 1 rushing defense in the NFL, allowing 80.1 yards per game, but Buffalo pounded Baltimore for 147 yards and three touchdowns on 36 carries. Bills running back James Cook had 67 yards on 17 carries, backup Ty Johnson rushed five times for 31 yards and rookie Ray Davis had 29 yards and a touchdown on four attempts. Like the offense, the Ravens had some success in the second half, but Buffalo pounded them up front again late in the fourth quarter. It was embarrassing when quarterback Josh Allen dragged defensive tackle Travis Jones 4 yards into the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter. Grade: D Linebackers The Bills had success running against the Ravens and staying on top of inside linebackers Roquan Smith and Malik Harrison, who looked lost at times and he couldn’t shed or get off blocks. Smith finished with eight tackles and Harrison had seven, but Buffalo caught the Ravens off balance with a lot of quick screens and slants that they couldn’t cover. Outside linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh had little presence in the game and finished with a combined four tackles. Van Noy had two pressures; Oweh had none. Grade: C- Secondary The Bills weren’t afraid of any cornerback on the roster and challenged Brandon Stephens, Tre’Davious White and rookie Nate Wiggins consistently. All three got better in the third quarter when the Bills went to a short passing game, but Buffalo had several big plays down the field. Even cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who finished with four tackles, got off to a slow start. Safety Kyle Hamilton led the Ravens in tackles with nine and fellow safety Ar’Darius Washington had four, but the Ravens didn’t make a statement early in the game. This team needed a wake-up call early and never got one. Grade: C- Bills cornerback Taron Johnson sacks Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in the third quarter. (Adrian Kraus/AP) Special teams It turned out that Justin Tucker had his disappointing moments in the regular season but he wasn’t a problem when it counted. He converted on field goal attempts of 26 and 47 yards against Buffalo. It was surprising that the Bills kicked to Keaton Mitchell, who had five returns for an average of 26.8 yards, including a 33-yarder near the end of the game that was called back because of holding. Excluding turnovers, the Ravens kept Buffalo under wraps in the field position battle. Grade: B Coaching The Ravens made good adjustments both offensively and defensively at the half, but they needed more firepower earlier in the game. Baltimore opened the game with an eight-play, 73-yard scoring drive, but they still seemed off-kilter. A lot of fingers will be pointed at coach John Harbaugh after this loss, but it wasn’t Harbaugh who committed the costly turnovers or dropped passes. The only problem was that the Ravens didn’t seem ready to play until the second half. Grade: B Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — It was dubbed the latest Game of the Century. The Ravens’ Lamar Jackson vs. the Bills’ Josh Allen. And on a cold, snowy night at Highmark Stadium and with a trip to the AFC championship game on the line, Jackson, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player and the favorite to win the award for a third time this year, nearly delivered. Until his favorite target and career security blanket, tight end Mark Andrews, didn’t. Trailing 27-19 with just over three minutes remaining in a divisional round playoff game, Jackson drove Baltimore 88 yards in 1:56 and connected with tight end Isaiah Likely on a 24-yard touchdown pass. But on the ensuing 2-point attempt, a sliding Andrews dropped the would-be game-tying pass in the front right corner of the end zone. The Bills recovered the Ravens’ onside kick moments later, converted a first down and held on in a thriller to advance to next Sunday’s AFC championship game against the host and two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. The winner will advance to the Super Bowl to face either the Philadelphia Eagles or Washington Commanders in New Orleans. The Ravens will clean out their lockers Monday and disperse, their season ending in the same frustrating manner it has so many times before with regular-season magic ending in postseason misery. Jackson finished 18 of 25 passing for 254 yards and two touchdowns and turned the ball over twice in the same game for the first time all season. Running back Derrick Henry, a free agent splash in the offseason brought in to be a difference-maker at this time of year, had 84 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Bills quarterback Josh Allen, meanwhile, was an efficient 16 of 22 passing for 127 yards, was sacked just once and rushed for two scores, while running back James Cook finished with 67 yards on 17 carries. Buffalo, which was second in the league in takeaways and tied for the fewest turnovers, was mistake-free again. The Ravens were not. Again. Four years after Jackson threw a costly interception that was returned 101 yards for a backbreaking touchdown in a divisional round loss to the Bills, turnovers cost Baltimore once more on the same field. After throwing four interceptions in the regular season, including just two in the past two months, Jackson was intercepted once and fumbled once in the first half of the frigid game. Then, with the Ravens driving midway through the fourth quarter for a potential go-ahead score and just after crossing into Buffalo territory, Andrews had the ball punched free after a first-down catch. The Bills recovered near midfield. It was one of a series of self-inflicted mistakes, once again when it mattered most. Bills cornerback Taron Johnson sacks Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in the third quarter. (Adrian Kraus/AP) In the coldest game of Jackson’s career at 20 degrees at kickoff, the Ravens’ league-leading offense froze up when it counted. Jackson entered the game 7-3 with 17 touchdown passes and three interceptions in games 35 degrees or colder in his seven-year career. But facing their largest halftime deficit of the season at 21-10, the hole was too big to dig out from. Still, the Ravens came close. