Lamar Jackson boldly defends Mark Andrews' selfless role amid Ravens' offensive shifts

The Baltimore Ravens have steamrolled their last two opponents behind an unstoppable ground game, but it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for their passing attack—particularly for star tight end Mark Andrews. Once a cornerstone of the Ravens' offense, Andrews has seen his role shift dramatically this season.

Through four games, he’s managed just six catches for 65 yards, and for the last two weeks, Andrews has been shockingly absent from the box score, targeted only once in each game.

This decline in production has left many fans and analysts scratching their heads. Is Andrews being phased out of Baltimore’s passing attack, or is something deeper at play? Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was quick to address the issue, giving full credit to Andrews for adapting to his new role in the offense.

“Sometimes you might not get the ball, but we’ve got all these great guys on our offense that’s helping us win games, including Mark,” Jackson said in his press conference. “Mark is playing a huge role for us just doing what he’s doing — blocking, running routes, running guys out, and finding other guys to be open. He’s just being a team player right now.”

The Ravens’ offense has leaned on a heavy dose of running back Derrick Henry and Jackson himself, who together have racked up a staggering 788 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. While that ground attack has been Baltimore’s bread and butter, it’s come at the expense of Andrews' usual dominance as a pass-catcher. In fact, Andrews’ current production of 1.5 receptions per game is far below his career average of 4.3.

Still, Jackson remains confident in Andrews’ importance to the team's overall success. "Mark’s stats don’t reflect the impact he’s having on the field. He’s doing a lot of the dirty work—blocking and running guys out of plays—and that’s why our offense has been rolling," Jackson added.

But concerns about Andrews’ dwindling targets can’t be ignored. With just one target in each of the past two games, it’s clear that Isaiah Likely has emerged as Jackson's favored tight end target this season, leading the team with 13 receptions and 167 yards. While Andrews is doing the heavy lifting in the trenches, Likely is the one cashing in with the receptions.

Lamar Jackson on if he’s addressed Mark Andrews’ lack of targets and his role in the offense.

“I believe he’s doing his role. Sometimes he might not get the ball. We got all these great guys on our offense that’s helping us win games, including Mark.

“Mark is playing a huge… pic.twitter.com/eBSlpivWSF

— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) October 2, 2024

As the Ravens prepare for their Week 5 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, finding balance in their offensive attack will be critical. Though their ground game has been nearly unstoppable, they’ll need Andrews to get more involved in the passing game if they hope to continue their winning ways against tougher defenses.

While Jackson praises Andrews for embracing a team-first mentality, it remains to be seen if that’s enough to silence concerns. After all, Andrews has long been Jackson’s security blanket, and his presence in the passing game may be crucial as the Ravens push for playoff contention.