One thing is for certain when it comes to the Baltimore Ravens‘ starting quarterback for Week 8: he’ll be a Pro Bowler.
Starting quarterback Lamar Jackson has missed exactly half of his team’s playing time through seven weeks. Jackson sustained a high ankle sprain at the end of the first half of the Ravens‘ Week 4 win over the Tennessee Titans. Since then, 2022 Pro Bowler Tyler “Snoop” Huntley has filled in for the starter for three and a half games.
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Jackson returned to practice in a limited capacity ahead of Week 7 after the Ravens held him out for every practice in Weeks 5 and 6. The quarterback told reporters on Friday, Oct. 23, that he was “headed in the right direction” but needed to feel like himself before he would play. Ultimately, he missed last week’s clash with the Cincinnati Bengals.
LAMAR JACKSON: Injury update as Ravens QB returns to practice
After dropping the matchup with Cincinnati, the Ravens fell to last place in the AFC North. Next up is another tough test within their conference: playing at the Buffalo Bills in Week 8 on Sunday, Nov. 1.
Here’s what to know about Jackson’s outlook for Baltimore’s next game:
NFL Media and ESPN insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday, Oct. 27, that Jackson will play in Week 8.
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“I expect, based on the people I’ve spoken with, that Lamar Jackson will play this week. He’ll be on the field this week against the Buffalo Bills,” Rapoport said. “He is believed to be as close to 100% as he has been, and the Ravens do expect him to play.”
Rapoport also addressed how his previous reporting became part of the storyline in Jackson’s recovery. When asked by a reporter on Oct. 23 if he had suffered a deltoid sprain, the quarterback said he was told it was a high ankle sprain and asked who reported it. When Jackson found out it was a report from Rapoport, he had a quip ready.
“Ian Rapoport said that? He part of the training staff?” Jackson said before shaking his head. “So we can’t go off Ian Rapoport. He’s just reporting. Somebody probably told him that too though, so can’t blame him.”
The insider joked on Oct. 27 that “the idiots at Bleacher Report” twisted Jackson’s comments into calling out Rapoport, but he took it as a light-hearted jab.
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“Watch it with a normal brain. He was funny,” Rapoport said. “I had said it was not a typical high ankle sprain – it was not. They told him it’s a high ankle sprain because it’s not low, it’s fine.”
