Lamar Jackson will miss his second consecutive game on Sunday after the Baltimore Ravens ruled out their star quarterback for the Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Head coach Jesse Minter announced the decision Friday, saying the two-time NFL MVP still has not practiced since suffering the ankle injury that has now sidelined him for nearly two weeks.
“I think it’s just a decision for his best interest,” Minter said, via the team’s official site. “That’s really what every decision’s always going to be about.” Jackson sustained the Lamar Jackson injury late in the first half of Baltimore’s Week 4 win over the Tennessee Titans and has not taken the practice field in the 12 days since. The Lamar Jackson injury is the first multi-game absence of his season, and the Ravens are taking no chances with their franchise quarterback.
Lamar Jackson Injury Update Ahead of Week 6
The Ravens had remained hopeful earlier in the week that Jackson might return in time for Cleveland, but Friday’s session removed the remaining uncertainty after he failed to progress enough to practice. The 29-year-old quarterback was not on the field at the start of practice, forcing Baltimore to turn again to veteran backup Tyler “Snoop” Huntley. Baltimore ruled out four players in total, including newly acquired center Cam Jurgens, who could not clear concussion protocol after arriving via trade from the Eagles, defensive tackle Broderick Washington (ankle) and rookie tight end Matthew Hibner (hand).
Even with the Lamar Jackson injury lingering, the absences have not derailed the Ravens. Baltimore enters Sunday at 4-1, riding a three-game winning streak and sitting atop the AFC North. The outside linebackers will get a boost with Trey Hendrickson set to return after missing two games following finger surgery, well-timed against a Cleveland team that surrendered eight sacks to the New York Jets last week.
Lamar Jackson Injury Keeps Huntley in the Starting Role
Huntley will make his second straight start after engineering a 30-23 overtime victory at Atlanta in Week 5. The 28-year-old completed 24 of 32 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, capping the comeback with a 1-yard touchdown run in overtime. He has now won his last three starts dating back to last season, and the coaching staff has full confidence in the bridge arrangement while the Lamar Jackson injury heals. Baltimore’s offense has leaned on its ground game and short passing attack to keep the Lamar Jackson injury from stalling a promising season.
“I mean, Snoop has athleticism, ability to escape, make plays with his legs,” Browns head coach Todd Monken said this week. Monken crossed paths with Huntley during his time in Baltimore, so Cleveland’s preparation has changed little despite facing a backup. “He makes quick decisions with the football. He’s a very confident player like Lamar.” Browns linebacker Quincy Williams echoed the sentiment, saying the focus is on preparing for the team, not the quarterback.
Lamar Jackson Injury Timeline and AFC North Stakes
Sunday’s game will decide first place in the AFC North, with the Browns entering at 3-2 behind Baltimore. Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson has been sacked a league-high 19 times this season, and the Ravens’ pass rush should find favorable matchups even without their starting quarterback on the field. Prediction panels have been unanimous: all 11 ESPN analysts, all six USA Today experts and all five NFL.com analysts picked Baltimore to beat Cleveland.
Through four games this season, Jackson has completed 70.8 percent of his passes for 967 yards, six touchdowns and one interception, adding 144 rushing yards and a score on the ground. Minter offered no firm timeline for his return, describing the situation only as “day-by-day.” Rookie offensive lineman Vega Ioane will start at center for one more game in Jurgens’ absence, with both potential right guards — Andrew Vorhees and Emery Jones Jr. — listed as questionable. The Ravens can afford patience with their franchise player, but every week the Lamar Jackson injury keeps him sidelined raises the stakes of an already tight division race.