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ season-ending 27-25 loss to Bills in AFC divisional round Baltimore Ravens | Ravens at Bills in AFC divisional playoff game | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers inactive for playoff game vs. Bills Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 27-25 loss Baltimore Ravens | How to watch Ravens vs. Bills: Playoff game time, TV, odds and more Justin Tucker, who made a 26-yard field goal in the second quarter and faced a swirl of noise on a slippery field, knocked in a 47-yard kick to make it 21-13. Then Henry finished off Baltimore’s next series with a 5-yard touchdown run to get within two. But Baltimore’s would-be game-tying 2-point conversion attempt went by the wayside as Jackson’s pass to an open Likely in the left side of the end zone got knocked down at the line. Buffalo chewed up 4:33 on its next possession, which ended in a 51-yard field goal by Tyler Bass. Andrews fumbled on Baltimore’s next series, setting up the Bills again. Buffalo drove 52 yards in 5:12 with Bass tacking on a 21-yard field goal with 3:31 remaining. That left enough time for Jackson’s near heroics. But in the end, it wasn’t enough. Jackson and the Ravens’ season came to an end without a trip to the Super Bowl, just as it has the past seven years. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson embrace after Sunday night’s game. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard, left, strips the ball from Ravens tight end Mark Andrews midway through the fourth quarter. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) View the full article

Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Sunday night’s AFC divisional round playoff game at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Childs Walker, reporter: The Ravens knew turnovers could destroy them, and that’s exactly what happened, as Mark Andrews’ fumble erased their march to take the lead in the fourth quarter. His drop on a 2-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game then sealed their doom. Just an awful turn of events for a great, passionate athlete. The Ravens bounced back with fury after halftime, riding their league-best running game and a string of defensive stands to draw oh so close. But again they’ll go home wondering what could have been because of a mistake by one of their most dependable players. Andrews wasn’t the only culprit; Lamar Jackson’s fumble in the first half put them in a hole in the first place. Give Buffalo credit as well for answering all those who said their defense was too small to stand up to the Ravens’ size and relentless creativity. Josh Allen wasn’t spectacular, but he made no glaring errors, and that made him the victor in this collision of MVP frontrunners. Derrick Henry went 87 yards the first time he touched the ball against Buffalo in Week 4. This time around, he got one. It didn’t matter; Jackson was on point in the cold and snow, rolling right to find Isaiah Likely for 39 yards and then firing a 16-yard strike to Rashod Bateman in the end zone. The Bills counterpunched, with Allen finding Khalil Shakir behind Brandon Stephens for 34 yards and keeping the ball to convert on fourth down deep in Ravens territory. At 7-7, it looked like we had the heavyweight fight the football world anticipated. Then, Jackson did exactly what the Ravens could not afford to do, the thing he hadn’t done all season, floating an interception in the face of blitzing linebacker Matt Milano. Buffalo had its chance to nose ahead, but the Baltimore defense, aided by a terrible holding call against the Bills, held. Jackson then handed the advantage right back, losing his grip on the ball to cut short an impressive Ravens drive and set Buffalo up deep in Baltimore territory. This time, the Bills converted. The Ravens were on their heels. It seemed they might climb all the way back until that ball popped from Andrews’ trusted hands. Agony again for a team that figured out so much over the course of this season. Mike Preston, columnist: The Ravens tried to wear the Bills down with the running game in the second half and they succeeded using Derrick Henry and Justice Hill. They scored on their first two possessions of the third quarter, but the Ravens hurt themselves with turnovers, the last on a fumble by tight end Mark Andrews with 8:41 left in the game that the Bills recovered at their own 46. The turnover resulted in a field goal for Buffalo, but the Ravens still had an opportunity to come back trailing by eight, 27-19. They responded, but Andrews dropped a game-tying 2-point conversion attempt. Regardless, the Ravens committed too many turnovers to win, several of those by quarterback Lamar Jackson. He should be blamed for a lot of the problems in this game, but so should the defensive line, as well as an inept offense in the first half. The loss should squelch all of the talk about the Ravens being the best team in the NFL until next season. Actually, let’s not hear it again until they win a Super Bowl. Sam Cohn, reporter: The Ravens turned the ball over 11 times in the regular season, the third best mark of any team in the NFL. What was one of their biggest strengths from September through December sent them home in January. Lamar Jackson overthrew Rashod Bateman up the left sideline on what looked to be a miscommunication but ended in a pick. Then Jackson fumbled the rock away. And perhaps the most costly one was Mark Andrews, who hasn’t coughed the ball up since 2019 bit spit it up in the fourth quarter. His fumble stalled what could have been Baltimore’s go-ahead drive late. It wasn’t, and Buffalo marched. But this game will be remembered for Andrews’ goal-line drop on a 2-point conversion attempt that would have likely sent this game to overtime. The Ravens had been so good at taking care of the ball all season, then unraveled in Buffalo’s freezing conditions. Couple that with an inability to dominate the run game — again, as they had much of the year — and having gotten bullied up front for much of the night, and this Ravens season ends short of ending a 12-year Super Bowl title drought. C.J. Doon, editor: The first thing I thought about when Mark Andrews fumbled that ball in the open field was Taron Johnson’s pick-six against Lamar Jackson on the same field, in the same round, four years ago. That play ultimately sealed the Ravens’ fate in a 17-3 loss, and Andrews’ gaffe was just as gut-wrenching. It’s particularly frustrating with how well the Ravens were moving the ball in the second half up to that point. It felt like a comeback was imminent, unlike last year. When the Ravens fell behind against the Chiefs in last season’s AFC championship game, they panicked and stopped handing the ball off to their running backs, putting too much pressure on Lamar Jackson to make plays by himself. When the Ravens needed to get going in the second half Sunday night, they simply handed off to Derrick Henry and got out of the way. What are we supposed to make of Jackson’s performance, anyway? That early interception looked ugly, but it was likely a miscommunication with Rashod Bateman while under pressure. On the other hand, that fumble is inexcusable. Holding the ball so loosely after a bad snap is a recipe for disaster, and he’s lucky it wasn’t returned