Lamar Jackson Defends Mark Andrews After Playoff Drop: ‘I Actually Don’t Like That’

Lamar Jackson mentioned he by no means will get over losses.

And he additionally dislikes followers criticizing considered one of his teammates on-line.

After the Baltimore Ravens’ first day of obligatory minicamp Tuesday, Jackson referred to as out the social media criticism directed at tight finish Mark Andrews following the tight finish’s essential drop in January’s playoff defeat to the Buffalo Payments.

“I’ve been seeing my man getting talked about, and I actually don’t like that, as a result of he’s carried out a lot for us,” Jackson mentioned of Andrews, who let a possible game-tying, 2-point conversion go slip by means of his fingers in a 27-25 loss within the divisional spherical.

“He’s carried out a lot for us, and the way individuals did him, I simply don’t like that. Trigger Mark’s nonetheless Mark.”

The criticism that Andrews acquired prompted hypothesis the Ravens would possibly commerce the three-time Professional Bowler earlier than the ultimate season of a four-year, $56 million deal. That hasn’t occurred, and Andrews was with the crew to start non-compulsory crew actions final month, when he additionally spoke to reporters concerning the play.

In Andrews’ protection, Jackson was fast to say the 2 turnovers he dedicated through the first half that helped Buffalo take a 21-10 halftime lead.

“Folks have been attempting to canine him on feedback and stuff,” Jackson mentioned. “And he’s achieved a lot. For us, for himself. So I simply really feel like, let issues occur typically. We want we’d’ve received the sport. I want I didn’t throw that interception. I want I didn’t fumble. I want the [conversion] mishap didn’t occur. Nevertheless it occurred. Lesson discovered, man.”

Jackson was visibly upbeat on Tuesday in his first session with reporters since his postgame information convention in Buffalo.

And he expressed awe of his latest receiving choice, 33-year-old DeAndre Hopkins, who signed a one-year, $6-million cope with Baltimore in March.

“He’s totally different, man,” Jackson mentioned. “I threw him, like, a shallow [cross] at this time. He caught the ball so clean, received up. I don’t even assume he put his different hand on the bottom to rise up. He simply caught the ball and begin operating. I’m like, ‘Bro, that’s some vet-type stuff. Like some super-vet-type stuff.’”

And he urged there’s no level in attempting to erase the ache from the newest in a string of irritating playoff defeats throughout his profession.

“I don’t assume I recover from any loss, to be sincere,” Jackson mentioned. “I’ve received losses from youth soccer that also hang-out me. So I by no means recover from a loss. I don’t care how small it is perhaps to another person or how nice it is perhaps. It’s at all times the identical for me.”

Reporting by The Related Press.

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