It’s been just over a week since the Ravens’ season came crashing to a halt in a divisional round loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The Kansas City Chiefs will play in their fifth Super Bowl in six years, while Baltimore, which boasted the NFL’s top offense en route to a 12-5 record and a second straight AFC North title, is left to wonder why its regular-season brilliance failed to carry over to the postseason again. The Ravens are just 4-7 in seven playoff appearances since their 2012 title season and haven’t won more than one game in the same postseason during that span.

What do they need to do to break that streak? Baltimore Sun reporters Brian Wacker, Childs Walker and Sam Cohn and columnist Mike Preston weigh in on this year’s playoffs, Mark Andrews and the future.

What do the Ravens need to do to get over the hump and reach the Super Bowl?

Wacker: Aside from “hold onto the f—ing ball,” as quarterback Lamar Jackson passionately put it after the loss to the Bills? The Ravens are 0-12 when turning the ball over more than their opponents in the playoffs, and 18-2 when it’s at least even.

The reason the Chiefs have won as often as they have is because of talent and coaching, yes, but also by not overcomplicating things when opportunities present themselves and not making costly mistakes at critical junctures. Baltimore not scoring a touchdown on first-and-goal from the Bills’ 2-yard line is a great example of the former, and tight end Mark Andrews getting stripped in the fourth quarter and Jackson simply losing his grip on the ball inexplicably trying to switch hands in the second speak to the latter. When you’re a game or two from the Super Bowl, the margins are typically thin and even the smallest mistakes can be damaging.

The Ravens have too much talent not to get to a Super Bowl with Jackson, but the only way they will is by figuring out a way to be precise when the stakes are at their highest or by being fortunate enough to not face teams like the Chiefs or Bills.

Walker: This is the existential question facing a franchise that flexes its muscles in almost every aspect of team building, only to come up maddeningly short with the finish line in sight. And there is no good answer.

The Ravens were more talented than the Bills. Their offense soared, even in the cold and snow with an enemy crowd blaring. Their leader, Jackson, seemed elated with the team’s form going into the game and not the least bit daunted by the scrutiny he’d face in his matchup with MVP co-front-runner Josh Allen. No defense, including Buffalo’s, could fully account for both Jackson and Derrick Henry. Second-guessing is the reflex move for any fan base after a crushing defeat, but really, what could they have done better in assembling the roster and preparing for the playoffs? The Ravens lost because two of their best players couldn’t hang onto the ball, while the Bills played a clean game.

The only thing Jackson and friends can do is keep giving themselves chances until they get it right. That doesn’t satisfy our human needs to assign blame and grasp for control, but it’s the truth.

Preston: While watching a lot of teams in the playoffs, one thing I’ve noticed is that they all dial it back a little and become more conservative, especially if you are one of the top seeds in each conference. Both Kansas City and Buffalo have done that in their playoff games, and the Bills kept quarterback Josh Allen on a tight leash during their entire game against Baltimore. Maybe the Ravens need to play in a similar fashion.

In the AFC championship game a year ago, a 17-10 loss to Kansas City, the Ravens forgot to run the ball and then became pass-happy in the second half. Against the Bills, they didn’t establish running back Derrick Henry until the third quarter despite him running for almost 200 yards in the first meeting earlier in the season, a lopsided Ravens victory. One of Jackson’s strengths is making something out of nothing, and that results in the big play. But in the postseason, when teams are similar in talent, the lack of ball security hurts. I understand the nature of big plays, but there is always a risk with them. After so many playoff losses, the Ravens might consider a different strategy or coach John Harbaugh needs to try a different approach as far as preparation.

Cohn: Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid need to announce a joint retirement. In all seriousness, the Ravens are no longer measured by their regular-season success while Jackson is still their quarterback. It’s their shaky playoff resume that people care about. And the difference will be whether the turnover-less football they play from September to December can continue in January and February. Easier said than done, but it’s been their biggest hitch. Since 2018, they have 16 turnovers in nine playoff games (seven interceptions and four fumbles). Health would be the 1B issue. Last year, it was Andrews who wasn’t healthy until the AFC championship game. This year, Zay Flowers had plans to come back at the same time.

Tight end Mark Andrews is entering the final year of his contract. Should the Ravens bring him back for the long term?