for a touchdown. Fair or not, quarterback narratives are ultimately shaped in the postseason, and Jackson has yet to get over the hump against Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. He’s made a strong case that he’s a better player than those superstars after another brilliant season, but it’s hard not to shake the feeling that the lights are too bright in the playoffs. His postseason wins have come over Ryan Tannehill, rookie C.J. Stroud and 36-year-old Russell Wilson, after all. He belongs in the MVP conversation every year, but it rings hollow with each passing playoff exit. Tim Schwartz, editor: Another year, another playoff flameout for the Ravens. It wasn’t the egg they laid against the Chiefs at home in last year’s AFC championship game, but it was another performance in which the Ravens didn’t look like themselves. Lamar Jackson hadn’t turned the ball over twice in any game this season — until Sunday night. Mark Andrews converts a crucial fourth down on a tush push, then gets the ball punched out to end a potential scoring drive midway through the fourth quarter in a brutal turn of events. Making matters worse, his drop on the would-be game-tying 2-point conversion attempt will live in Baltimore lore for all the wrong reasons. The Ravens got moving in the second half as Derrick Henry came alive, but an 11-point halftime deficit is too much to overcome when you turn it over three times. Aside from two deep passes to Rashod Bateman (who, by the way, deserves a ton of credit for his play this season), Baltimore lacked explosive plays in the passing game to catch up. They missed Zay Flowers in this one. Going to Buffalo and beating Josh Allen and the Bills was always going to be a tall task. This was a heavyweight bout in which the winner instantly became the Super Bowl favorite. Sometimes the other team plays better, and you’ve got to tip your cap to the Bills. They earned it. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens at Bills in AFC divisional playoff game | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers inactive for playoff game vs. Bills Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills live updates: Buffalo wins 27-25 after denying late 2-point try Baltimore Ravens | How to watch Ravens vs. Bills: Playoff game time, TV, odds and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers has ‘chance’ to play against Bills, John Harbaugh says Bennett Conlin, editor: Lamar Jackson is on the verge of winning his third NFL MVP Award, but it’s not much solace to Jackson or Baltimore fans. One of the best quarterbacks in the NFL since he became a starter, Jackson has been a regular-season great and a playoff bust. He’s just 3-5 as a starter in playoff games, failing to reach the Super Bowl despite playing alongside a stellar defense last year and Derrick Henry this season. It’s hard to pinpoint why Jackson can’t get over the hump, other than blaming Baltimore’s AFC competition. The Bills and Chiefs are exceptional, and Jackson hasn’t been his best in the biggest moments. Jackson made a few nice plays Sunday, but he also turned it over twice and missed throws he usually makes. In fairness to Baltimore’s quarterback, he saw his reliable tight end, Mark Andrews, cough up the ball during one of the most important drives of the season and drop a potential game-tying 2-point conversion. But until Jackson overcomes the hurdle of consistently winning playoff games, his status among the great quarterbacks in the league will come under question. It’ll be an offseason filled with hard questions for Baltimore. What can this franchise do to guide its star quarterback to a title? Coming away with zero Super Bowl appearances the past two seasons is an organizational failure. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) makes a catch against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Buffalo Bills running back Ray Davis (22) carries the ball into the end zone for a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (92) during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) is tackled by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (92) during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) grabs Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) as Cook carries the ball during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) passes against the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews (89) celebrates with wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) after Bateman scored a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) reacts after making a touchdown catch against the Buffalo Bills during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) carries the ball for a first down against Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson (7) during the first quarter of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) View the full article

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers was on the field at Highmark Stadium testing out his injured right knee about 2 1/2 hours before kickoff against the Bills on Sunday night. It was all for naught. As expected, Flowers, who was listed as doubtful coming into the game, was made inactive for the AFC divisional round matchup. The winner will advance to the conference championship game against the host Kansas City Chiefs. It marks the second straight playoff game that the Ravens’ leader in receptions and receiving yards will miss after suffering a sprained knee in Baltimore’s AFC North title-clinching win in the final game of the regular season Jan. 4. Flowers hasn’t practiced since, though he did do a few sprints and start-and-stops during his brief on-field workout ahead of Sunday night’s game. He did not do much laterally, however. With Flowers out, Rashod Bateman becomes Baltimore’ top player at the position. Their other receivers include Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace, recently acquired Steven Sims and rookie fourth-round draft pick Devontez Walker. The Ravens also promoted veteran receiver Anthony Miller from the practice squad. The rest of Baltimore’s inactive players are running back Rasheen Ali, center Nick Samac, safeties Marcus Williams and Beau Brade, outside linebacker Adisa Isaac and defensive lineman Josh Tupou. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens and Buffalo Bills face off Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. in the AFC divisional round at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The game will be broadcast on CBS and stream on Paramount+. The winner will face the two-time defending Super Bowl champions and host Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. Baltimore Sun reporters Brian Wacker and Sam Cohn and columnist Mike Preston will be in the press box and the locker room. Follow along here for live coverage and analysis. View the full article

