Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson suffered a mild knee injury at the end of the first quarter in their Week 13 matchup against the Denver Broncos, NFL Network’s Ian Rapaport first reported.
Harbaugh further confirmed that Jackson would be week to week, with this week being “less likely.” As a result, backup quarterback Tyler Huntley is likely to start their Week 14 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Update (Dec. 6): ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Lamar Jackson suffered a PCL injury that should keep him out for 1-3 weeks. He still remains unlikely to play against the Steelers.
What Lamar Jackson’s Injury Means for the Baltimore Ravens
Football Outsider’s latest playoff odds already thought the Ravens’ chances of winning the division had been plummeting, given the recent stretch of play from the Cincinnati Bengals, who just won an exciting shootout against the Kansas City Chiefs. Following Week 11, the Ravens had an 88.9 percent chance to win the division but now have a 53.6 percent chance to win.
Those odds do not take into account the fact that Huntley will be playing the next games for the Ravens, meaning what was essentially a coin flip now looks like long odds. Their schedule gives them three additional divisional games on top of next week’s game against the Steelers, including a rematch against the Bengals in Week 18, which could decide the division.
Huntley had some strong moments in relief but still only managed 5.84 yards per passing attempt while also throwing an interception. His ability in the running game is a big asset, but it’s not as dynamic as Jackson’s.
In other words, 2022 without Jackson will probably look a lot like 2021 without Jackson for the Ravens.
The former league MVP missed last season’s final four games with a significant ankle injury. When he got hurt, the Ravens were 8-5 and very much in the mix to win the division. Baltimore went on to lose all four games in which Jackson missed — scoring more than 22 points just once — and ended up on the outside of the postseason looking in.
The Ravens’ schedule this time around is far more favorable, however. Their next four games are against the Pittsburgh Steelers (twice), the Cleveland Browns, and the Atlanta Falcons — teams that are a combined seven games under .500.
Still, given how reliant the team was on Jackson to carry the team and how disappointing that defense has been, it’s difficult to think of a bigger loss for any team than Jackson with the Ravens.