The Baltimore Ravens improved to 6-5 with Sunday’s win over the hapless New York Jets. The Ravens moved into first place in the AFC North with Week 12’s victory. Baltimore surpassed the 6-5 Pittsburgh Steelers in the standings on the strength of a superior divisional record (2-0 vs. 2-1).
While the Ravens are rolling, having racked up five straight wins, Lamar Jackson is now dealing with a toe injury ahead of the team’s Thanksgiving Day game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Jackson was listed as missing practice on Baltimore’s projected injury report.
The two-time MVP has been banged up this season. He was sidelined for three games with a hamstring strain and missed practice time the last two weeks with knee and ankle ailments. Now he’s popped up on the injury report with a toe issue on a short week.
Still, John Harbaugh doesn’t seem concerned. Asked about the status of his star quarterback for Thursday night’s matchup, the Ravens head coach was succinct. “He’s good,” Harbaugh said, per the team’s official X account. “Yeah, he’s good,” Harbaugh added.
John Harbaugh brushes off latest Lamar Jackson injury
Jackson returned from a three-game injury absence at the end of October. But outside of his four-touchdown torching of the Miami Dolphins in Week 9, the eighth-year veteran has struggled.
Jackson's recent play has been uninspiring. He's thrown one touchdown and two interceptions while failing to top 200 yards passing in his last three games. The dual-threat QB has also failed to make an impact with his legs. He’s rushed for 14, 36, 10 and 11 yards in the four games since his Week 9 return.
Despite Jackson’s struggles, the Ravens are winning. Baltimore got off to a rocky start, opening the season 1-3. Then Jackson injured his hamstring and the team fell to 1-5. But the Ravens have won five straight games, capturing the division lead and reentering the playoff picture.
Harbaugh hasn’t lost confidence in Jackson despite his recent slump. And Baltimore’s defense has improved over the course of the season. Still, the Ravens are just 1-5 against teams that currently have winning records. The Chicago Bears are the only winning team that Baltimore has beaten so far this season.
Another losing team awaits on Thanksgiving night as the Ravens will host the 3-8 Bengals. And Harbaugh expects Jackson to be “good” for the prime time divisional showdown.
