Jan. 2: Huntley is expected to get the nod for the Ravens as they seek to keep their playoff hopes alive against the Rams, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Five Thirty Eight gives Baltimore just a 22% chance of qualifying for the postseason, and the club needs its backup passer to continue his run of quality play and pull out an unexpected victory.
Dec. 31: The Ravens’ playoff hopes are currently on life-support and no one knows that better than star quarterback Lamar Jackson. A report from Jamison Hensley, ESPN’s Ravens reporter, that Jackson once again did not participate for the portion of practice open to the media is not encouraging to Ravens’ fans. The versatile playmaker has missed the team’s last two games after leaving early in a Week 14 loss in Cleveland due to injury. Jackson sparked hope when he returned to the practice field Wednesday, albeit with a noticeable limp, but his absences yesterday and today are seen as a critical step back.
Jackson has often received criticism for a style of play that pundits believe would lead to injury. Despite their worries, the Ravens’ last two games were the only games Jackson has missed due to injury in his entire four-year career.
As a rookie in 2018, despite being a first-round pick, Jackson was not expected to start right away. The plan was always for Jackson to sit and develop behind former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco. Jackson still appeared in plays here and there for Baltimore, appearing in a Week 1 blowout of the Bills in garbage-time and running gadget plays wherein he would run the ball or just play as a decoy. A hip injury to Flacco in a Week 9 loss to the Steelers forced the Ravens’ hand and Jackson took the reins in Week 10 and never looked back. Jackson’s rookie year was a bit of patchwork with offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg never planning to rely on Jackson. Jackson ran those gadgets plays and an offense designed for Joe Flacco en route to a 6-1 finish leading the Ravens to an AFC North title.
Jackson’s sophomore year went slightly better. The replacement of Mornhinweg with current offensive coordinator Greg Roman and an entire offseason to design and practice an offense built around Jackson’s talents led to the best season of the young quarterback’s career. In Jackson’s starts, the Ravens went 13-2 with Jackson completing 66% of his passes for 3,127 yards and throwing 36 touchdowns to only 6 interceptions. He, of course, used his talent as a runner to add 1,206 yards on 176 carries for 7 more touchdowns. Jackson did miss a game in this MVP season, though. He sat out the Ravens’ Week 17 win against Pittsburgh as Baltimore had already secured home field advantage throughout the playoffs and was resting most of their starters.
Jackson’s third season showed the quarterback come back down to earth a bit. The stats were not quite as gaudy, but the reigning MVP continued to collect wins. He did take one big step forward in 2020, silencing a narrative about his inability to win in the playoffs, beating a Titans team that had beaten them in the regular season. Jackson missed another game this season as he spent Week 12 on the COVID-19/reserve list.
So despite a charged narrative of Jackson’s inability to play his flashy style of football and stay healthy, up until the thirteenth week of his fourth NFL season, Jackson had missed one game as he rested for the playoffs, one game on the COVID-19 list, and one game in 2021 due to a non-COVID illness. When Jackson finally did get injured, much to the pundits chagrin, it was on a passing play. As Jackson performed a standard roll-out, he was chased from behind by Browns’ rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. As Jackson released the ball, Owusu-Koramoah dove at the quarterback’s ankles, a play prohibited in the NFL’s definition of the Roughing the Passer rule, landing on both ankles and causing the sprain that has been described as a possible bone bruise.
In Jackson’s absence, Tyler Huntley, an undrafted free agent in 2020, has performed admirably leading the Ravens to a near-comeback in Cleveland and losing by one point to the NFC-leading Packers on a failed 2-point conversion play. When Huntley entered COVID-19 protocols just before a game in Cincinnati, the Ravens turned to journeyman Josh Johnson who put up an impressive performance, but was unable to keep up as Joe Burrow sliced-and-diced an ailing Baltimore secondary.
Even if Jackson is able to return, the injuries have certainly crippled the Ravens’ once-vaunted defense. The teams’ two star cornerbacks and free safety are on IR and, like the rest of the league, they’ve struggled keeping their healthy players off the COVID-19/reserve list as the omicron variant tears through the league. Jackson has also been in quite a slump this season throwing only 8 touchdowns to 10 interceptions in his last 7 games before getting injured.
The Ravens have lots to overcome to earn some wins as the regular season comes to a close, but they also may need help getting into the playoffs. Baltimore currently does not control their own destiny, meaning there are situations in which the Ravens win their final two games and miss the playoffs, even while there are still scenarios wherein the Ravens win their division. The Ravens can win the division simply by winning their final two games against the Rams and Steelers, while the Bengals lose their final two games against the Chiefs and at the Browns. If Baltimore loses one of their final two games, they’ll need help around the league to continue their season as a wild card team.
Regardless of the situations outside of Baltimore and how they play out, it’s hard to imagine the Ravens making much noise if their best player isn’t the one taking snaps. As of right now, though, things are trending toward Huntley starting yet another game against an NFC division-leader.
Someone has to step up here . . . preferably Huntley. There is no one left here.
