Ravens tight end Mark Andrews on Sunday continued to rewrite the franchise record books, setting the single-season receptions mark during their 16-13 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Baltimore.
Late in the first half, Andrews caught a 7-yard pass from backup quarterback Tyler Huntley for his 104th reception of the season, surpassing former Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason, who had 103 in 16 games in 2007.
Andrews, who was recently named to his second Pro Bowl in three seasons, has enjoyed a historic campaign. During the Ravens’ 20-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last week, he broke the franchise’s single-season receiving yards record, which was set by late wide receiver Michael Jackson (1,201) in 1996.
He ended Sunday’s game with eight catches for 85 receiving yards to finish the year with 107 catches on 154 targets, 1,361 yards and nine touchdowns, the most receptions and tied for the most touchdowns for a tight end in the NFL this season. Andrews was 56 yards shy of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce’s NFL record of 1,416 yards for a tight end, which he set last year in 16 games.
“For me, it’s never about setting records,” said Andrews, who became the first tight end in team history to record 1,000 receiving yards in a season during the Ravens’ Week 15 loss to the Green Bay Packers. “I’m a team guy. That’s the thing that really matters to me. We got a great team that fought all year long. It’s been a special year. I’m sad it’s done. I hate losing more than anything. This organization hates losing. We like to win. That’s what we do. We win games. We are going to find a way to do that again.”
Andrews last week was voted the team’s 2021 Most Valuable Player, an award voted on by local media who cover the team.
Extra points
With three catches for 27 yards, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown became the first Ravens wide receiver to eclipse 1,000 yards in a single season since Mike Wallace in 2016. Brown finished with 91 catches for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns.
Running back Latavius Murray’s 46-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was the Ravens’ longest of the season. The previous best was running back Ty’Son Williams’ 35-yard touchdown run in the season-opening loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
When Huntley fumbled and threw a pick on the first two drives of the first quarter, it marked the first time the Ravens turned the ball over on each of their first two offensive possessions since 2010 against the New York Jets, according to ESPN Stats and Information.
Sunday marked the fourth overtime game the Ravens have played this season, the most in team history.
The Ravens’ six-game losing streak to close the regular season is the longest under coach John Harbaugh and the second-longest in team history. The Ravens also finished last in the AFC North for the first time since 2007.