The Baltimore Ravens need Lamar Jackson back more than ever. Their Week 6 loss to the Cleveland Browns showcased exactly what they’ve been missing in Jackson. Everything.
Don’t get me wrong, Tyler Huntley is a capable backup — he helped lead a comeback win in Week 5. However, he’s limited as a quarterback. His arm isn’t dangerous, his poise in the pocket can be skittish, and pretty much everything he does is inconsistent.
On Sunday, the Browns rotated their safeties down closer to the line of scrimmage all day, which constrained Huntley’s throwing windows and made life difficult for the run game. When Jackson’s at the helm, defenses can’t do that.
Looking at Baltimore’s upcoming schedule, they need Jackson under center next week. It’s a necessity.
Baltimore Ravens can’t go any further without Lamar Jackson starting
Baltimore’s offense is pretty predictable when Tyler Huntley starts and not Lamar Jackson. Again, his arm talent is lackluster; he’s not routinely dangerous on 15+ yard passes. With that in mind, opposing defenses can shrink the field, sit tight on routes, and stack the box.
Week 6 was the biggest example of that. Huntley completed 19-of-31 passes for just 165 yards, and the rushing attack was severely underwhelming with 87 yards on 23 carries. Space was at a premium, and the Huntley-led offense couldn’t take advantage of the moments they had it.
The biggest issue was the offense’s inability to adjust. They had a hot start, but once Browns defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg altered his game plan, Huntley and the offensive line didn’t have enough talent to counterpunch.
Notably, the Ravens endured a stretch of five straight punts after back-to-back scoring drives in the first quarter. And if you exclude those first two drives, the offense totaled an utterly embarrassing 121 yards the rest of the way.
That’s 9 drives for 121 yards. ONE-HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE YARDS!
This is no shot at Huntley. He’s good…for a backup. That’s all he is: a solid backup who can manage a game. He won’t win games by himself, and sometimes teams need that.
Simply put, the Ravens can’t keep leaning on Huntley. It’s obviously not their call, but if there’s a time for Jackson to suit back up, Week 7 would be a perfectly timed return.
Just look at Baltimore’s next three games.
WEEK | OPPONENT | RECORD |
|---|---|---|
Week 7 | Cincinnati Bengals | 3-2 |
Week 8 | Buffalo Bills | 5-1 |
Week 9 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 4-2 |
That’s three playoff contenders led by three Pro Bowl-caliber quarterbacks. If you’re going to compete against Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, and Trevor Lawrence, you need Lamar Jackson calling the shots. There’s no question about that.
As of now, the timetable for Jackson’s return is unknown. Jesse Minter called it a day-to-day issue last week, but reports have been saying that since he injured his ankle in Week 4. There’s really no telling with ankle sprains — the swelling can pop up at any time.
The Ravens might be setting him up for a Week 7 return against the Cincinnati Bengals, though. Minter’s comments have been somewhat encouraging (whether you believe him or not), and judging by how active Jackson is on the sideline, he at least looks functional. It hopefully isn’t something that keeps him out much longer.
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