Lamar Jackson likened it to “bread and butter” or “peanut butter and jelly.”
He and Mark Andrews just go together.
The mood of a 34-20 win over the Bengals was soured by the news that Andrews, who rolled his ankle while being tackled by Cincinnati linebacker Logan Wilson, might miss the rest of the season with his injury.
That’s brutal news for the teammates who admire his singular intensity, which sets the tone for the whole team from training camp through the playoffs. It’s brutal news for a passing game that has gone to Andrews for six touchdowns this year, putting him one score shy of matching Todd Heap’s franchise record.
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“That’s Receiver 1 sometimes,” Jackson said on Andrews. “We gotta somehow do it without him.”
Thursday’s game was a good blueprint for how to do it — even if the Ravens’ wideouts are a long way from PB and J.
The Ravens wound up with 264 passing yards, with 206 of them going to wide receivers. While Odell Beckham Jr. roared back into vintage form with four catches for 116 yards (his first Ravens game over the century mark), it also included dramatic touchdown celebrations from some of the lesser-used targets.
Rashod Bateman scored his first touchdown this season, crossing his arms before falling backward into the turf as if laying himself to rest. In reality, it has seemed like Bateman came back from the dead. It was his first score since Week 2 last season, before a long, injury-induced layoff and a slow start to this season. Bateman had actually made multiple catches in the five games leading up to his score in prime time.
There was Nelson Agholor, grabbing a tipped pass that Jackson tried to slip through a tight window to Isaiah Likely. Agholor dashed 37 yards to the end zone and front-flipped into a somersault.
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Even Jackson, who famously flipped himself for a game-winning score, quipped: “He need to give me some tips on how to do the flip, because last time I did, I landed on my butt.”
It was a needed reminder at just the right time. There’s a world of potential in the Ravens’ receiving room, and they’ll need to tap it to survive without Andrews.
The Ravens have two tight ends who got more looks Thursday after Andrews got hurt: Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar, both taken in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. Likely showed promise last year with 36 receptions but was shuffled into the deck as Andrews and Zay Flowers took the lead this season. Kolar has been mostly a special-teamer and blocker, but he grabbed a 13-yard reception Thursday — his first of the season.
But as coach John Harbaugh solemnly said postgame, no one man can replace Andrews, who holds great stature in the locker room while also being one of the team’s most productive receivers (544 yards, 6 TDs). It seems a long shot that Likely and Kolar can replace even the majority of what Andrews does in the offense.
On the other hand, it’s always been up to the receiving corps to take on more workload from Jackson’s favorite target. “That’s kind of part of the plan,” Harbaugh said.
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From taking Bateman and Flowers as first rounders to signing Beckham to a $15 million contract, the Ravens invested a ton in the receivers this season. But, through the first 10 weeks, they totaled only 1,250 yards, ranking No. 24 among NFL receiving corps, including teams that have played just nine games. They came in even lower on the list with touchdowns by receivers (5, No. 28), outpaced by Andrews by himself.
That will have to change — and we saw what necessity brought out of the receiving corps against Cincinnati. Jackson averaged 14.7 yards per target when looking for his wide receivers against the Bengals, an extremely impressive number. The Ravens rattled off receiving gains of 51, 37 and 31 yards to different receivers (Beckham, Agholor and Flowers).
They were one questionable holding call from springing Flowers for a 68-yard score. Beckham was lashing himself for drawing that flag. “I was happiest just seeing [Flowers] on the jumbotron running and scoring.”
But there will be more times to come — at least the Ravens are counting on it.
Although Beckham hurt his shoulder on a fourth-quarter play, he’s acknowledged that the explosive burst he lacked early this season is returning, allowing him to break off the big plays he’s been known for elsewhere. Flowers broke Torrey Smith’s rookie receptions record (50) on the first drive of the game, and he’s continued making defenders lose their footing trying wrap him up. Bateman and Agholor probably will see their targets rise, even if Likely becomes the receiving threat he was last season.
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It’s always been the plan under Todd Monken to squeeze more juice out of the receivers, a position that perpetually seems to need a little boost in Baltimore. Now, losing Andrews forces their hand.
It’s no small challenge to fill the shoes of a player who does as much as Mark Andrews. But, against the Bengals at least, the Ravens showed they have the pieces to do it.
kyle.goon@thebaltimorebanner.com