Here’s what you need to know about the AFC divisional round playoff game between the Ravens and Buffalo Bills. When: 6:30 p.m. Sunday Where: Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York National Weather Service forecast: A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 6 degrees. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 8 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Here’s how the Ravens are preparing for the frigid conditions. Injury report: DOUBTFUL: Ravens WR Zay Flowers (knee) QUESTIONABLE: Ravens WR/RS Deonte Harty (knee), Bills RB Ray Davis (concussion) Officials The officiating crew will be headed by Carl Cheffers, who is in his 25th season and 17th as a referee. This is Cheffers’ 20th postseason assignment. TV: CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson); WJZ Ch. 13 (Baltimore); WUSA 9 Ch. 9 (Washington) Stream: Paramount+ Radio: WBAL (1090 AM, 101.5 FM) and 98 Rock (97.9 FM) (Gerry Sandusky, Rod Woodson); Sirius XM Radio Ch. 139 or 229.; Westwood One Sports (Ryan Radtke, Mike Golic, Derek Rackley); Spanish radio: WLZL El Zol 107.9 Tico Sports (David Andrade, Allen Gutierrez) Line: Ravens by 1 1/2 (as of Friday) Over-under: 51 1/2 points (as of Friday) Staff picks Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s game. Scouting report Who will have the advantage when these powerhouses meet with a berth in the AFC championship game on the line? Mike Preston commentary Bills are in trouble against Ravens RB Derrick Henry Ravens vs. Bills. Lamar vs. Allen. There’s plenty at stake. Ravens’ glaring weakness is still a major problem Readers respond We asked readers who will win Sunday’s game between the Ravens and Bills. Here are the results from our online poll. More pregame reading: Ravens vs. Bills is an NFL blockbuster built on similarities between QBs, teams, cities Ravens and Bills have evolved dramatically since Week 4 meeting Lamar Jackson vs. Josh Allen: Who has edge in Ravens-Bills playoff blockbuster? Ravens RB Derrick Henry’s summer on Dallas hillside forged unforgettable season How Ravens’ defense rallied around Zach Orr and became ‘resilient group’ Ravens roundtable: What will be the difference in playoff battle vs. Bills? Ravens-Bills playoff game will be offensive line battle as much as QB showcase Ravens and QB Lamar Jackson emphasize turnover margin in Bills preparation Ravens OC Todd Monken: System is ‘unfortunate’ for balancing coach interviews Ravens’ Lamar Jackson on rival QBs: ‘Not trying to be your friend’ Ravens vs. Bills playoff betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Bills sign former Ravens quarterback to prepare for Lamar Jackson NFL quarterback rankings: Who’s No. 1 entering divisional round? The choice is clear. ‘Hard Knocks’ episode 7 recap: Ravens treat Steelers as first step toward Super Bowl Former Maryland RB Ty Johnson looks to extend Bills’ playoff run vs. Ravens 5 things to know about the Buffalo Bills, the Ravens’ divisional round opponent View the full article

Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers didn’t practice for a third straight day Friday, putting his status in doubt for Sunday night’s AFC divisional round game against the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, New York. Coach John Harbaugh wouldn’t go as far as ruling him out just yet, however. “I think he’ll have a chance,” he said Friday afternoon ahead of the release of the final injury report. Flowers was finishing up a workout inside the team’s field house at the beginning of the portion of practice open to the media, but was also wearing the same substantial brace he’s had on his right knee since injuring it two weeks ago. Should Flowers not be available, it would mark the second straight playoff game that he has missed after suffering a sprained right knee in Baltimore’s AFC North title-clinching victory over the Cleveland Browns in the final week of the regular season. A more likely scenario given the significance of the sprain, though, would be a return for the AFC championship game next Sunday should the Ravens advance. Flowers, in just his second season, led the Ravens in catches (74) and receiving yards (1,059) and is the team’s first Pro Bowl selection at the position in the organization’s history. What kind of impact his absence would have remains to be seen. When the two teams met in Week 4 of this season in Baltimore, he had just one catch on two targets for 10 yards as the Ravens leaned on their running game. Baltimore ran for 236 yards on 34 attempts, with Derrick Henry accounting for 199 yards, including an 87-yard touchdown on the Ravens’ first play from scrimmage. Quarterback Lamar Jackson attempted just 18 passes, completing 13 for 156 yards and two touchdowns as Baltimore rolled to a 35-10 win. The Ravens also deployed a similar strategy without Flowers in last week’s 28-14 home wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Baltimore ran the ball on 24 of its first 32 plays and racked up 299 yards on the ground. Henry again led the way with 186 yards and two scores on 26 carries. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills is an NFL blockbuster built on similarities between QBs, teams, cities Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills AFC divisional round staff picks: Who wins Sunday in Buffalo? Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for NFL divisional round: Commanders vs. Lions, Texans vs. Chiefs and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and Bills have evolved dramatically since Week 4 meeting Baltimore Ravens | Former Maryland RB Ty Johnson looks to extend Bills’ playoff run vs. Ravens With Flowers potentially out again, it will be worth watching how Baltimore spreads the ball around and utilizes its wide receivers. Last week, Tylan Wallace led the group with 39 snaps on offense, while Rashod Bateman, who had two catches for 24 yards and a touchdown, was second with 36. Running back Justice Hill led the team in receptions with four for 13 yards and a touchdown. The Bills, meanwhile, are healthy with just one player listed as questionable. Running back Ray Davis was limited in practice for a third straight day Friday and remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol. Buffalo coach Sean McDermott told reporters that he’ll see how the rookie fourth-round draft pick progresses leading into the game. No other players on the Bills had an injury designation for the game, meaning they should be fully healthy. This story will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Buffalo Bills had not even finished dispatching the