Legendary CBS Broadcaster Jim Nantz opened Sunday evening’s telecast between the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Payments by saying he had by no means seen a Divisional Spherical matchup obtain a lot hype and fanfare.
Contemplating that quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are neck-and-neck within the MVP race, and the Ravens and Payments are perched among the many higher echelon of the AFC proper subsequent to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Nantz raised a superb level. The sport additionally marked his 501st NFL broadcast for CBS, so he definitely has some perspective.
Sunday evening’s recreation delivered, too, because the Payments finally received 27-25 to advance to subsequent week’s AFC Championship in Kansas Metropolis.
However like Rory McIlroy finally 12 months’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, a distinguished Ravens star made a pair of jarring gaffes within the fourth quarter that finally value his workforce the victory. No, we aren’t speaking about Lamar Jackson, despite the fact that he had two questionable turnovers within the first half. We’re speaking about Mark Andrews, the previous First-Crew All-Professional who had a expensive fumble with 8:41 to go and a devastating drop on a two-point conversion that sealed his workforce’s destiny.
With 12 minutes left within the recreation, the Ravens confronted a five-point deficit to the Payments. Nevertheless, they’d moved the ball effectively all through the second half, counting on working backs Derrick Henry and Justice Hill to steamroll by means of the Buffalo protection on a frigid evening in Orchard Park. The Ravens labored effortlessly, and Jackson additionally did what he happy by means of the air. It appeared prefer it was a matter of time earlier than Baltimore would drive down the sphere, rating a landing, and regain the lead on the street. However then Andrews made a expensive mistake.
On a 2nd & 11 from their very own 40-yard-line, Jackson discovered a wide-open Andrews over the center. The tight-end then tried to bounce across the secondary, on the lookout for extra yards, however Payments linebacker Terrell Bernard punched the ball from Andrews’ grasp and recovered it within the course of. It marked the primary time Andrews had misplaced a fumble since 2019. Buffalo then went down and kicked a area aim to take an eight-point lead, preserving Baltimore’s hopes alive with 3:29 to play.
However Andrews’ fumble compares to what occurred to McIlroy on the sixteenth inexperienced final summer time. Whereas holding a one-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau, McIlroy inexplicably three-putted, which included a miss for par from inside three toes. The Northern Irishman misplaced confidence in himself and his recreation, and you possibly can really feel that additional heartbreak was imminent.
You felt the identical approach when Andrews coughed up the ball to Bernard, respiration life into the Payments when all of Buffalo was experiencing large nervousness.
Moments later, Baltimore had the ball once more, trailing by eight and needing a landing and a two-point conversion to tie. Jackson and the Ravens marched down the sphere in a flash, going 88 yards in beneath two minutes to make it a 27-25 recreation. Isaiah Probably caught the cross, thus establishing the all-important two-point conversion.
The Ravens had already did not convert on a two-point try earlier within the recreation, as Payments linebacker Matt Milano swatted down a Jackson cross to take care of a two-point Buffalo lead. You needed to presume the Ravens wouldn’t fail once more, proper?
Nicely, Baltimore known as a terrific play, which noticed Andrews flash proper towards the appropriate pile-on. Jackson rolled out to his proper and delivered the ball to him completely, besides Andrews couldn’t haul it in. He dropped it, which meant Baltimore’s season got here to a crashing halt as quickly because the ball hit the icy turf.
Keep in mind what occurred on the 18th inexperienced at Pinehurst No. 2 final June? McIlroy hit his second shot wanting the inexperienced and did not stand up and down. It ought to have been a routine par save, just like how Andrews catches that two-point try 99 instances out of 100. However McIlroy left his third shot above the outlet and couldn’t convert the slippery four-footer.
Bryson DeChambeau, in the meantime, hit a miraculous bunker shot from wanting the inexperienced and made his par putt to win the U.S. Open. He didn’t make a mistake throughout crunch time, identical to Allen didn’t flip the ball over towards the Ravens. The Payments performed clear, though they did get fortunate.
To prime it off, the Ravens didn’t make Andrews obtainable to the media after the sport. Sure, the previous Oklahoma Sooner should have felt sick to his abdomen after what had transpired. His teammates had nothing however supportive issues to say about him, too. However being knowledgeable athlete means it’s a must to face the music. You must reply the query of what occurred and what went down. It’s a cut-throat enterprise.
McIlroy additionally did this final summer time. He left Pinehurst No. 2 on a whim and was airborne for Florida earlier than DeChambeau lifted the trophy. He didn’t communicate to the media and addressed the state of affairs weeks later earlier than the Genesis Scottish Open. Shedding in a way like this stinks, little question. Nevertheless, the mannequin {that a} participant ought to comply with after a state of affairs like that is to take a look at Scott Norwood. Norwood, a kicker for the Payments, missed a 47-yard try that might have given Buffalo a Tremendous Bowl title over the New York Giants in 1991. As a substitute of turning right into a turtle, Norwood took it on the chin and talked with the press for 10 minutes after the sport. It was a exceptional show of braveness.
This isn’t to say that Andrews and McIlroy usually are not robust people, however they made the flawed resolution to disregard their shortcomings, which made their respective collapses worse.
But, the one solution to get by means of a troublesome interval of reflection and mourning is to battle by means of it altogether. The one approach out is to undergo it. However it will nonetheless be a protracted low season for the Ravens, identical to how McIlroy nonetheless feels the ache of what occurred at Pinehurst.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By way of. Comply with him on X @jack_milko.