The Baltimore Ravens enter Week 9 of the NFL with an urgent need to return to winning ways following a tough loss to the Cleveland Browns last weekend. Lamar Jackson, the star QB under John Harbaugh, missed a few days of practice this week, but he addressed any doubts about his availability for the upcoming game against the Denver Broncos.
Former Louisville player hasn’t missed a game due to injury in two seasons. However, his absence from Wednesday and Thursday’s practices raised many questions about the QB, leading to concerns about his physical condition.
Nonetheless, all these speculations were put to rest when Jackson practiced normally on Friday. When asked by the press about his physical condition, Lamar stated that “he felt 100%”.
Finally, to put an end to all the theories regarding his absence from practice, Lamar Jackson made it clear in statements to ESPN: “Just resting my body,” Jackson said with a smile. “It’s a long season, that’s all.”
Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens stands on the sidelines during the first half of the NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on November 10, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The matchup where John Harbaugh‘s team will face none other than Bo Nix’s Denver Broncos could be a turning point in their season. A victory would put them back in the race, but a loss could make things increasingly difficult for the Ravens.
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In a press conference regarding Lamar’s return, the Baltimore coach shared his thoughts on the situation: “[Lamar Jackson] looked good. Yes, he looked good. [It was a] good day for Lamar.”
Jackson remains confident in his team looking ahead
The loss to Cleveland last weekend was undoubtedly unexpected, not only due to the Browns’ current performance but also because the Ravens had been delivering strong showings. Regarding this situation, Lamar places his trust in his teammates, who will need to apply what they practiced throughout the week in the game against the Broncos.
“I believe our guys are locked in. I wasn’t at practice the first two days, but just from watching [the practice] film, guys were locked in [and] making things happen. Practice looked good; practice looked great. It looked like I was out there. But we’re going to see Sunday [and] see how guys respond after that loss last Sunday,” Jackson stated.
Additionally, he highlighted the defensive qualities they will face on Sunday: “[They’re] a high-motor team [and a] high-motor defense. The defensive line is tremendous. They are the number three defense right now. Those guys are just flying around, making things happen, creating turnovers [and] creating chaos in the backfield. [They’re] just an all-around good defense.”
Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens hands off to Derrick Henry #22 of the Baltimore Ravens against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Arlington, Texas.
John Harbaugh’s vision for what lies ahead
The unexpected loss to the Cleveland Browns created discontent within the locker room, and once things cooled down, head coach John Harbaugh expressed his feelings about the near future and the necessary changes to improve the situation.
“We’re going to continue to turn over every stone with our defense and with every other part of our team, too, to get as good as we can get it over the course of a long season. I am very confident that we will make moves in the future,” HC Harbaugh stated in press conference.
