It’s safe to say Lamar Jackson has not looked right since returning from a month-long absence due to a hamstring injury he suffered against the Kansas City Chiefs back in September.
It’s possible that Jackson is playing through at least a couple of ailments right now, as another concerning update arose from the Baltimore Ravens practice on Thursday, Dec. 4. After being listed as a limited participant during the first practice of the week on Wednesday, Jackson missed Thursday’s practice entirely.
This is the fourth straight week where Jackson has missed at least one practice, but in weeks 11, 12, and 13, he missed the first practice of the week before being a full-go for the remainder of the weeks. The fact that he was only limited on Wednesday and then was held out Thursday is a cause for at least moderate concern for Ravens fans.
Furthermore, it hasn’t been the hamstring listed as the cause for Jackson’s inconsistent practice schedule. Rather, it’s been three different injuries: an ankle this week, a toe in week 13, ankle again in week 12, and knee back in week 11.
However many injuries Jackson is playing through, Baltimore is in dire need of the Lamar Jackson of old to return if they want to salvage this season and maybe make a run in the playoffs.
Jackson Struggling In The Last Month
In Jackson’s first game back after his month-long absence, he torched the Miami Dolphins for four touchdowns while completing 78 percent of his passes en route to a 28-6 win. Although Baltimore has gone 3-1 since then, his numbers have steeply declined in those four games.
In his last four games, Jackson has thrown just one touchdown pass and three interceptions, and hasn’t eclipsed 60 percent through the air. He’s only gotten over 200 passing yards once, and that was in a blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving.
You might be thinking “well that’s okay because Jackson can do damage as a runner too.” Though he’s been the best mobile quarterback in the NFL for the better part of the last decade, that statement couldn’t be farther from the truth in the last month. In the last four games, Jackson has only rushed for 86 yards on 26 attempts, just barely over three yards a carry. He hasn’t scored a rushing touchdown either.
Whatever is holding Jackson out of practices seems to be effecting his game play too.
Ravens Set to Take On Steelers in Week 14
The Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are set to do battle in Baltimore this weekend with first place in the AFC North up for grabs as both sit at 6-6 heading into the game.
Both Baltimore and Pittsburgh have floundered around this season, with the Steelers starting off hot and then cooling off and the Ravens picking it up lately, though without the help of Jackson. The Bengals aren’t dead yet either, sitting at 4-8 with another matchup against the Ravens incoming in week 15.
Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati are all but dead in the Wild Card standings, so it will come down to the AFC North title to decide which team makes the playoffs.
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