The Baltimore Ravens will be without their franchise quarterback for another important AFC North matchup. Baltimore officially ruled out Lamar Jackson for Sunday's road game against the Cleveland Browns as he continues recovering from an ankle injury. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the decision Friday, confirming that the two-time NFL MVP will miss his second consecutive game.
Jackson suffered the injury during Baltimore's Week 4 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 4 and has not practiced since. Despite optimism earlier in the week that Jackson could return against Cleveland, the quarterback remained sidelined throughout practice. Ravens head coach Jesse Minter previously described Jackson's recovery as a day-to-day situation while emphasizing his determination to return.
"To Lamar's credit, he's working his butt off," Minter said Wednesday. "He's doing everything he can to be out here, and when he's able to be, he will." With Jackson unavailable, backup quarterback Tyler Huntley will make his second consecutive start. Huntley is coming off an impressive performance against the Atlanta Falcons, helping Baltimore overcome a late deficit to secure a 30-23 overtime victory.
The veteran completed 24 of 32 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns while adding 20 rushing yards and another score. His biggest moments came late in the game. Trailing by eight points in the fourth quarter, Huntley connected with Devontez Walker for a touchdown with 40 seconds remaining.
Derrick Henry converted a two-point attempt to force overtime. Huntley then scored on a 1-yard touchdown run during the opening possession of overtime, helping Baltimore improve to 4-1. Now, the Ravens face another significant challenge.
Cleveland enters Sunday's matchup with a 3-2 record and an opportunity to move into a tie with Baltimore atop the AFC North standings. The Browns also have some familiarity with Baltimore's offense, as head coach Todd Monken previously served as the Ravens' offensive coordinator. Without Jackson, Baltimore could lean more heavily on Henry and its rushing attack while relying on Huntley to manage the offense.
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