Losing tight end Mark Andrews made the Baltimore Ravens’ 34-20 win over AFC North division rival Cincinnati Bengals a bitter one. Andrews suffered a cracked fibula and ankle ligament injury on Thursday, November 16, 20230.
Ravens coach, John Harbaugh, contemplated the loss after the game. “I don’t know, maybe it’s like sand or water [where] everybody’s going to have to fill that hole in and just smooth it over, and that’s what they’ll do,”Harbaugh said. “Those tight ends [Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar] are going to do great. Those guys work hard every day, [and they’re] very talented, but everybody else is going to have to step up as well. As a leader, he’s going to be missed. He’s a fiery, emotional guy. He’s an energy-bringer every single day, so we’re going to have to all make up for that, too.”
Andrews had 45 receptions for 544 yards and six touchdowns before the injury. He set the Ravens up for their first touchdown when he got hurt.The Ravens will rely upon 2021 fourth-round pick Isaiah Likely to fill in for Andrews. The shoes will be too big to fill solely. Fellow 2022 day 3 pick Charlie Kolar will also get opportunities.
“You say next man up, it’s not just the next player in that position, it’s all the men, it’s all the players stepping up and filling that,” Harbaugh said. “To replace a player like Mark Andrews, it’s going to take everybody. It’s going to take a team to do it, and our guys will be up for the challenge and up for the task.”
“I believe it’s going to be a huge challenge, but like I said we have Charlie [Kolar] and [Isaiah] Likely,” quarterback Lamar Jackson said. “Those guys are going to step up, and they’ve been playing their tail off as well, but we’re going to build chemistry. I don’t want to say it’s like Mark [Andrews] isn’t there, but he’s not going to be there, because it’s [likely] a season-ending injury. Those guys are going to step up and do what they’re supposed to do.”
Jackson went to the receivers to help offset the loss of Andrews. Nelson Agholor and Rashod Bateman scored a touchdown and Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers contributed against the Bengals also. They’ll be relied upon to help the passing game while Andrews is away.
Baltimore has seven games remaining in the season and sit on top of the AFC North with an 8-2 record. The playoffs are well within the Ravens sights. It’s not a far-fetched idea that they could represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. A deep playoff run could include Andrews returning to the lineup. Harbaugh said a return this season hasn’t been ruled out yet for Andrews.
“Nothing’s completely definitive yet,” Harbaugh added. “But my understanding in talking with our trainer [Adrian Dixon] and the doctors, is that it wasn’t as bad as initially feared right after the game. There is the type of damage that’s done sometimes in that kind of an action, what happens to the ankle, but it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. It’s cleaner than they thought based on the MRI. He’s going to be involved with Dr. [Robert] Anderson down there in [North] Carolina in Charlotte [in] the next few days. We’ll know more, but there might be an outside chance he could get back at some point in time.”
Getting Andrews back would come right on time to help the Ravens make a run for their third Super Bowl trophy.