Whether Lamar Jackson can turn his Baltimore Ravens season around remains to be seen, but he practiced with a limited session on Wednesday for a change. However, Jackson did not practice on Thursday, according to a post on X by Jeff Zrebiec.
“QB Lamar Jackson (ankle) is NOT practicing after he was limited yesterday. So much for that full week of practice for the Ravens QB. NT Travis Jones also not practicing.”
It has been a struggle for Jackson to stay game healthy all season. And this, unfortunately, looks to be another step backward.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson fighting injuries
Jackson wasn’t available to speak with reporters after Wednesday’s practice because he was undergoing treatment, according to baltimoreravens.com.
“Due to knee, ankle, and toe injuries, Jackson hasn't had a full week of practice in a month,” Ryan Mink wrote. “He's coming off one of his toughest games in recent memory, in which he fumbled twice and threw an interception.”
Without Jackson, the Steelers would be in a much-improved position to regain control of the AFC North race. If Jackson is unable to play against Pittsburgh, Tyler Huntley would presumably get the start.
The rivals meet on Sunday.
It would also add to a curious trend of Jackson missing games against the Steelers. Despite playing in the same division, Jackson has only faced the Steelers eight times in his career. He’s in his eighth NFL season, so that means he should have played the Steelers at least 14 times.
Jackson met them only once in 2019, 2020, and 2021. He didn’t manage to make it to the field for either game in 2022. And he missed one of two games in 2023. In his career, he’s only 3-5 against the Steelers.
All of those things are very troubling numbers for an organization that prides itself as a Super Bowl contender, with Jackson being the main reason.
With Jackson in the lineup, the Ravens are almost a six-point favorite. Without him, the Ravens wouldn't be much of a favorite, if at all. This would be a critical time for Jackson to step up for his teammates and find a way to tough it out and play.