Denver Broncos when CBS broadcaster Tony Romo jumped ahead a week, unable to contain his excitement over the Bills’ next showdown against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. “That’s the game I’ve been waiting for,” the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback said, blurting out a sentiment shared by hardcore football lovers around the world. Once set, Ravens vs. Bills on Sunday night in Buffalo became the main event of the richest football-watching weekend on the calendar. It’s a matchup rooted not in bitterness but in thrilling similarities — between Jackson and Josh Allen, the mesmerizing quarterbacks who front each team; between two perennial contenders desperate to get past the Kansas City Chiefs and back to the Super Bowl; between coaches John Harbaugh and Sean McDermott, who paid their dues side by side in Philadelphia; between tough cities, Ravens Flock vs. Bills Mafia, that feel perpetually underestimated in the national gaze. You couldn’t call it a rivalry. It’s just the show everyone who cares a lick about pro football wants to see. “I can’t remember the last time the stakes felt higher for two fan bases and two quarterbacks in this round,” ESPN commentator Mina Kimes said. Harbaugh imagined John Facenda, the late narrator of NFL Films, “coming down from the heavens” to boom out an introduction for the game. “Absolutely. You kind of feel grateful to be a part of it,” the Ravens’ longtime coach said as his week of preparation for Buffalo dawned. “You get a chance to play a team like the Bills … just a super talented, well-coached type of a team. On that stage, in their place — it’s going to be cold; it’s going to be blustery, all that. It’s great, yes.” The story starts with the quarterbacks, both picked in the first round of the 2018 draft, nothing alike in physical stature but so alike in the torture they inflict on defenses. “They’re the two most exciting players in football,” former Ravens cornerback turned ESPN analyst Domonique Foxworth said. Harbaugh refers to Jackson and Allen as “two-play quarterbacks.” You stop the first thing they want to do, and that’s where the fun really begins, because they usually come up with something even better on the fly. Both reached such sublime levels during the 2024 regular season that debate over which one deserves to be NFL Most Valuable Player became the sauciest topic in the sport in recent weeks. Sunday’s game won’t impact the vote, which already happened, though the result won’t be announced until Super Bowl week. But fans hope it will amount to a final referendum on Jackson vs. Allen. Ravens running back Derrick Henry gashed the Bills for 199 rushing yards in late September. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) “It’s going to be an iconic event,” Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “I think I just saw a clip from [Amazon analyst and former All-Pro cornerback] Richard Sherman, and he was like — not that it’s all about the quarterback, but it is essentially all about the quarterback. He was saying whoever comes out of this game will kind of be that next quarterback up. I definitely think it will be a huge game for the NFL, a huge game for the fans.” The beauty of this playoff collision is that its intrigues do not end with the MVP front-runners. Both teams pile up points with balanced offenses that pack as much old-school punch as new-school flash. Ravens running back Derrick Henry, a 6-foot-2, 247-pound living sculpture who exceeds 20 mph at top speed, shines as brightly as the quarterbacks atop the NFL firmament. He scored an 87-yard touchdown the first time he touched the ball in the Ravens’ 35-10 win over Buffalo at the end of September. “Both teams play a uniquely physical brand of football, using jumbo personnel and fullbacks,” Kimes said. “The fact that they have aliens at quarterback on top of that just feels unfair.” ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday played 14 seasons as an NFL center and coached the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. To him, Ravens vs. Bills is the ultimate in trench warfare. “I’ve framed it on TV as this is just gonna be an onslaught of physicality,” Saturday said. “When you think about what both teams want to do, they don’t try to hide. They’ve got the No. 1 and 2 in the MVP conversation, and somebody’s gonna go home heartbroken. And they get to it different ways — the Bills by adding an extra offensive lineman and the Ravens by using [fullback Patrick] Ricard and Henry, who might as well be another offensive lineman but with speed unheard of for someone that size.” A forecast kickoff temperature of 17 degrees, with players’ frosty breaths likely visible throughout the game, will only add to the atmosphere for this anticipated epic. Winter weather is a major component of Buffalo’s football recipe and a reason the Bills have won more than 70% of their home playoff games over the years. The Ravens lost a divisional round game there four years ago, with Jackson throwing an interception that was returned 101 yards for a touchdown. “Hell yes,” he said when asked if that play sticks in his craw. “I just saw it.” That memory aside, the Ravens and Bills have not met in a string of high-stakes games. This isn’t the Steelers or the Chiefs. For all their differences over which quarterback should win MVP, these fan bases have much in common, starting with the fact that both have tasted acid playoff disappointment at the hands of the Chiefs. The Ravens last played in the Super Bowl 12 years ago, the Bills 31 years ago. With Jackson and Allen in their respective primes, both teams face immense pressure to get back. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers has ‘chance’ to play against Bills, John Harbaugh says Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Bills AFC divisional round staff picks: Who wins Sunday in Buffalo? Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for NFL divisional round: Commanders vs. Lions, Texans vs. Chiefs and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and Bills have evolved dramatically since Week 4 meeting Baltimore Ravens | Former Maryland RB Ty Johnson looks to extend Bills’ playoff run vs. Ravens Beyond that, Baltimore and Buffalo share blue-collar histories, with pro football interwoven in their daily fabrics. “Baltimore and Baltimore are regional cities where the fan bases are loyal,” Foxworth said. “Everyone in those cities are fans of their teams.” That affinity won’t ease the pain of a loss for either side. Players, coaches and fans know the Bills and Ravens are both capable of winning it all. “I could see whichever team wins this Baltimore-Buffalo matchup being the favorite next week in the AFC championship game,” six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick said this week on his SiriusXM show. “I still think that those two teams overall have been just a little more solid this year than Kansas City.” That means someone’s big dream will die abruptly in frigid Buffalo. Baltimore Sun reporter Brian Wacker contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. AFC divisional round Ravens at Bills Sunday, 6:30 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 1 1/2 View the full article

Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s AFC divisional round game between the No. 3 seed Ravens (12-5) and No. 2 Bills (13-4) at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York: Brian Wacker, reporter Bills 24, Ravens 20: One big difference in this game compared with the first time these teams met is the Bills having linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard and nickel cornerback Taron Johnson. That makes their nickel defense significantly better than the last matchup, when the Ravens ran all over them. Couple that with Brandon Stephens giving up a key catch, the Ravens committing a costly turnover and Justin Tucker missing a field goal attempt and Buffalo pulls out the win. Childs Walker, reporter Ravens 31, Bills 24: These teams share so many strengths, and the one that jumps ahead early will have a significant advantage in reducing the other’s options. That was the Ravens in September. They can’t count on smothering Josh Allen to the degree they did in that victory. He threatens a defense in so many ways without paying in sacks or turnovers. The Bills are also healthier than they were four months ago. But the Ravens were more explosive all season, and with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, they seem to present an impossible problem for Buffalo’s modest-sized defenders. They’ll batter their way to another AFC championship game. Mike Preston, columnist: Ravens 38, Bills 17: Both teams will try to slow the other with a strong running game, and it’s important for Buffalo to get a lead early to work the crowd into the game. The Bills haven’t lost at home this season, but unless they change up their scheme and get out of using their nickel package so consistently, they can’t stop Baltimore’s running attack led by Derrick Henry. In a 35-10 Ravens victory against Buffalo in late September, he rushed for 199 yards on 24 carries. The Ravens have the No. 1 rushing defense in the NFL, as well as the top rushing offense. That’s not a combination the Bills can deal with, especially this time of year. C.J. Doon, editor Ravens 23, Bills 20: This truly feels like a coin flip. Neither defense is well-equipped to stop the opposing offense, with the Ravens vulnerable against big plays down the field and the Bills light up front when it comes to stopping the run. Will Brandon Stephens or former Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White be able to hold up in single coverage? Will Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson put Buffalo’s defenders in a blender with their misdirection game? One turnover could be the difference, and don’t rule out the bitter cold and raucous crowd being a significant factor. In the end, it feels like the Ravens’ destiny to rematch the Chiefs in the AFC title game. Jackson wills Baltimore over the finish line with a gutsy late drive. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Staff picks for NFL divisional round: Commanders vs. Lions, Texans vs. Chiefs and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens and Bills have evolved dramatically since Week 4 meeting Baltimore Ravens | Former Maryland RB Ty Johnson looks to extend Bills’ playoff run vs. Ravens Baltimore Ravens | How Ravens’ defense rallied around Zach Orr and became ‘resilient group’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OC Todd Monken: System is ‘unfortunate’ for balancing coach interviews Tim Schwartz, editor Ravens 34, Bills 28: This felt inevitable, right? It’s the two teams with star quarterbacks that haven’t reached the mountaintop, and only one will get their chance at, most likely, taking down the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. We saw in Week 4 what the Ravens are capable of, and while the Bills are a much different team now, so is Baltimore. Lamar Jackson is playing the best football of his career. His counterpart, Josh Allen, is, too. But the Ravens are the league’s most dominant rushing team and there is only one Derrick Henry. He’s the X factor to me. If Buffalo finds a way to slow him, it will emerge victorious. But if Henry gets going again — he had 199 yards against these Bills in late September — it’s hard to see Baltimore losing Sunday night. Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 31, Bills 27: It’s Josh Allen vs. Lamar Jackson, but Baltimore’s path to a victory goes through the running game. Buffalo couldn’t stop Henry in the first meeting, allowing him to rush for 199 yards. If Buffalo can corral Henry, the Bills can find enough offensive success to win. The Bills should pick on Baltimore’s secondary with wide receivers Amari Cooper and Keon Coleman, as the Ravens’ defensive backfield gave up an alarming number of chunk plays in the final 30 minutes of the wild-card round against Pittsburgh. If Buffalo can’t at least contain Henry, it’s hard to see the Bills (or any team, for that matter) beating Baltimore. And containing Henry has proven nearly impossible over the past few weeks. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

Baltimore Sun staff writers pick every game of the NFL season. Here’s who they have winning in the divisional round of the playoffs: Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (Saturday, 4:30 p.m.) Brian Wacker (3-3 last week; 184-80 overall): The Texans’ win over the Chargers last week suddenly seems to have a lot of people thinking they’ll be able to hang with the Chiefs at home. They won’t, not when Kansas City is coming off an extra week to prepare and is playing its best football when it matters most. Houston won’t be able to slow the Chiefs’ dynamic offense and Kansas City’s front along with its secondary will frustrate C.J. Stroud and running back Joe Mixon. Chiefs 31, Texans 14 Childs Walker (3-3 last week; 184-80 overall): The Texans rose from the dead in the wild-card round with their best defensive performance of the season. That doesn’t mean they’ll be able to do it again on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions. The Chiefs simply don’t lose games like this. Chiefs 24, Texans 14 Mike Preston (3-3 last week; 183-81 overall): The Texans beat the Chargers in a wild-card game. Ho-hum. Big deal. If they can upset the Chiefs, then they might be on to something, but that’s