Huntley can do his best, but as demonstrated last week, Baltimore’s problems have much more to do with a depleted secondary
You mean a depleted entire team?
Just a friendly reminder that the Ravens would be IN the playoffs as we speak, if John Harbaugh would’ve let the best kicker in the world do his thing instead of getting greedy at the end of the Steelers and Packers games…
That’s an extremely misleading statement because the extra point would have only tied each matchup. While the decision in the Steelers game might have been a bit aggressive, let’s not forget that the Ravens secondary was having extreme issues with Green Bay’s passing attack. Thus, they likely would not have fared well in overtime.
It’s very easy to criticize these decisions in hindsight
Its not just the Ravens though. I’d say there are 4 or 5 teams who cost themselves at least 2 wins by chasing 2 point conversions, or passing up chip shot FG’s trying to score TD’s.
Playoff positions could look a lot different in both conferences right now.
The Ravens secondary didn’t stop Rodgers a single time. Are you insane? It would have been an automatic loss.
GB’s defense didn’t exactly put the clamps on the Ravens offense..led by their backup QB..either. That game goes to OT and its a toss-up who gets the win. Quite possibly whoever got the ball first. But hypothetically, let’s say GB gets the ball first and only manages a FG [attempt] , I’d take my chances on a miss, getting a walk off TD, or at least a chance to tie it again with a FG.
How is that any different than a “toss-up” 2-point conversion? By your logic, it’s the same probability either way. The benefit to the conversion attempt is that you don’t risk further injuring/fatiguing the team by continuing to play
Did I say it was?
I’ll clarify: I’d take the near guarantee extra point, go to OT and rely on a bunch of potential outcomes in my favor, rather than run a play that drastically cuts down the area the defense has to cover.
I certainly wouldn’t say ‘I’m afraid someone will get hurt or tired in OT’ (as if they had another game to play that night)
So your argument is they are already playing with guys out and should put off losing only to potentially lose in OT rather than take a chance winning or losing on that play?
If thats what you got from it, sure. Maybe they should put the entire roster on the covid list while they’re at it. After all, so many of them were/are already on it.. I mean, it’s not like they were/are trying to earn a playoff spot.
No they could have just won the toss, packers weren’t stopping them much either
There was also 42 seconds left in that game against AARON RODGERS – meaning – if they convert the 2PC, they might not even win.
There was the fact that I think Marlon Humphrey got injured in the previous defensive outing that game and the Ravens had nobody else to sub in, or at least weren’t comfortable with the depth they had.
The XP would have only tied the game, not won it.
“You play…..to win……the game……..hello?!” ~Herm Edwards
I have a feeling the Orioles would trade their problems for the Raven’s in a heartbeat.
The Orioles woes are all self inflicted. Completely inept at how to build a winning team. Inept at drafting quality pitchers. Inept at drafting talent and then retaining said talent.
How do you draft a SS high in the first round TWICE, that not only can’t play defense at SS, but can’t play defense legitimately anywhere, and also can’t hit?
The team is in ownership limbo while Peter Angelos’ health is fading and his sons are keeping the team in a profitable position to probably ultimately sell when their father passes.
They are making absolutely no effort to compete and won’t any time in the near future. This whole “rebuilding” thing is nonsense. If you fall for it again, you are an idiot.
Regardless of whether he got hurt on a running or passing play, it HAS to be a nervous time for the Ravens. Jackson’s running abilities add SO much to his game; an ankle injury has to be concerning. Sports medicine is amazing, yet so often, injuries to a joint result in the player never quite getting back to 100% again. Hope it’s not the case here… Lamar is fun to watch.
This is why you don’t craft an entire offense around one specific player that takes only that specific player to run it.
I don’t think it is proper to say that Owusu-Koramoah’s tackle was somehow against the rules. It was a standard football tackle attempt.
I think the writer is wrong. You are not allowed to dive at a quarterbacks ankles when he’s in the pocket but once he begins to run, how are you supposed to tackle Jackson? Just wait until he slides down?
The writer is wrong about a lot in this article.
every tackle is illegal now, so not an absurd assumption.
Honestly id just sit Lamar the rest of the season and ride with Huntley. I really don’t see us making the playoffs and if we do, we’re not going very far. Just missing far to many top players. So no need to rush Lamar back and risk him getting hurt even more. I think if ready to go, Huntley is good enough to carry the team.
Curious if Huntley can put on another great performance. He’s been a great backup thus far. Curious if he’ll get a starting opportunity elsewhere.
Love how the author attacks anyone that dares to have a differing opinion than his own. There is a well documented history of run first QBs like Lamar getting hurt very seriously and never being the same again. Even in recent history you have Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III to look at.
The injury concern was only one part of his ‘flashy” playstyle, which is nothing more than an option offense….which is hardly flashy in the NFL. It was his ability to be a passer in the NFL, which is still up for debate. There is a reason why no top flight FA WR wants to come here. There is a reason why as a team this passing offense is near the worst in the league…no matter what individual awards Lamar might win.
There is a reason why this team doesn’t make it deep into the playoffs.