There is an argument to be made on both sides of this one: Robert Griffin III or Lamar Jackson could fill in for Joe Flacco against the Bengals:
Lamar Jackson and Robert Griffin III are now put in a very interesting position, as Joe Flacco may not be able to go for the Bengals game on the 18th. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, reported that Flacco was dealing with a hip injury that could keep him out of the action. Now the Ravens are stuck between two very different possibilities.
The Ravens kept Robert Griffin III inactive on a weekly basis so far this season. They kept him for this very situation. The thought at the beginning of the season was that if Flacco couldn’t start a game or two, Griffin III would give the team the best chance of winning. He after all, is the one with the experience. Griffin III looked sharp in the preseason and he did what he needed to do to stay on the roster. He looked like a player who’s done this before.
The problem is that Lamar Jackson has been involved in the offense all season long. Jackson may not have been under center for traditional snaps, but he’s been in the flow of the offense. Jackson has also gotten fairly comfortable on the field. He even led a touchdown drive against the Carolina Panthers; that was the only thing of worthy note from that awful game.
While Jackson may not be fully there as a passer, he can throw the football and have success. Putting in Jackson could excite this team, and it would surely energize the fanbase. It would send a positive message to Jackson if he was called upon to start. It would be deflating to see Griffin III get the shot that Jackson has patiently waited for. What seemed like the right thing in September doesn’t fully feel like the right thing in November.
The Ravens do have to try to win. They still have a shot to make the playoffs. While nobody has their hopes to high at the moment, this team is far from out of it. The thing is that putting in Jackson might give them the same chance of winning. How much can a few practice snaps really do to get Griffin III ready to go. Jackson has been in the swing of things and has led a couple of decent garbage time drives.
The Ravens also have to think long-term here. They have to see what they have in Jackson. They have to establish a baseline for his performance at this level, so they know what to look for. If I was Steve Bisciotti, I would consider forcing Harbaugh’s hands. Jackson is such a big piece of the future that a sneak preview of that future is awfully hard to turn down.
The Ravens have two choices if Flacco misses time. They have one choice that makes sense in Robert Griffin III. That is the by the book decision. They also have the option of having Lamar Jackson as the starter. This would be the inspired choice that may propel the Ravens into a win. At the very least the game would be more interesting with Jackson as the quarterback, and as a sports writer who has to write about the game, that’s why Jackson is who I want to see lead the Ravens in Flacco’s absence.