At 1-5, the Ravens are searching for a spark.
Something, or more accurately someone, capable of reigniting their season. As they prepare to face Chicago in Week 8, all eyes remain on Lamar Jackson, whose availability has been clouded by a questionable injury tag throughout the week.
But whether he’s at 100% or not, Jackson remains the heartbeat of Baltimore's unit, and the one player capable of flipping a game on its head just by his presence.
Lamar Jackson could change everything
When Jackson is on the field, everything changes. The pace, the defensive alignments, the energy — it all shifts. He’s the rare quarterback who can turn broken plays into highlight moments, with the kind of twitch and field vision that few defenders can match. Even if the hamstring that’s limited him in practice isn’t fully healed, his dynamic nature forces defenses to account for every inch of grass. One false step, one missed contain, and Jackson is gone, gliding past linebackers and safeties for chunk gains that few others in the league can create.
The Ravens’ offense without Jackson simply lacks the same unpredictability. With him, the playbook expands in every direction. Read options become dangerous again. Scramble drills turn into extended routes where receivers have a chance to uncover. Even his presence in the backfield opens running lanes for Baltimore’s backs, as defenders hesitate between collapsing on the runner or staying disciplined against a potential keep. That dual-threat nature -- even at 80% -- is what makes the two-time MVP so rare.
Now, it’s easy to say Jackson is the obvious pick for the player who could swing the ballgame, but that’s the point.
There’s no one else in football quite like him. His combination of speed, poise, and playmaking is singular -- a one-of-one difference-maker whose presence alone can shift momentum. For a Ravens team desperate to claw back toward .500, his return could be the emotional and tactical lift they need.
The Bears have shown improved discipline defensively, but they haven’t faced a quarterback quite like Jackson in 2025. Their pass rush can’t simply pin its ears back, and their secondary has to tackle in space. Every snap becomes a test of patience and precision -- two things Jackson tends to make impossible.
If he’s cleared to play, expect Baltimore to lean on its leader. Jackson’s ability to extend plays and manufacture offense, even when physically limited, gives the Ravens their best chance to find rhythm and claw back into the win column.
He doesn’t have to be perfect -- he just has to be Lamar. And when he’s under center, that’s usually enough to change everything.