Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson left their 20-37 Week 4 defeat of Kansas City due to a hamstring injury during the third quarter and could miss their upcoming matchup against Houston Texans, according to comments by head coach John Harbaugh indicating severity. Harbaugh indicated as much by acknowledging Jackson could potentially miss future matches: “Lamar, knowing him as I do… would’ve played in it,” as an indicator for Jackson possibly missing this weekend.
Jackson suffered his injury while taking a sack while trailing 30-13 at Arrowhead Stadium, with Baltimore trailing by seven. Prior to leaving, the 28-year-old quarterback had amassed 147 passing yards, produced one touchdown and intercepted an opponent pass before succumbing to injury and exiting play for good. Backup quarterback Cooper Rush took over without success as they experienced their third defeat this season and their third loss overall this year. NFL doctor Deepak Chona estimates Jackson could recover within 2 to 3 weeks (unlikely before Week 7)
This is a significant blow to the Ravens, who also witnessed the exit of essential team members like linebacker Roquan Smith, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, and left tackle Ronnie Stanley during the game due to injuries. With Jackson’s Week 5 participation tagged as ‘questionable,’ the Ravens have yet to confirm his availability for the clash against the Texans. Initially hesitant to comment, Coach Harbaugh has expressed concern over the team’s immediate future.
Ravens’ Prospects Against Houston Texans
The upcoming home game against the Houston Texans represents a critical juncture for the 1-3 Ravens, especially in light of their debilitating injury crisis. Their defense, in particular, is in disarray, missing several starters for an extended period and having allowed a record 133 points across four games. Jackson’s hampered condition compounds the issue, placing immense pressure on backup Cooper Rush should he be called upon again.
Rush has had mixed success as an effective sub in his career and lacks Jackson’s dynamic playmaking on the field. Although experienced, Rush’s effectiveness as an emergency replacement remains uncertain. While season starting off 1-3 has historically been troublesome for Ravens teams, facing mobile quarterbacks or backup-led offenses provides hope of improvement against an opponent like Texas.
Victory can still be within reach if the backups step up to the challenge and find support from their home crowd, although managing injuries to produce an impressive performance could prove an immense difficulty.