Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is still injured, but will he play in Week 17 as his team seeks an AFC North title?
It’s been over three weeks since he played Lamar Jackson, and he doesn’t look like he’s anywhere near a comeback. Jackson suffered a knee injury in early December in a win over the Denver Broncos and has not played since.
His absence didn’t stop the Ravens from securing a spot in the NFL playoffs, nor did it completely oust Baltimore off its potential path to victory in the AFC North after falling behind Cincinnati. With two weeks left in the season, the Ravens have a real chance at regaining their division title, which is a major reason why fans are chomping to get Jackson back in action.
However, this situation creates a huge dilemma for Baltimore.
There was hope that Jackson would train this week, but once again he is nowhere to be found.
Jackson’s lack of coaching doesn’t bode well for his situation for the remainder of the regular season, but it does raise the question of what’s more important to the Ravens? Should Jackson be brought back to be a factor in his AFC North prospect, or should Tyler Huntley be the man to round out the year as Baltimore lets the chips fall where they could?
Lamar Jackson Injury Update: Status for Week 17
Unfortunately, the Ravens will again be without Jackson on Sunday.
The news that Jackson won’t be playing on Sunday shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, though it’s still a frustrating development. A sprain in Jackson’s PCL is something the Ravens might like to see heal in time for a playoff comeback rather than a return during the regular season, but a division crown on the line raises the stakes.
If Baltimore can win the North Cup, it can secure the No. 3 seed and host a playoff game in three weeks. Losing to the BEngals, and landing in the Wild Card, will likely set up a first-round matchup where the Ravens will need to go on the road to Cincinnati or Jacksonville – depending on how the AFC Wild Card standings stack up.
But all of this assumes the Ravens can’t get the job done with Huntley in the middle. Without Jackson, Baltimore is 3-1 and has managed to stay in the lane.
With a tough but winnable encounter against the Steelers on Sunday, the question to ask is whether Jackson will return in Week 18 for a game against the Bengals that could well determine the winner from the AFC North.
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