Wacker: Jettisoning Andrews now wouldn’t make sense on any level and would be a bad look. Team brass has already said they expect the franchise’s leader in touchdowns to be a “huge” part of next year’s plans, too. Still, the Ravens are in a tough spot for a player who will turn 30 in September, has endured his own dubious playoff foibles and is due to count $16.9 million (fifth among tight ends) against the salary cap. Further complicating matters is that ascendent Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar are both entering the final year of their respective rookie deals. My guess is they will be creative, give him an extension and find a way to keep at least two of the three tight ends for at least a couple more seasons.

Walker: General manager Eric DeCosta as much as said they will make that decision after next season, not now. The Ravens could save $11 million by dumping Andrews this offseason, but they’re trying to win the Super Bowl next season, and he’s still Jackson’s top red-zone target. It would also be a soulless piece of business considering Andrews is a locker room pillar who has, as he put it on Instagram, poured “every ounce of my being into playing at the highest level possible.” He’ll be in the Ravens Ring of Honor one day. That said, Andrews is going to want and deserve to be one of the highest-paid tight ends in the league.

In Likely, who will also be up for an extension after next season, the Ravens have a younger (by five years) alternative who could replace most or all of Andrews’ production. They will probably have to choose one or the other, and Likely makes more sense for the long term given their goal of contending throughout Jackson’s prime. Don’t shove Andrews out the door, but make the rational call when it arises naturally.

Preston: If the Ravens can keep both, they will and DeCosta will probably come up with a way to get it done. They won’t get rid of Andrews because of the fumble or the dropped 2-point conversion attempt. He is one of the hardest-working players in team history. Speed-wise, he isn’t as fast as he used to be, but I like what the Ravens can do with a two tight end set that includes Likely. The set balances up a defense and that’s a key for most offenses.

The guess here is that Andrews stays for another season, but Likely is the tight end of the future. That scenario was discussed at the end of the 2023 season in the Ravens’ front office, and it will be front and center in 2025. But to get rid of Andrews at this point would look so bad for a player who has meant as much to this franchise as former tight end Todd Heap.

Cohn: As it stands, it feels like the most likely scenario is the Ravens don’t make any big decisions in the tight end room this offseason. Andrews and Likely both have one year left on their contracts. Andrews is 29 and destined for the Ring of Honor; he’s been a security blanket for Jackson since 2018. But Likely is five years younger and ascending quickly. It would be a slight to extend one and not the other this summer. It would be a mistake to sign Andrews and let Likely walk. And it would be expensive to extend both. Heart says stick with the franchise’s all-time touchdowns leader. Mind says pivot to Likely if forced to pick one now. Crystal ball says we’re having this conversation again in a year (unless one regresses).

With only about $13 million in projected salary cap space and with 17 unrestricted free agents, including left tackle Ronnie Stanley, left guard Patrick Mekari, fullback Patrick Ricard and cornerback Brandon Stephens, what should Baltimore’s focus in free agency be?

Wacker: The biggest priority among their own players should be bringing back Stanley, though it can’t be at any cost given a tight salary cap, impending extensions for safety Kyle Hamilton and center Tyler Linderbaum and other needs. If a desperate team throws a boatload of cash at the rejuvenated Pro Bowl selection, c’est la vie. The Ravens could slide Roger Rosengarten from right tackle to left, re-sign the cheaper Mekari to play right tackle, give Andrew Vorhees another crack at left guard and then draft a tackle in the first round. Outside of their own players, they should explore defensive back, pass rusher, inside linebacker and wide receiver. Some of those needs will get filled through the draft, of course.

Walker: This offseason is going to be more about keeping the Ravens’ young stars home than making splashy additions. Stanley presents the most immediate dilemma. If the Ravens could bring their longtime left tackle back on a short, modest deal, they should, because protecting Jackson will always be a premium concern. But they can’t afford to win a bidding war. Trying Rosengarten at left tackle and adding another young tackle on Day 1 or 2 of the draft would be the alternative, and DeCosta showed last spring he’s willing to be aggressive with these choices. Mekari and Ricard are probably more valuable to the Ravens than on the open market, so don’t be surprised if they’re back. A veteran edge rusher, a safety who can cover and a cornerback who can play on the outside are also on the shopping list, though with 10 or 11 draft picks coming, DeCosta can leave some of that business for his favorite weekend of the year.