not going to happen. The Chiefs have a major advantage playing at home, and they also have a quarterback named Patrick Mahomes. Chiefs 28, Texans 13 C.J. Doon (5-1 last week; 173-105 overall): When these teams last met Dec. 21, the Texans had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs should win, but it’s not going to be easy, especially against a Houston defense that is coming off an incredible performance against the Chargers. DeMeco Ryans will make them earn it. Chiefs 20, Texans 17 Tim Schwartz (4-2 last week; 198-82 overall): This has been a weird year in Kansas City. The Chiefs didn’t look dominant for much of this season but still won nearly every week. They simply don’t lose close games. Patrick Mahomes and his supporting cast took a step back this season but under the bright lights of the postseason, they do enough to win. Houston is being overlooked, but I don’t see it pulling off the upset. Chiefs 24, Texans 20 Bennett Conlin (4-2 last week; 184-94 overall): It’s nearly impossible to go against the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes in the postseason. He’s 15-3 in the NFL playoffs, having won seven consecutive games and two consecutive Super Bowls. It’s far from a guarantee that Kansas City wins a third straight championship, but the Chiefs won’t stumble at home against a Texans team that’s 1-3 against teams playing in the divisional round. Chiefs 28, Texans 14 Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions (Saturday, 8 p.m.) Wacker: This is another game in which the underdog’s defense will have trouble stopping the offense. The Lions led the NFL in scoring during the regular season and that’s not changing in this game. Jayden Daniels was terrific and poised last week but he won’t be able to keep up, even against a banged up Detroit defense. Walker: Jayden Daniels will put up points against a Detroit defense that’s still banged up. But it’s difficult to envision Washington’s lackluster defense doing anything to limit the Lions’ high-scoring, ultra-balanced attack. Detroit’s home-field advantage feels real against an opponent that’s probably still a year or two away. Lions 34, Commanders 24 Preston: Jayden Daniels will be included in next season’s list of top playmaking quarterbacks, but the Commanders need to add more talent around him, like the Ravens have done with Lamar Jackson. Detroit still has some issues on an injury-plagued defense, but the week off will help. Washington will score points, but the Lions will score many more. Lions 35, Commanders 18 Doon: At the risk of buying a little too much into the Jayden Daniels hype (I have him ranked as the fourth-best QB remaining in the playoffs), I’m going out on a limb and picking a big upset here. The Lions have felt like the storybook team all season, but they’re banged up and have allowed a ton of points down the stretch. The Commanders can score with the best of them, and they’ll be just as aggressive as Detroit coach Dan Campbell on fourth down. Commanders 38, Lions 35 Schwartz: Why not? These Commanders have found a way to win their past six games, almost all of which came down to the final moments. The Lions’ run defense is stout, but Jayden Daniels is not a traditional runner, and their pass defense allowed the fifth-most passing yards in the NFL this year. If Washington can avoid the big play from a Jahmyr Gibbs or Amon-Ra St. Brown, I like its chances. Commanders 34, Lions 31 Conlin: The Detroit Lions love to blitz (second-highest blitz rate in the NFL at 34.2%) and play man coverage. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels excels against both, posting an 81.9 PFF season-long grade against the blitz and a 90.4 grade in the wild-card round when facing pressure. This is a great matchup for the Commanders’ offense, which should use no-huddle to wear down Detroit’s wounded defense. But can the Commanders slow down Jared Goff and Detroit’s offense, which led the NFL with 33.2 points scored per game in the regular season? I expect each coach to be highly aggressive on fourth down, which makes a Commanders upset feel quite possible. Lions 41, Commanders 35 Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles (Sunday, 3 p.m.) Wacker: The Rams could be the darlings of the playoffs. Their domination of the Vikings in the wild-card round was impressive, but Minnesota got exposed again in the postseason. Rams quarterback Matt Stanford is tough and capable but the Eagles have a nasty defense, the best offensive line in the game and will bully their way to a win in this one. Eagles 23, Rams 13 Walker: The Rams are everyone’s favorite upset special coming off their dismantling of the Vikings. The Eagles inspired little enthusiasm with their conservative game plan against a Packers team that did nothing to push them. But the Rams aren’t built to stand up to Philadelphia’s bullying on both sides of the ball, especially not on a wintry East Coast afternoon. Enjoy them or not, the Eagles just might ugly their way to the Super Bowl. Eagles 23, Rams 16 Preston: The Eagles are old school. They win games at the line of scrimmage. They maul opponents on both sides of the ball, and if a team can win with its front four, that allows it to do a lot of things defensively. Offensively, the Eagles are one dimensional, but what a dimension with halfback Saquon Barkley. The Eagles’ offense is similar to the one used by the Ravens in 2000. Philadelphia doesn’t have a strong passing game, but it is effective in combination with Barkley, just like the Ravens were with Jamal Lewis. Eagles 21, Rams 17 Doon: The Rams were no match for Saquon Barkley in the regular season, allowing the star running back to pile up 255 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a 37-20 Eagles victory. Even with Jalen Hurts struggling of late, Philadelphia can lean on Barkley and its outstanding offensive line to overpower Los Angeles at the line of scrimmage. The Eagles’ ascending defense should also be able to pressure Matthew Stafford and contain the Rams’ passing game. Eagles 27, Rams 20 Schwartz: Philadelphia intercepted Packers quarterback Jordan Love three times in the wild-card game and didn’t need to do much offensively to advance. It will need to play much better to beat these Rams, who are peaking right now with a rejuvenated Matthew Stafford. Saquon Barkley isn’t slowing down and could thrive even more in the freezing temperatures. I think the Eagles’ secondary does enough to slow Stafford and Puka Nacua. Eagles 28, Rams 20 Conlin: The Eagles and Rams met on Nov. 24, and Los Angeles had no answer for Barkley, who rushed for 255 yards and two touchdowns. If the Rams don’t shore up their run defense Sunday, it’ll be a long afternoon. Matthew Stafford has led Los Angeles to six wins in its last seven games, as he and coach Sean McVay are hot at the right time. Philadelphia has too much firepower in this game, though, and Barkley will make the difference. Eagles 27, Rams 21 Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

