During Sunday’s 24-18 victory against the Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens signal-caller Lamar Jackson exited the matchup due to an injured ankle, with reserve quarterback Tyler Huntley taking over as the second half got underway.
According to regional press accounts, the quarterback departed the arena sporting a protective walking boot.
Though he was first designated as questionable to rejoin the action, Jackson spent the remainder of the contest on the sidelines. In his absence during the final two quarters, Baltimore failed to put up any points but managed to withstand a late comeback attempt by Tennessee, who had trailed 24-7 at the break.
Following the matchup, Ravens coach Jesse Minter informed journalists that the franchise lacks sufficient details to offer an exact prognosis, though he mentioned that Baltimore did contemplate sending him back onto the field. Subsequently, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network indicated that the star quarterback’s status is currently evaluated as day-to-day.
Jackson twists ankle during sack
The injury seemingly occurred during a sack near the end of the second quarter. On the final snap of the half, Titans defensive end Jermaine Johnson pursued Jackson from behind to bring him down. Although Jackson got up on his own and walked to the sideline, there was no immediate indication that he had been hurt on the play.
However, delayed video playback revealed that Jackson’s left ankle became trapped and bent beneath Johnson’s frame as the defender dragged him down from behind. Consequently, Jackson was ruled out for the rest of the game.
Because Baltimore held a comfortable 24-7 advantage when Huntley entered the huddle, the immediate pressure on the offense was minimized, though a sluggish second-half performance eventually had the coaching staff weighing the possibility of sending Jackson back out.
Jackson begins year with another MVP-caliber campaign
Thanks to this victory, Baltimore matched the Cleveland Browns with a 3-1 record to share the lead in the AFC North. Jackson remains a vital element of the franchise’s aspirations for the division crown and a postseason run, having put together an impressive start to the year before getting hurt.
Heading into the weekend, Jackson boasted a 69.7% completion rate, averaging 248.3 passing yards per game with four scoring passes and just one pick. He paced the league in average yards per pass attempt (9.8) as well as yards per catch (14.1), while also contributing 124 rushing yards (7.3 yards per carry) and a touchdown on the ground.
Before leaving the game, Jackson threw for 222 yards and two scores, completing 15 of his 20 passing attempts during the opening half against Tennessee.
The Ravens organization is undoubtedly optimistic that Jackson’s physical setback will not be a long-term issue, especially with an upcoming schedule that features matchups against the Falcons, Browns, Bengals, Bills, and Jaguars.
