Lamar Jackson’s afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium was rolling along like another MVP showcase - until one late hit changed everything.
The Ravens quarterback left Sunday’s game against the Titans with an ankle injury and was officially listed as questionable to return after getting rolled up on awkwardly late in the first half. Baltimore was already in control at that point, thanks in part to Tyler Loop’s 64-yard field goal that sent the Ravens into halftime up 24-7, and Jackson’s status made a second-half comeback look unlikely on a wet field.
Before he exited, Jackson was dealing from the pocket and carving up Tennessee without relying much on his legs. He completed 15 of 20 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns, while his connection with Zay Flowers continued to look electric. Jackson did have a 28-yard run wiped down to seven yards by penalty, but otherwise he was operating comfortably in rookie coordinator Declan Doyle’s offense.
The injury came when Jackson stepped up in the pocket to avoid pressure and got clipped in the lower leg from behind. With the Ravens also dealing with questions along the offensive line, there was obvious concern even before the team announced his status.
Veteran Snoop Huntley replaced him, and emergency third-quarterback Joe Fagnano, an undrafted rookie out of UCONN, became the next man up one snap away from a possible NFL debut. Baltimore will now have to shift its focus to Jackson’s health after the game, especially with his contract situation looming and his importance to everything the Ravens want to do this season.
The Ravens also lost cornerback Marlon Humphrey to a calf injury early in the second half, and he was quickly ruled out. Blocking tight end Durham Smythe, who had quickly become a key piece in the offense, was also ruled out with an Achilles injury.
There had been real reason for concern before kickoff, too, with Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons lined up against a makeshift Baltimore line that included rookie guard Vega Ioane making his first career start at center. Ronnie Stanley returned from a toe injury, though, and Simmons was kept in check while the line held up well overall.
CBS sideline reports said Jackson was limping and mostly urging on his teammates after leaving, but he was not warming up or throwing on the sideline.
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Jackson remained involved from the sideline and had put on his earpiece by mid-afternoon, a sign he was still plugged into the game even as his availability hung over the rest of the afternoon. For Baltimore, the immediate focus shifted from the scoreboard to the quarterbacks ankle, with Week 4 suddenly carrying a much different kind of tension. [Read more 🡒]
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Even with that encouraging step, the bigger question for Baltimore is how close Flowers is to being himself if he does suit up. Flowers has sounded upbeat about his recovery, but the Ravens still have to sort out what kind of workload he can handle and whether he can give the passing game enough stability to matter against Tennessee. [Read more 🡒]