For a period of time, the Baltimore Ravens, who are fighting to ensure they reach the NFL playoffs, if not finish in first place in the AFC North, will be without their franchise quarterback, Lamar Jackson.
Until he is able to return from his sprained PCL, Tyler Huntley will be under center.
Huntley didn’t do too badly after Jackson went down in Week 13, completing 27 of 32 passes in Baltimore’s 10-9 win over the Denver Broncos.
Tyler Huntley is a luxury. As a backup QB, he made WINNING PLAYS in the final minute. Ridiculous pair of plays back-to-back here, executing QB Pwr Read then finding Drake after the pump fake to set up his GW TD run.#RavensFlock #Ravens #BaltimoreRavens #RavensBroncos pic.twitter.com/siKl7Oz8hH
— All 22 Films (@All_22_NFL_Cuts) December 5, 2022
Can Huntley hold the fort down, or are the Ravens poised for a downturn while Jackson is out?
Jackson Is Simply Too Valuable To The Ravens
The Ravens’ success this season has come largely because of the success of its running game, which ranks eighth in touchdowns and third in yards gained.
Jackson leads the team by a mile in rushing yards with 764, as well as yards per rush attempt at 6.8.
Kenyan Drake is second in both categories at 421 yards and 4.6 yards per attempt, as he has filled in for J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore’s first-string running back who has been out since Week 7.
Without Jackson, the Ravens’ only big offensive threat is tight end Mark Andrews.
Huntley can run a little bit himself, but he simply isn’t the running threat Jackson is, and it’s not even close.
The Ravens are simply losing a huge chunk of their offense with Jackson sidelined.
The Saving Grace?
The Ravens have a relatively manageable schedule, as they face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14, the Cleveland Browns in Week 15, the Atlanta Falcons on Christmas Eve and the Steelers again on New Year’s Day.
The only very difficult game Baltimore has left is their Week 18 tilt at the Cincinnati Bengals.
This favorable landscape could allow the team to get by with Huntley at QB, especially if Jackson’s absence doesn’t last too long.
NEXT: Ravens HC Confirms An Expected Decision At QB
