One might say Mark Andrews had a night to forget during the Baltimore Ravens' thrilling overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons. Others might call what we witnessed a fantastic lesson in perseverance. The latter seems more appropriate.
They say, 'It isn't how you start. It's how you finish.' Anyone needing evidence can watch a replay of Week 5's Sunday Night Football game and follow Number 89 in the Ravens jersey. He overcame an early fumble and a drop in the end zone that would have given his team six points. By night's end, he had authored a very respectable outing.
Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle isn't interested in letting some tough sledding define his starting tight end. Beyond the miscues mentioned, two passes slipped through Andrews' hands in critical moments, yet when Baltimore needed a conversion in overtime, the Ravens went back to him.
That decision says something about how Doyle views one of the franchise's most accomplished offensive players. Andrews finished with four catches for 28 yards against Atlanta, but his mistakes didn't erase his work all week or the trust he's earned inside the building. In a recent talk with the Baltimore media, Doyle said he believes the tight end's response to adversity matters more than letting one rough outing dictate what happens next.
"I think it depends on the player. Mark is somebody that I feel like is very resilient, that regardless of what's going on, I don't feel like what's happening right now is going to impact the next play. I don't really have an issue going back to him. He embodies what it means to be a Raven, the way he works every day, the way he leads that group. We love Mark. We trust Mark."
Doyle's confidence isn't based solely on what Andrews can produce when everything goes right. Baltimore's offensive coordinator also values how the tight end handles the moments when it doesn't, particularly when a mistake could linger into the next possession. For a team navigating injuries and quarterback uncertainty, established players who can reset mentally matter. Andrews' clutch plays didn't erase his earlier mistakes, but they reinforced why Doyle wasn't prepared to stop looking his way. The Ravens needed to execute under pressure, and Andrews remained part of the solution.
Mark Andrews' response matters as much as the mistake.s
Late heroic efforts don't mean Andrews' earlier performance must be dismissed, but they shouldn't define him either. It's a teaching moment for the veteran and the young Ravens. Certainly, Baltimore needs cleaner execution from one of its primary receiving options, especially when scoring opportunities are limited. Still, two rookie tight ends are in the meeting room. What better way to teach them an important lesson than to use a franchise legend as the case study?
Doyle's comments make clear that the coaching staff won't confuse accountability with abandoning a player who has earned its confidence. Doyle also pointed to Andrews' post-game reaction, when the tight end acknowledged he needed to play better. The coordinator appreciated that ownership, while recognizing that the coaching staff has its own work to do.
"After the game, nobody's harder on him than himself. We come in the locker room and he's like, 'Man, I've got to be a lot better.' I've got to be better, too. We all do. We look at the tape and figure it out and we keep moving forward. He's a big part of our offense. We trust him, we love him being here. We'll keep working."
For Doyle, the answer isn't to let one bad night change the relationship between quarterback, coordinator, and tight end. It's to correct the mistakes, maintain accountability, and trust Andrews to respond. The Ravens still need more consistent production from him, but his latest performance hasn't changed the belief that he can deliver when the next opportunity arrives.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Declan Doyle stands by Mark Andrews after a mistake-filled performance