NFL Nation

          'Monster' mode: Mark Andrews set to shatter Ravens' 25-year-old receiving record

          OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Mark Andrews is 15 yards away from setting the Baltimore Ravens’ single-season receiving mark, and former wide receiver Derrick Alexander, who is currently No. 5 on the list, isn’t upset the Pro Bowl tight end is on the brink of breaking the 25-year-old record.

          “Mark's actually on my fantasy team,” Alexander said with a laugh.

          In talking with those who’ve watched Andrews surpass them on the Ravens’ list, all are in agreement he's in a class by himself with his athletic ability, physicality and historic numbers. Andrews is one intermediate catch from establishing the franchise record by moving past Michael Jackson, who produced 1,201 yards in 1996, the Ravens’ inaugural season.

          Jackson died in a motorcycle accident four years ago, but Alexander believes his former teammate would be amazed by how the 6-foot-5, 265-pound Andrews makes acrobatic grabs like a 6-foot, 180-pound wide receiver. Just Google “Andrews and one-handed catch." You’ll see him pulling in a long pass with a Browns defender draped on one arm or leaping in the air in Chicago to nab an overthrown pass with his right hand.

          "He catches everything,” said Alexander, who ranked fourth on the Ravens’ single-season list before this season. "For a big guy, he can run. He can run after the catch. He has it all. He deserves to get that record.”

          This Ravens record has been elusive for the likes of Steve Smith Sr., Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason. Only six other teams have single-season receiving records that are older than the Ravens': the Chargers (1965), Eagles (1983), Dolphins (1984) and Cowboys, 49ers and Rams (all 1995).

          Andrews has put himself in a position to shatter the mark by putting together a breakthrough season highlighted by breaking tackles. In Cleveland, Andrews carried multiple defenders for a 32-yard gain that coach John Harbaugh described as “pretty beastly.” Andrews’ 373 yards after the catch this season doubles his total from last season (186).

          "Mark isn’t just a catch-out-in-the-flat guy,” said Qadry Ismail, who had been No. 3 on that Ravens list. "Now, it’s like ‘Oh snap, we have to be careful regardless where’s he's at on the field.' That’s saying something. When it’s regardless of where you’re at on the field and you’re making plays, you’re being productive for your football team.”

          In a season when many of Baltimore’s star players have been sidelined, it’s been difficult for the Ravens to keep Andrews off the field. His 770 snaps are 181 more than his total from any of his previous three seasons. He has participated in 74% of Baltimore’s plays for an offense that has lacked stability in the passing game.

          Wide receivers Marquise Brown, Rashod Bateman and Sammy Watkins have combined to miss 10 games this season. Andrews has played in 19 straight after being forced to sit out two games because of COVID-19.

          "What’s Mark’s greatest attribute is his durability and availability,” former Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta said. "Mark is starting to separate himself from the pack because he’s so durable and because he hasn’t had any injuries. That’s a huge factor when it comes to breaking records and comes to that type of production.”

          Runaway MVP

          The low point for Andrews this season was Dec. 5 at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field, where Lamar Jackson’s pass on a 2-point conversion went off the outstretched left hand of the tight end with 12 seconds remaining.

          “That’s a play I know I can make,” Andrews said after the 20-19 loss. “So, I’m going to be better.”

          Andrews, in fact, has been at his best. In three games since that heartbreaking loss, he has produced 376 yards receiving, which are the most in the NFL over that span.

          Andrews’ three-game streak of at least 100 yards receiving and one touchdown has him tied with Jimmy Graham (2013) for the longest such streak by a tight end in league history.

          "He’s going to be one of the best to ever do it, to be honest,” Ravens center Bradley Bozeman said. "You all have seen him this season; he’s actually turned ‘beast mode’ this year.”

          Andrews has proved to be the Ravens’ runaway MVP this season. When Baltimore’s best player went down, Andrews stepped up.

          After Jackson was sidelined with a right ankle injury, Andrews delivered three of the top seven performances by a tight end in Ravens history, in terms of receiving yards. When Jackson and Tyler Huntley (COVID-19) were out last Sunday, Andrews totaled 125 yards receiving while playing with No. 3 quarterback Josh Johnson, who was signed only 11 days earlier.

          “He’s different -- I’m just going to leave it at that,” Johnson said. "Mark Andrews is a monster."

          Best tight end in NFL?

          Andrews will likely finish the season atop the Ravens’ single-season lists for catches and receiving yards. It was only three years ago that he wasn’t Baltimore’s No. 1 choice at tight end.

          In the 2018 draft, Andrews lasted until the middle of the third round. He watched three other tight ends get taken ahead of him, including Hayden Hurst, who was selected in the first round by Baltimore.

          Andrews believes his draft stock was hurt because he's a Type 1 diabetic. Other pre-draft scouting reports knocked his blocking and agility.

          “Not getting drafted where I thought I deserved to get drafted, that’s something that definitely fuels me; it fuels me to this day,” Andrews said. "I’ve been doubted a lot in my life -- at almost everything -- and so, it’s going out there and proving people wrong. But at the end of the day, I go out there and prove myself right. I know what I am, I know what I’m capable of, and I know what I bring to a team, and I’ve known that for a long time.”

          Andrews is proving this season that he should be mentioned with the league’s top tight ends like Travis Kelce and George Kittle.

          Andrews’ 93 receptions and 1,187 yards receiving top all tight ends. His nine touchdown catches are tied for the most among tight ends.

          "I don’t know exactly what other tight ends are doing this year,” Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman said, "but I have a hard time imagining anybody is playing better than him.”

          Andrews has played so well that he could set another record -- the most receiving yards by a tight end in a season. He is 230 yards away from Kelce’s mark of 1,416 yards (2020).

          Pitta believes Andrews has a shot at this achievement as well.

          "What it really comes down to is Mark is playing great football right now," Pitta said. "He’s playing really confident, and when the ball comes his way, he’s making plays. If they continue to look his way and defenses are playing them honestly, I think it’s really feasible.”

          For now, it looks like Andrews will establish records for the Ravens in receptions and receiving yards. He needs 11 catches to surpass Mason’s mark of 103 receptions in 2007, and he is within 15 yards of breaking a yardage record that was set one year after he was born.

          "That’s something where your name is stapled into an organization and a franchise, and not many people get that opportunity,” Andrews said. "So, that’s going to be, obviously, a huge honor, if I’m able to do that and get that, and it’s something I’m looking forward to, for sure."