It’s not often the statistical model used to determine ESPN’s matchup predictor spits out a perfect coin flip. On Monday morning, the best odds it could offer for the Ravens and Bills, two titans of the NFL playing in Sunday’s AFC divisional round, was 50-50. It hasn’t tipped more than half a percentage point since. As pundits and fans alike spout predictions trying to make sense of such an evenly matched contest, it’s natural to lean on their Week 4 matchup in Baltimore, a 35-10 Ravens rout on national television. There’s one issue with that: These teams have both evolved dramatically since September. “We look at [that game] from kind of a scientific type of football perspective,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, “in terms of what did they see? What are they going to try to stop? What are they going to play against us? Where are the matchups now that weren’t there then, or that are different or the same?” That early in the season, the Ravens were climbing out of a 1-2 hole shouldering all sorts of questions about what their offensive identity might be. They needed to find their “mojo,” Lamar Jackson said. And Buffalo, which scored 112 points in its first three games and is 9-0 in Orchard Park this season, took their first right hook to the chin at M&T Bank Stadium. “Learned a lot from those moments,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said this week. “Going back and watching it obviously wasn’t our best effort. Felt like we didn’t play our best football.” Derrick Henry, who bullied Buffalo for 199 yards on 24 carries, added: “We played a great game against them tonight. We were the better team tonight. But I’m sure they’ll fix things in the next coming weeks.” Buffalo’s defense finished the regular season with a league-high plus-24 turnover margin. Cornerback Taron Johnson has turned two takeaways into touchdowns. The Bills are also the 26th-worst team at getting off the field on third down, according to football statistician Ben Baldwin, which bottomed out between Weeks 14 and 17, giving up a staggering 9.9 yards per attempt on third downs. To make matters worse, Buffalo has seen a gradual decline in EPA per play allowed since their September soiree with the Ravens. Baltimore experienced the inverse effect. Muting the Bills was an outlier in an otherwise rocky start to the season. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey said it feels like now they have a different identity on the heels of personnel changes and vibe shifts despite playing “decently well” that night. Their defensive resuscitation since Week 11 has been well documented, skying up power rankings from the worst pass defense in the league to hanging with the best. The Ravens have steadily boasted one of the NFL’s best rushing defenses, which could be a determinant Sunday night. To which safety Kyle Hamilton pointed out Buffalo’s evolving reliance on the run game. Against the Ravens, lead back James Cook only touched the ball nine times for 39 yards — tied for his second-fewest single-game carries and fifth-lowest output of a 1,000-yard season. That’s because the Bills fell behind early and were forced to play catch up through the air. Rushing behind one of the best offensive lines in the league became a staple of their offense. “They are really committed to the run,” Hamilton said. “It is definitely a respectable run game. They’ve hurt people — they hurt the Broncos last week with it. I think it is big for us as a defense to knock the run out first before we get to anything else.” Both offenses have ascended similar trajectory thanks to MVP-caliber quarterback play. The Ravens finished the season with, not only the best offensive DVOA in the league, but the NFL’s fourth-best offensive DVOA since 1978, right behind the 16-0 New England Patriots. Lamar Jackson played the best all-around season of his career piloting a franchise-record 7,224 total yards — the third most by a team in NFL single-season history. Meanwhile, Buffalo’s 30.9 points per game trailed only Detroit. They laid an egg in Baltimore, then scored at least 20 points in every game until Week 18, when they rested starters. Allen’s 12 rushing scores are the second most of any quarterback and Cook’s 18 are tied with Henry for second most in the NFL. “It’s the battle of two heavyweights,” defensive end Von Miller told local reporters. Added Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken: “Ultimately, for both teams, it’s gonna come down to what they do well, irrespective of what that game was 14 weeks ago.” In comparing a Sunday night in September with this weekend’s AFC divisional round, there are a few notable additions and subtractions. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Former Maryland RB Ty Johnson looks to extend Bills’ playoff run vs. Ravens Baltimore Ravens | How Ravens’ defense rallied around Zach Orr and became ‘resilient group’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens OC Todd Monken: System is ‘unfortunate’ for balancing coach interviews Baltimore Ravens | Ravens WR Zay Flowers again only player absent from Thursday’s practice Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Bills are in trouble against Ravens RB Derrick Henry | COMMENTARY Baltimore had a healthy Zay Flowers that day. Although the second-year receiver and first-time Pro Bowl selection only caught one pass for 10 yards, he has been an integral part of a profitable Ravens passing attack. He finished the regular season with 1,059 yards on 74 catches. Flowers’ availability Sunday is still up in the air as he recovers from a knee injury suffered in Week 18. Meanwhile, Buffalo played Week 4 without a pair of All-Pro defenders because of injuries. Linebacker Matt Milano and Johnson, who famously settled a January 2021 playoff meeting with a 101-yard pick-six that still haunts Jackson, are both healthy for Sunday. As is linebacker Terrel Bernard, another addition to shore up the middle of the field. The Bills also added wideout Amari Cooper at the trade deadline, and he has 22 catches for 305 yards and two scores in nine games. The Week 4 matchup can be a data point for what is possible to come this weekend. It won’t be a valuable predictor for this coin flip game. “Both teams are better across the board,” Harbaugh said. “Both teams have kind of defined their personalities a little bit more over the course of the season. It’s kind of what you’d expect at this point.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article