Lamar Jackson Ruled Out for Weekend Game

Lamar Jackson won’t be playing this weekend. The Ravens have officially declared him out for Sunday’s matchup against the Bears, even though there were some hopes he might return from a hamstring injury following their bye week.

Although Jackson practiced fully on Friday, he was marked down to limited participation when the team provided updates on his status for Week 8.

In his absence, Tyler Huntley will take over as the starter. Cooper Rush, who filled in for Jackson, struggled during the last two games, throwing four interceptions without any touchdown passes.

Jackson had made his return to practice earlier this week for the first time since his hamstring strain during Baltimore’s 37-20 loss to the Chiefs back on September 28. Reports indicated that he joined the practice field about 20 minutes in, notably warming up and throwing passes.

When asked if Jackson would be ready to play on Sunday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh replied, “I have no injury information to share.” Not the clearest answer, right?

However, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport mentioned that Jackson participated with the scout team on Friday, suggesting he is unlikely to suit up against the Bears. Rapoport also indicated that Jackson is “scheduled to return” for the game against the Dolphins on Thursday night.

The Ravens find themselves in a tight spot with a 1-5 record as they head into Week 8, meaning they need wins to stay in contention for the playoffs. Historically, the team has struggled without Jackson, posting a 4-12 record in games he hasn’t started since he took the reins in 2019.

This season alone, the Ravens have had a tough time without him, suffering significant losses of 61-13 to the Texans and Rams. Before his injury, Jackson was performing at an MVP level, racking up impressive stats: 68 of 95 passes completed for 869 yards and ten touchdowns, along with another 166 yards and a touchdown.