The Ravens may be getting the kind of midweek news they needed after spending Week 5 without Lamar Jackson.
Jackson, who exited in Week 4 with an ankle injury and was unable to practice last week before being ruled out, missed Baltimore’s 30-23 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons. Tyler “Snoop” Huntley and the rest of the roster handled the job without him, but the quarterback situation has been the central question all along.
Now there’s at least some reason for optimism heading into Week 6. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Jackson has a “realistic chance” to play Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.
“Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has a realistic chance to return for Sunday’s game at Cleveland, per league source,” Schefter posted on X.
Baltimore’s first injury report of the week comes Wednesday, which should offer the clearest early read on where Jackson stands. A limited practice would be an upgrade from last week and a strong indication that he’s on track to suit up. If he gets in a full session Wednesday, that would all but lock in a return for the two-time MVP.
The timing matters because this isn’t just another regular-season game. Baltimore enters Week 6 in first place in the AFC North at 4-1, but Cleveland is right on its heels at 3-2. The Steelers and Bengals are also sitting at 3-2, so the division is bunched tightly behind the Ravens.
That gives Baltimore a real chance to open some breathing room with a win Sunday. The Ravens could also gain ground if Pittsburgh falls to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Cincinnati is on a bye.
Cleveland will host Baltimore at 1 p.m. ET Sunday on Fox and Fox One.
In Other News...
Michael Penix Jr. Suddenly Puts Falcons Week 6 Outlook On Edge
Michael Penix Jr. gave the Falcons a little more than they bargained for in Week 5, leaving Sundays game against the Ravens with a rib injury. The early sense around the team is still relatively upbeat, though, and Atlanta is working under the belief that the quarterbacks issue should not linger long enough to create a bigger problem for the offense heading into Week 6.
Still, this weeks outlook has plenty riding on Penixs status, especially with the Bears on deck and the betting market already nudging in Atlantas direction. The real checkpoint comes Wednesday, when the Falcons release their first practice report and get a clearer read on whether Penix is trending toward playing or if the situation remains in flux. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Overtime Meltdown Looks Even Worse After Ravens Revelation
The Falcons overtime loss in Baltimore already looked like a brutal break in the standings, but the latest detail to surface made it sting a little more. On The Marlon Humphrey Show, Humphrey revealed that Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton had a hunch the moment Atlanta turned to backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in overtime, setting the stage for a sequence that now feels even more deflating for the Falcons.
Atlantas first possession of overtime ended the way the Ravens hoped it would, with Hamilton coming up with the interception that sealed Baltimores 30-23 victory. For the Falcons, its another reminder of how quickly an extra period can turn, and for the Ravens, it only adds to the sense that their secondary had read the situation before the ball was even snapped. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Hughes Is Forcing A Falcons Decision They Can't Delay
Mike Hughes has become one of those defensive questions the Falcons cant keep working around. He has brought some value as a tackler and against the run, but opposing offenses have found him too often in coverage, turning his side of the field into a place they want to attack. For a team trying to stabilize its secondary, that kind of imbalance has a way of forcing hard conversations faster than coaches usually prefer.
The Falcons do have alternatives, which is why the pressure keeps building on this spot. C.J. Henderson and rookie Avieon Terrell have both given the team reasons to think the outside cornerback picture could look better with a change, and at some point performance has to outweigh familiarity. Hughes may still fit in certain roles, but the longer the coverage issues continue, the harder it gets for Atlanta to justify keeping the current setup intact. [Read more 🡒]