Lamar Jackson underwent surgery for a broken and dislocated thumb, and head coach Jesse Minter confirmed Friday that the Ravens’ star quarterback could be sidelined for 6-10 weeks. This is a massive blow for Baltimore, especially with their 4-5 record and the AFC North turning into an absolute dogfight right now.
Another Gut Punch for Baltimore’s QB Situation
This thumb injury, suffered against the Buffalo Bills in Week 8, is just brutal. Jackson was making his first pass of the game when his hand connected with Bills linebacker Gregory Rousseau, and that was it. He left the game immediately and didn’t come back, getting placed on injured reserve later that week. And get this: Jackson had already been sidelined since Week 4 with an ankle injury. It’s like one step forward, two steps back for the Ravens’ franchise QB.
Coach Minter didn’t mince words about the recovery, saying, “Lamar is doing well as he recovers from the broken and dislocated thumb injury he suffered in Week 8. Recovery timelines are challenging to predict, but injuries like this that require surgery typically take about 6-10 weeks to heal.” Minter added that Jackson “is doing everything he can” to get back on the field this season, which, honestly, you’d expect nothing less from a competitor like Lamar. The coach capped it off with, “We are committed to playing our best football over the second half of the season,” which is easy to say, but tough to do without your guy under center.
Who’s Under Center For A Playoff Push?
So, with Jackson out, what’s the deal for the 4-5 Ravens battling it out in that tight AFC North? Well, their backup, Tyler Huntley, is already on season-ending IR with turf toe. That meant Joe Fagnano became QB1 after Jackson went down, but the Ravens moved fast. They went out and acquired Jacoby Brissett from the Arizona Cardinals last week. Brissett is now expected to start on Monday night when they face the Los Angeles Chargers. This team is absolutely scrambling to keep their season alive.
Jackson reportedly told his teammates to “stay alive,” a clear message that he’s hoping to return. The 6-10 week recovery timeline certainly allows for him to come back this season. However, that return also heavily depends on where the Ravens are in the AFC playoff hunt when he finally approaches 100% health and is ready to play. They’ve got eight regular season games left and a bye week still coming up in Week 13.
It all comes down to Monday night against the Chargers. Can Brissett lead the charge and keep this team afloat in a division that truly is burning bright with competition? Baltimore fans will be holding their breath.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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