The Ravens got Lamar Jackson back on Sunday, but only for a blink.
After missing the previous three games with an ankle injury, Jackson returned to the lineup for Baltimore’s showdown with the Buffalo Bills. Instead of giving the Ravens the lift they were hoping for, his night ended after the first offensive snap. Jackson was hit on the right hand as he released the ball, came up in pain, and headed straight to the locker room for further evaluation.
Baltimore later ruled him out with a thumb injury, and Tyler Huntley took over at quarterback.
That turn of events hit especially hard because Jackson had been playing at an MVP level before the ankle injury, his first season with new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. The Ravens had been humming on offense and looking like true Super Bowl contenders, which is why losing Jackson again would be such a major setback.
Huntley had already been pressed into duty once this season and delivered a win in his first start in Jackson’s place, giving Baltimore some hope during the quarterback’s absence. But the next two games went the other way, with losses to the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals, both division opponents, and the frustration around Jackson’s return only grew.
Sunday’s game against Buffalo opens a demanding stretch for Baltimore, with more AFC playoff contenders ahead. The Ravens are set to host the Jacksonville Jaguars on a short week Thursday night in Week 9.
After that comes a brief break in the schedule, but the road still won’t get easy. Baltimore still has the Houston Texans on the slate, along with all three of its division rivals. If the Ravens are going to stay on track with their goals this season, they need Jackson back soon.
In Other News...
Ravens Offense Thrown Into Emergency Mode After Lamars Return Goes Wrong
Lamar Jacksons return from a high ankle sprain lasted only a snap before the Ravens were thrown into scramble mode against the Bills. Baltimore had hoped to get its offense back on track with its starting quarterback back under center, but the night quickly turned into a test of survival as the quarterback situation unraveled almost immediately.
Tyler Huntley then went down with a toe injury, and the Ravens were forced to turn to Joe Fagnano for his first NFL action. Huntley was ruled out after halftime, leaving Baltimore to navigate the rest of the game under emergency quarterback rules and with an offense that suddenly had far less margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Need Their Defensive Stars To Answer Josh Allen Fast
As Baltimore gets ready for a Week 8 matchup with Buffalo, the focus quickly turns to how the Ravens can make life uncomfortable for Josh Allen before he starts extending plays and turning broken snaps into chunk gains. The assignment is not simple, because Allens game forces defenses to stay disciplined snap after snap, and Baltimore will need its front and its back end working in sync to keep him from dictating the tempo.
Kyle Hamilton, Nnamdi Madubuike and Trenton Simpson loom as the key pieces in that plan, each with a different job in trying to slow down one of the leagues most difficult quarterbacks to corral. Hamiltons range gives Baltimore a chance to match Allen when he leaves structure, Madubuike has to create disruption inside, and Simpsons speed matters when the play spills into open space, which is exactly where Buffalo can make a defense pay if the Ravens are even a step late. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Suddenly Face A QB Decision That Could Define Their Season
The Ravens suddenly find themselves in a far different quarterback conversation than the one they expected to be having this time of year. With Lamar Jackson dealing with a thumb injury and Tyler Huntley also sidelined, Baltimore is staring at a short-handed depth chart at the games most important position, and the front office is now weighing whether outside help is needed before the November 10 trade deadline.
For a team built around staying in the AFC race, the timing makes the situation even more delicate. Baltimore has already begun looking at possible trade candidates around the league, but any move would have to balance urgency with the reality of what it costs to stabilize the quarterback room in the middle of the season. [Read more 🡒]