Preston: If Stanley doesn’t cost a fortune, sign him to a two-year extension. The Ravens, though, need to sign Linderbaum and Hamilton to contract extensions, so it will be a busy offseason. Ricard will probably get a nice contract offer, even though he is perfect with Henry. If Rosengarten has a strong offseason in the weight room (and he will), I have no problem with the Ravens moving him to the left side. But Mekari is better at guard than at tackle, which is more isolated and takes more of a thumping without getting help from both sides. I suspect that is why Mekari stayed healthy for most of the regular season. The Ravens can re-sign him with a decent offer, but they are in desperate need of a pass rusher. Those sack totals by the outside linebackers were built against average teams, but where were those players against the Bills in the playoffs? The Ravens also need a corner to start opposite Nate Wiggins, as well as more defensive backs. In the NFL, there is no certain number that guarantees a team will make it through the season without injury.

Cohn: If the Ravens can sign Stanley without selling the farm, that should be the top priority. He made his first Pro Bowl since 2019 and was an important figure in helping develop Rosengarten. It would be beneficial to bring back Ricard, who forged a strong relationship with Henry and was a crucial contributor to Baltimore’s run game. We heard last week that there’s interest from both player and front office in having Ricard retire as a Raven. Beyond that, Baltimore’s focus should be on adding a defensive back and pass rusher — two spots that could also be addressed via the draft. But this Super Bowl window won’t be open forever.

Should the Ravens bring in another kicker to compete with Justin Tucker in training camp?

Wacker: While Tucker seemed to solve his ills in the second half of the season, it couldn’t hurt to bring in another leg. Better to do so too soon than too late. Tucker has been around a long time and is strong enough in his own belief that it wouldn’t be detrimental. That said, I don’t see the Ravens moving on from one of the greatest kickers in the history of the sport just yet. He was bound to have a down season at some point, just as many of the greats before him did, and there’s little reason to think he won’t return to being one of the top kickers in the league in 2025.

Walker: No. If there’s a young kicker they like, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look. But they should in no way treat it as a competition. They trusted Tucker to work through his problems during the season, and he did so. There’s no reason to pull back from that trust now.

Preston: Yes. Case closed. Competition is a good thing, and the Ravens always bring in extra kickers. Tucker, as I suspect, will respond appropriately.

Cohn: Because of how well Tucker ended the season — perfect since the bye week with a pair of makes through tough conditions in Orchard Park, New York — I’d say no. Players and coaches alike called it a slump and they were confident the most accurate kicker in league history would make the necessary corrections. Well, he did. Keep the option of bringing in competition in your back pocket. Just don’t play that card yet because the old guy’s still got it.

Baltimore will have the 27th overall pick in April’s draft and is projected to have 11 picks total, including five in the first four rounds. What should the Ravens’ focus be with their early selections?

Wacker: Offensive tackle, pass rusher, cornerback and wide receiver. One thing the Chiefs and Bills have that the Ravens don’t: Great tackles. Stanley was very good this season, but not elite. Baltimore also needs to find a game-wrecker on defense (another thing Kansas City and Buffalo both have), either along the line or on the edge. Those guys are cost-prohibitive on the free agent market, so finding one in the draft would be the way to go. We’ve also seen that they can never have enough cornerbacks or wide receivers, the latter a position that was awfully thin beyond Flowers and Rashod Bateman.

Walker: They need a potential starter at tackle and a young defensive back — either an outside corner or one of the top safeties — to supplement the four starters expected to return in the secondary. They probably won’t be in position to draft a plug-and-play edge rusher, so they’ll have to take another developmental shot there, even though that approach has missed more than it has hit. They draft a wide receiver every year, so that feels like a given in the middle rounds. And they won’t stop at adding one offensive lineman with a starting guard spot also possibly up for grabs this summer.

Preston: Offensive tackle, if Stanley isn’t re-signed, and go get a big-name pass rusher, even if they have to trade up. They will need a cornerback as well, maybe two, and also a weak-side linebacker. Trenton Simpson took a step back this season, and Malik Harrison, another free agent, is limited. He can go straight ahead but has problems moving sideline to sideline. Despite the claims about how the defense improved this season, there are still some gaping holes.

Cohn: Much of this will become clear once we see how free agency plays out. The Ravens should look for an offensive lineman with their first or second draft pick. Some of that is dependent on whether Stanley stays in Baltimore; if not, they’ll scour for a tackle. If it’s Mekari who isn’t re-signed, they’ll be in the market for a guard. Surely, the Ravens will be eyeing defensive backs, too. DeCosta said last week that he already had his eye on a safety, which would be a big help for Hamilton and Ar’Darius Washington after a carousel there this season.

Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon.