Mark Andrews is the top weapon in what has been a struggling Ravens passing attack and he should be the primary coverage focus of defensive coordinator Joe Woods' group on Monday Night Football.
Andrews, like all of the Ravens, has seen his numbers take a dip from their 2019 levels. That year, Andrews was a Pro Bowler and caught 64 passes for 852 yards and 10 touchdowns. Despite missing the last two games while he was on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Andrews still leads the Ravens with six touchdown catches and is second in both receptions (38) and receiving yards (454). Andrews remains incredibly dangerous. Historically speaking, limiting him has been the key to whether or not the Browns beat the Ravens.
In three career wins over the Browns, Andrews has at least 50 yards receiving in every game and totaled 15 catches for 205 yards and four touchdowns. That breaks out to five catches for 68.3 yards and 1.3 touchdowns per game. In two career losses to the Browns, Andrews was held under 35 yards both times and totaled just five catches for 47 yards and a touchdown, which is just 2.5 receptions for 23.5 yards and .5 touchdowns per game. It is pretty clear that putting the clamps on Andrews has lined up with a successful week for the Browns, and when he has broken out, the Ravens have been tough to stop.
The Browns have had their difficulties with tight ends this year, starting in Week 1 when Andrews posted five catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns. For the year, the Browns are allowing an average of 5.75 receptions (third-most in the NFL), 57.4 yards (seventh-most) and 0.75 touchdowns (second-most) per game to the position. The Browns have allowed a tight end to score in four straight games and two tight ends topped 50 yards receiving against them during that span as well. They need to snap that streak against the talented Andrews who enters red hot with 12 catches for 157 yards and a touchdown in his last two starts.
The Browns will prepare as if Andrews will be active on Monday Night Football, so stopping him will be a primary focus.
