The Baltimore Ravens will play the Pittsburgh Steelers in a regular-season finale game where everything is on the line. The winning team wins the AFC North and goes on to the playoffs, and the losing team’s season is over. For games like that, teams want their best players available. That’s why it’s been absolutely baffling that people have been arguing Baltimore should start Tyler Huntley, regardless of Lamar Jackson’s health.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin recently weighted in on that conversation, and he delivered one of the most informed and sensible takes on the topic. Speaking with the media, Tomlin was asked about the difference, schematically, of facing the Ravens with Jackson at quarterback vs. Huntley, considering he has faced off against both quarterbacks for Baltimore. The veteran head coach explained that Lamar Jackson can do things that no other human on the planet can do.
Mike Tomlin explains why Lamar Jacksons is still the Ravens best option
That should put an end to this discussion that Huntley should start over Jackson. The Steelers head coach was very complimentary of Huntley, and praised Baltimore for being able to keep their culture, regardless of who’s at quarterback, but he made it clear that Jackson is one-of-one. If you have a healthy player like that, you play them — especially in a must-win game.
The real question, though, is how healthy is Lamar Jackson? The two-time MVP missed Baltimore’s Week 17 win with a back contusion, but he returned to practice on Wednesday. The hope is that he can get through a week of practice, and feel good enough to play in the Sunday Night game against the Steelers. A healthy Jackson would give the Ravens a good chance to defeat Pittsburgh, and punch their ticket to the postseason.
For as up and down as the season has been for Baltimore, having the opportunity where everything comes down to one game is all the team can ask for. A win on Sunday night would send the Ravens to the playoffs, where anything can happen — especially with a player like Lamar Jackson at the helm.