RAVENS QB LAMAR JACKSON TO MISS SECOND GAME WITH INJURY, BACKUP TYLER HUNTLEY CLEARS CONCUSSION PROTOCOL
Baltimore Ravens backup starting quarterback Lamar Jackson will miss a second consecutive game this season due to injury, the team confirmed on Thursday.
Jackson is the only Ravens player that has officially been declared out after not participating in practice at all this week. The fifth-year quarterback sustained a knee sprain in the team’s 10-9 win over the Denver Broncos almost a fortnight ago and Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said last week that Jackson’s availability status is be considered week to week. After sitting this week, Jackson has now missed six straight practices.
While playing without your starting quarterback isn’t ideal, the Ravens will be boosted by the positive news of backup quarterback Tyler Huntley clearing concussion protocol on Thursday.
The third-year quarterback left the Ravens’ contest Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a suspected concussion after he was hit by Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in the middle of the third quarter on a quarterback keeper on 3rd and short. Huntley went into the blue medical tent before limping into the locker room in the middle of the game. He did not return.
In Huntley’s stead for the remainder of the game played third-string quarterback Anthony Brown, a 24-year-old undrafted rookie quarterback from the University of Oregon. As far the Ravens’ depth chart goes, behind Brown is eight-year quarterback Brett Hundley, a former UCLA Bruin whom the Ravens signed after Jackson went down to injury 12 days ago.
Although head coach John Harbaugh stopped short of naming Huntley the starter on Saturday, the former Utah Ute is expected to start now that he’s off the injury report. “He is out of the protocol to my understanding,” head coach John Harbaugh said regarding Tyler Huntley. “He cleared the protocol, either last night [Wednesday] or this morning [Thursday].” Huntley practiced all week this week following Sunday’s concussion scare.
The Florida-born quarterback spoke to the media on Thursday and said that he didn’t think he suffered a concussion on Sunday. “I’ve been good,” Huntley said. “I don’t think I had a concussion but definitely [with going into] the protocols, they [the doctors] were doing their job, making sure I was safe. Clearly, I’m safe enough to play this week.”
Huntley, 24, said he didn’t have any symptoms of a concussion during the game on Sunday, and that the call to take him out of the game came from upstairs, meaning the league/ an independent concussion spotter. “Once they call down from upstairs, that’s all in the NFL’s hands and whatnot,” said Huntley.
Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman said Wednesday that Huntley seemed “great” after the game. “Once he clears [concussion] protocol, I think [we’ll be] all systems go,” Roman said.
2015 Florida Gatorade Player of the Year, Tyler Huntley, has completed 35 of 44 passes this season for 275 yards and an interception, despite being hit on 31.8% of his plays, the second-highest hit percentage over the past two weeks, behind only New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (34.6%). He’s also rushed for 72 yards and one touchdown in that period. Huntley completed 8 of 12 attempted passes against the Steelers on Sunday for 88 yards and ran nine times for 31 yards before he exited the game.
   Alongside Jackson in the Ravens’ injury report are right tackle Morgan Moses, punter Jordan Stout, and right guard Kevin Zeitler who are all questionable to play this week and will be monitored before the game. The Baltimore Ravens pay a visit to Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns on Saturday at 4 pm ET as Watson gets a taste of division rivalry after completing his 11-game suspension, mutually settled by the NFL and the NFLPA in August.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
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