HBO set out to chronicle the behind-the-scenes developments of four different teams at once this season with Hard Knocks: In Season With the AFC North, but only the Baltimore Ravens remained in the playoffs this past weekend.
Naturally, they took center stage in Tuesday's episode.
NFL fans tuning in surely knew the ending, as Baltimore lost to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in Sunday's AFC Divisional Round game. It fell just short in a 27-25 defeat that was largely defined by mistakes.
The biggest mistake was Mark Andrews' drop on a two-point conversion that would have tied the game in the final two minutes and potentially forced overtime. Yet it wasn't the only mistake, as Lamar Jackson lost a fumble and threw a pick, while Andrews also lost a fumble.
But Tuesday's episode wasn't only about the loss.
Baltimore also got to enjoy its Wild Card Round win over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers before the build up to the Divisional Round. That meant voting on the image that best encapsulated the win, and the team chose Isaiah Likely stiff-arming a Steelers defender to the ground.
It also provided HBO with a natural transition to Pittsburgh, where head coach Mike Tomlin provided an end-of-season speech that focused on using failure to motivate long-term success.
It was a brief sunset on the Steelers' campaign before the Ravens' preparation returned. And that preparation included making the indoor practice facility as cold as possible with fans and frozen air blowing in to better simulate conditions in Buffalo.
Yet the centerpiece of the episode was the quarterback battle between Jackson and Allen. After all, they are the two leading contenders for MVP, and Sunday's game represented the opportunity to reach the AFC Championship Game and earn another chance against the roadblock that has been standing in the way for both of them in Patrick Mahomes.
Jackson demonstrated his leadership in practice and repeatedly said how fired up he was for the contest. He even pushed to practice in the cold so he could be better prepared.
Still, it wasn't enough.
Buffalo forced the key turnovers and dropped Jackson's overall record in the playoffs to 3-5. The losses are certainly not all his fault, but this one was all the more painful because it prevented an AFC Championship Game rematch against the Chiefs and chance to reach the Super Bowl.
Perhaps the most striking moment of the entire episode and game itself was the sportsmanship between Allen and Jackson as they embraced after the game.
Unfortunately for Jackson, his next postgame embrace will be during the 2025 season.
