Mark Andrews views every playoff opportunity as precious, but this one feels extra special.
A year ago, the talented tight end was recovering from ankle surgery when the Ravens opened the playoffs. He didn't return until the AFC Championship and wasn't feeling nearly 100% when he came back.
However, Andrews is Mandrews again heading into Saturday night's wild card contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Finishing the regular season with touchdown catches in six straight games, Andrews and Lamar Jackson have never looked more in sync, and they're eager to ride their momentum into the postseason.
"I always say this – Mark is like a security blanket," Jackson said. "We're like peanut butter and jelly – he's that guy. For him starting slow this year, and people were doubting him – I don't know where the doubt came from with Mark. I just don't know. It still amazes me.
"But, for him to be a team player and help other guys get open and do this and that, and still have a magnificent season he's had, that just shows what type of player Mark is and what he's going to bring to the table come this playoff run."
Andrews finished the regular season with a career-high 11 touchdown catches on his way to becoming the franchise’s all-time touchdown leader. With a resume that includes three Pro Bowl selections and 436 career receptions, Andrews has proven that he's still very much in his prime at age 29.
However, when Andrews didn't have a touchdown catch through the first five games this season, there was chatter that the Ravens should consider trading Andrews and allow Isaiah Likely to take over as the primary tight end.
On "The Lounge" podcast this week, Likely called talk of trading Andrews "foolishness" that he never paid attention to. Likely's respect for Andrews as a teammate, friend, and mentor is enormous.
"I wasn't even getting into that (trade speculation)," Likely said. "Mark's been the big brother that every rookie wants when you come into the league. I don't even entertain foolishness like that. I feel like there's no Ravens offense for real without Mark, and that's because of the respect a defense has to give him when he's on the field.
"Every game where everybody supposedly had a great game, got off … Mark's been on that field. Mark's been taking two, three defenders. You're going to respect No. 89. Whether he got off to a slow start with everything he's been dealing with from last year to this – now you guys are seeing what happens when you have to worry about the whole offense and now 89 gets to be 89. I think that's a great thing going into this postseason."
Andrews is one of the NFL’s most laser-focused players and pushed himself to the limit to return from last year's serious ankle injury. He answered questions in the locker room this week, but it was easy to tell he was already getting into his mental zone for Saturday's game.
It was extremely difficult for Andrews to watch his teammates begin the playoffs without him last year when he wasn't healthy. He and Jackson were in the same 2018 Ravens draft class, and their quest to win a Super Bowl together is now in its seventh season. They have helped each other deal with the high and lows, and Andrews senses this Ravens team is on a mission that won't be denied.
"It's great to be in this position to have an incredible opportunity to be playing in the first round of the playoffs and be with this team and organization," Andrews said. "We have so many incredibly talented players and coaches. Feeling great is a blessing.
"We've been trending in the right direction and getting better every week. It's going to boil down to playing great football."
Playing great football is exactly what Andrews has been doing. When the ball is airborne, Andrews believes it's his property. He has an innate ability to find soft spots in the defense, and Jackson has a sixth sense when it comes to anticipating what Andrews will do.
Their connection often results in a thing of beauty, like Andrews' circus catch against the Cleveland Browns in Week 18.
"He has to be one of the fastest tight ends in the league, he just has to be," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "His ability to get open and make contested catches really showed up in this last game – he made some phenomenal catches. I mean, the one down the right sideline; I don't even know how he saw the ball, let alone find it, get to it and catch it. And then Lamar's trust in Mark, of course. All those things; he's been really great."
The Ravens need four wins to capture a Super Bowl and Andrews thinks they're up to the challenge. Whether it's blocking, drawing coverage that allows others to make plays, or making catches himself, Andrews is willing to do whatever it takes. He looks forward to the intensity of playoff football and relishes that atmosphere.
"It's win or go home," Andrews said. "You've got preseason, regular season, then playoffs. Players are more bought in and ready to go. People are flying around. It's all gas, everything we've got."
