The Baltimore Ravens got a crucial 34-20 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals, but the price to pay in their quest for the Super Bowl was very high. Mark Andrews will be out for the remainder of the season due to a severe ankle injury.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed the terrible news for the star tight end. “Unfortunately, on the negative side, Mark Andrews has a very serious ankle injury. It looks Iike a season-ending injury. So our prayers will be with Mark. I think it’s a form of a high ankle injury, but more than just a sprain.”
Andrews’ injury comes at a key moment for the Ravens, who are battling to win the AFC North in a tremendous battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cleveland Browns and the Bengals.
Now, Lamar Jackson has lost one of his most important offensive weapons and he’ll have to rely in names such as Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely. “He’s my No.1 receiver sometimes. I believe it’s going to be a huge challenge, but we have Charlie and Likely. Those guys are going to step up. We’re going to build chemistry.”
Lamar Jackson will have a big challenge without Mark Andrews (Getty Images)
What happened with Mark Andrews?
Mark Andrews got injured during the opening drive of the game between the Ravens and the Bengals. The play sparked a lot of controversy because linebacker Logan Wilson brought him down with a hip drop tackle.
In fact, in recent months, the NFL had already been considering banning this tackling method to protect players after what happened with Patrick Mahomes last season in the Divisional Round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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Who will replace Mark Andrews?
Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar will take over at the tight end position after the injury of Mark Andrews. However, head coach Jim Harbaugh admitted this could increase the role of other names such as Odell Beckham Jr, Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman.
“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, but those wide receivers are obviously going to be a big part of that.”
John Harbaugh has the Ravens as a Super Bowl contender (Getty Images)
Will the Baltimore Ravens make the playoffs?
The Baltimore Ravens have a record of 8-3 and are in the driver’s seat to win the AFC North. Currently, Jim Harbaugh’s team has a significant lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3), Cleveland Browns (6-3) and the Cincinnati Bengals (5-5).
Additionally, the Ravens could still secure home-field advantage during the playoffs as they are only one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs. This would give them a bye week, needing only two victories to reach the Super Bowl.
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What is the remaining schedule for the Baltimore Ravens?
The Ravens’ next game will be against the Chargers on the road. After that, they will have their bye week before facing a tough end to the season: Rams, @Jacksonville, @San Francisco, Miami, and Pittsburgh.
