The Baltimore Ravens made a statement on Sunday Night Football. They were without several key starters, including stars Lamar Jackson and Trey Hendrickson. Despite that, they left Atlanta with a superb comeback win in Week 5.
It was a much-needed victory. Sure, they’ve been off to a great start in 2026, now sitting at 4-1, but agonizing questions about the team’s ability to close things out in the fourth quarter remained. The late-game turnaround definitely put some of those doubts to bed.
And to make it all sweeter, the Ravens are only getting healthier. Guys like Zay Flowers and Marlon Humphrey have been fighting through injuries, and reinforcements like Jackson, Hendrickson, and Cam Jurgens should arrive soon.
Simply put, the Ravens could be playing even better in the coming weeks.
Baltimore Ravens could receive shot of adrenaline from recovering starters after Week 5 win
Let’s put it into perspective. The Ravens outdueled one of the best offenses over the last two weeks with a backup quarterback, their top pass rusher out, and a rookie guard starting at center. Both sides played some of their best ball of the season.
This wasn’t a fluke win whatsoever. The offense kept the chains moving, and the defense made tackles and limited explosive plays. Excluding a couple of critical miscues, it was strong performance, especially in the second half.
The coaching staff coached their best game of the season, as well. Jesse Minter had Bijan Robinson figured out, and Declan Doyle knew exactly what to do to keep Tyler Huntley comfortable and the offense rolling.
You can clearly see all the momentum flowing in Baltimore’s favor following this win. And this isn’t their best form. Once Lamar Jackson, Trey Hendrickson, and Cam Jurgens hit the field, this group is bound to receive a shot of adrenaline.
It’s not guaranteed they’ll suit up next week, but there are fairly positive signs all around.
Jesse Minter offers positive updates on injured starters
During his press conference on Monday, Jesse Minter offered a few injury updates surrounding those injured starters, and really all of them were positive.
Lamar Jackson is considered the most uncertain. However, Minter made it clear the two-time MVP is getting better day by day.
“[Jackson’s] definitely doing better,” Minter said. “Wednesday, I’m not exactly sure how that practice will look. To Lamar’s credit, he’s doing everything he can to get back out there…I think we'll know more by the middle of the week.”
Ankle sprains are tough to predict. The swelling can be erratic, and it’ll depend on how Jackson is feeling on any given day. Lots can change between now and Wednesday.
It sounds like Jackson is getting there, though, and even if he can’t play in Week 6, Huntley gave everyone reason to believe in him should he start another game.
As for Trey Hendrickson, Minter was a bit more hopeful, and even lumped rookie wideout Ja’Kobi Lane under that umbrella.
“Both [Hendrickson and Lane] have put themselves in a real position,” Minter said. “I think Trey will be chopping at the bit to be ready to roll this week…I feel pretty good about both those guys.”
Those would be two big gets back in the fold. Lane would add more depth to a wide receiver room that’s been performing well lately, and obviously, Hendrickson is the game-changer Baltimore can’t wait to have back. With Mike Green firing on all cylinders over the last two weeks, having Hendrickson back opposite of him could put the defensive line on a fast track to demolition.
Even Cam Jurgens would be a substantial boost, and he’s also right there.
“Cam is still in the finishing stages with [concussion] protocol,” Minter said. “But we feel good about where he’s at, and he’s done a good job of trying to learn things…I think the signs point in a good direction for Cam to be ready to play.”
Vega Ioane has looked tremendous at center — coaches and fans couldn’t have asked for a better two-week stretch. However, he needs to make that right guard spot look impenetrable again. Additionally, having a natural center like Jurgens might have the offensive front operating like a well-oiled machine.
Regardless of when they all return, the Ravens are proving they’re a dangerous threat to make the playoffs in 2026. The players are hitting their stride, the coaching has looked outstanding, and they’re doing it all without two of their best players. This team’s on an exciting upward trend.
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