Jackson Returns to Start Against Bills

Lamar Jackson will start for the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. The two-time league Most Valuable Player missed the last three weeks with a high ankle sprain. He said the pain in his left ankle is bearable.

Jackson participated fully in all three practices this week. This was the first time he had done so since injuring his ankle in a win over the Tennessee Titans 26 days ago. He taped his left ankle for every session. While he did not run at full speed during media viewing, he did not favor the ankle while jogging.

The quarterback declined to give a specific percentage on his readiness. He noted that his condition improved compared to the previous week. He described feeling less like a statue and more capable of moving around. He said he feels ready to give the game a shot.

Baltimore currently sits at 4-3 and holds the last place spot in the AFC North. The team lost its last two games. When Jackson plays, the Ravens are 76-35 since he became a full-time starter in 2019. They average 28 points per game in those contests. Without him over the past seven seasons, the record is 7-14 with an average of 17.6 points per game.

Coach Jesse Minter stated that Jackson handled the injury well. Minter expects to see Jackson play like his normal self on Sunday. The coaching staff acknowledged the rust factor and designed practice reps to mimic game conditions as closely as possible.

Jackson addressed social media criticism regarding his time off. Fans have questioned whether he should play while injured. Jackson asked why people would second-guess his decision to take the field. He mentioned that his ankle was swollen on Saturday, which kept him out of the previous week's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Ravens face a Bills defense that ranks 31st against the pass. Buffalo has beaten Baltimore in their last three meetings in Buffalo. Tyler Snoop Huntley has filled in for Jackson this season. The team scored 14 touchdowns in 14 quarters with Jackson. They scored five touchdowns in 14 quarters without him. The Ravens scored no points in the second half during the last two weeks.

Jackson posted an 82.6 quarterback rating before his injury. He had thrown six touchdown passes and one interception. He also led quarterbacks with 144 rushing yards at that point. Last October, he returned from a three-game hamstring absence. In that return game against Miami, he completed 18 of 23 passes for 204 yards and four touchdowns.