Last week, these three players were getting ready to help their teams get past the divisional round with a chance at keeping their Super Bowl chances alive. This week, they are sitting at home wondering what plays they could’ve done differently to avoid being labeled as bobbleheads.
Mark Andrews
The Baltimore Ravens headed to Buffalo Jan. 19 to face the Bills, hoping to get back to the AFC championship game and get another shot at beating the Kansas City Chiefs. Instead, the Ravens’ season ended in Buffalo, as they lost 27-25.
While the stat sheet shows that Andrews had an OK game, there were two critical moments that earned him the bobblehead title. Down 24-19 with 8:45 left in the quarter, Andrews caught a completion over the middle of the field but proceeded to fumble the football, leading to the Bills recovering it.
Luckily for Andrews, the Ravens’ defense held the Bills to only 3 points, keeping it a one-possession game. The Ravens were able to get all the way down the field, finding the end zone.
Needing a 2-point conversion to tie the game, quarterback Lamar Jackson threw the ball to a wide-open Andrews, who dropped it. Andrews’ bobblehead performance was part of the reason his team is watching from the couch.
Kyren Williams
Rams running back Kyren Williams must have gotten déjà vu from his mistake this week.
Earlier in the year, the Los Angeles Rams faced off against the Philadelphia Eagles at home, where Williams fumbled on the Rams’ first drive of the game while they were in scoring position. That mistake set the tone for the rest of that game, which the Rams lost.
Fast forward to the divisional round, and these teams were once again facing each other Jan. 19, this time in snowy Philadelphia. The Rams were down 16-15 with possession of the ball, trying to take the lead. Williams stumped the Rams’ momentum as he fumbled, once again changing the tone of the game.
The Rams lost to the Eagles 28-22. Fumbling the game away earned Williams the bobblehead title.
Jared Goff
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Being the No. 1 seed in the NFC comes with high expectations — expectations the Detroit Lions were not able fulfill.
Lions quarterback Jared Goff came into the Jan. 18 game against the Washington Commanders trying to get his team back in the NFC championship. Instead, he was one of the main reasons they went home.
Goff threw only one touchdown throughout the game while he threw three interceptions, one of which was a pick six. The other turnover was a fumble when they were in scoring position.
Turning into a turnover machine in a playoff game is what makes Goff bobblehead-worthy.
Rodney Prunty is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @rprunty05
