Lamar Jackson, the Ravens’ star quarterback, is officially sidelined for Sunday night’s Week 5 showdown against the Atlanta Falcons. It’s a huge blow for Baltimore, who confirmed today Jackson is out with an ankle sprain suffered just last week.
The Ankle Sprain That Changes Everything (For This Week)
Jackson picked up that ankle sprain during the Ravens’ 24-18 win over the Tennessee Titans, and man, it was clear things weren’t right. He didn’t even come back for the second half, and after the game, he was seen leaving the locker room in a walking boot. Head coach Jesse Minter had initially played it cool, saying Jackson didn’t *necessarily* need to practice to be ready. There was even talk about an “outside” chance he wouldn’t miss any time at all. But after a full week without practicing, the team had to make the tough call and rule him out. Stepping in to start is Tyler “Snoop” Huntley, who actually got some reps last week after Jackson went down, going 8-of-9 passing for 63 yards and adding 16 rushing yards.
The Alarming Trend: What Happens When Lamar Sits
Minter was quick to praise Huntley this week, saying, “I mean, look, there is only one Lamar Jackson. I think Snoop as a backup quarterback in this league, and even as a starter at times, has shown the ability to come in and really kind of run the offense, make plays with his legs and be able to make plays on third down.” And yeah, that’s fair. Huntley has proven he can step up. But here’s the kicker, and it’s a big one: since Jackson became the full-time starter back in 2019, the Ravens’ record in games he’s missed is a brutal 6-11. That’s not just a statistic, that’s a serious uphill battle every time he’s not under center. Facing the Falcons without him is one thing, but that 6-11 record just looms large over every snap.
This isn’t just about one game against Atlanta. After Sunday, the Ravens dive headfirst into two huge divisional matchups in Weeks 6 and 7, squaring off against the Cleveland Browns and then the Cincinnati Bengals. Their bye week isn’t until Week 13, which means they’ve got a long, tough stretch ahead without any breaks. Losing Jackson now, especially with that daunting schedule, puts a ton of pressure on Huntley and the rest of the team to buck that worrying 6-11 trend. It’s a true test for Baltimore, and every single play on Sunday night against the Falcons will matter even more now.
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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