Lamar Jackson is back on the field for the Baltimore Ravens, confirmed to start this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Coach Jesse Minter broke the news Friday, ending Jackson’s three-plus-game absence after a high ankle sprain sidelined him since Week 4. For a team that started 4-1 and then lost two straight, dropping from first to last in the AFC North, this is a massive shot in the arm.
The “Bearable” Pain and What It Means
Jackson himself admitted Friday that he still feels pain when planting his foot. But get this: he called it “bearable.” Think about that. The two-time MVP is saying he’s got pain, but he can play through it. That’s the kind of grit you need when your team has completely stalled out. CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz had already reported he was expected to play, but hearing it from the coach and from Jackson himself? That’s the real deal. Jackson’s absence started after he apparently injured his ankle on the very last play of the first half in Baltimore’s Week 4 win over the Tennessee Titans. Now, the 29-year-old signal-caller is set to pick up where he left off, and his early season numbers were straight up impressive. He was completing 70.8% of his passes through four games, almost six points higher than his career average, with six touchdowns against just one interception. And on the ground, he was a beast, running for 144 yards and a score, averaging a ridiculous 7.6 yards-per-carry, 1.5 yards higher than his career YPC. That kind of dual-threat weapon is exactly what the Ravens need right now.
Ravens’ Offense Needed a Pulse, And Fast
You saw what happened last Sunday, right? The Ravens’ offense got absolutely blanked in the second half of a blowout loss to the Bengals. They were up 13-0 at halftime with Tyler Huntley at quarterback, and then Cincinnati dropped a 35-0 bomb on them in the final 30 minutes. Thirty-five points allowed in a second half. That tied a franchise record, man. You have to go all the way back to Week 6 of the 1997 season to find the last time that defense gave up so many points in a half. They had a 21-0 lead in that one too, only to lose 42-34. It’s a gut punch of a stat, proving how desperately they needed their leader back. This weekend, they are up against a Buffalo Bills defense that has been struggling, giving up an average of 28.5 points per game, the third-highest total in the entire NFL. The Bills have allowed at least 30 points in five of their first six games. Lamar coming back to face a vulnerable defense? That’s a recipe for fireworks.
Next up, the Ravens will host the Bills on Sunday, and with Jackson back under center, you know Baltimore is looking to snap that two-game skid and start climbing back up the AFC North ladder. It’s go-time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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