Darkest before the dawn: Mark Andrews thanks Ravens, Bills fans for donations after devastating drop

The Baltimore Ravens suffered a devastating 27-25 loss against the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round on Sunday night.

Turnovers are often too costly to overcome in the postseason, and Baltimore dug themselves into an early hole with two turnovers on consecutive drives. Although the Ravens managed to claw their way back into the game, they ultimately succumbed to their own mistakes.

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has earned plenty of individual accolades during his illustrious seven-year career, but he hasn't been unable to sustain that success in the playoffs. A narrative about his inability to perform in the postseason has been taking shape for years, and his two-turnover performance will only make matters worse. The two-time MVP quarterback has now been eliminated from six straight playoff appearances since becoming the starter in 2018.

Losses are a team effort, but plenty of blame for the defeat was pinned on Ravens tight end Mark Andrews, who had a sloppy performance at the worst possible moment. Andrews fumbled on a fourth-quarter possession that could have given Baltimore the lead, and he dropped an open pass on a two-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game on the team's final offensive play.

Mark Andrews addressed Ravens fans after his poor playoff outing

After taking some time to process the game, Andrews addressed his performance and thanked Ravens fans in a social media post on Thursday.

"It's impossible to adequately express how I feel," Andrews wrote. "I'm absolutely gutted by what happened on Sunday. I'm devastated for my teammates, my coaches and Ravens fans. I pour every ounce of my being into playing at the highest level possible, because I love my team and the game of football like nothing else. That is why it's taken me until now to collect my thoughts and address this publicly.

"Even though the shock and disappointment are unlike anything I've felt before, I refuse to let the situation define me. I promise that this adversity will only make me stronger and fuel us as we move forward. I thank everyone who has shown me and our team genuine support these past several days. Despite the negativity, I've seen heartfelt love and encouragement, including from those who have generously donated to the Breakthrough T1D organization. Even when the moment seems darkest, perspective can reveal that there's still a lot of light in this world. I'm now going to do my part to bounce back and contribute to it. #GodBless"

Andrews has been Baltimore's most reliable and consistent offensive weapon throughout his seven-year career. The former third-round pick has earned three Pro Bowl nods since entering the league alongside Jackson in 2018, and he earned a first-team All-Pro selection after recording 107 catches for 1,361 yards and nine touchdowns during the 2021 season.

Andrews recorded five receptions for 61 yards in the playoff loss, but that production was overshadowed by his two costly mistakes. Ultimately, those mistakes weren't any worse than Jackson's two turnovers in the first half. Few teams would be able to overcome three turnovers and a dropped two-point conversion in a road playoff game.