Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson returned to the field Thursday after missing a Wednesday practice for the second week in a row, this time with an ankle injury. He was asked if taking a day off or two will be his new normal down the stretch of what’s been an injury-themed season for the two-time NFL MVP.
“Probably,” Jackson said. “We’ll see how it goes, though. Gotta see how coach feels about it.”
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Knee soreness sidelined Jackson at the start of the last practice week, but he still got the nod in Cleveland, where he helped his 5-5 Ravens win their fourth straight game and get back to .500 with a 23-16 win over the Browns.
Jackson previously missed three games this season with a hamstring injury. He was one of several Ravens banged up at the time, as Baltimore slumped to a 1-4 start.
Since, the Ravens have clawed their way back into the race for the AFC North title.
While Jackson has battled injuries prior to this year — notably, his 2022 and 2021 campaigns were cut short by knee and ankle issues, respectively — playing through his latest injuries week-to-week is something new for him.
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“Man, it’s just part of football, I guess,” Jackson said Thursday. “But I’m good.”
He later noted: “This is my first time, you know, dealing with something like this while I’m playing. I mean, we’ve got great trainers and stuff like that. Our staff is good. Like I said, I’m good.”
Lamar’s reaction to being sacked 23 times in 7 games
Jackson is facing a 39.8% pressure rate this season, the sixth highest among all qualifying quarterbacks this season, per Next Gen Stats.
A reporter asked Jackson on Thursday if he feels the cumulative weight of the pressure he’s been dealing with this year. But the reporter prefaced the question by stating that Jackson has been sacked 23 times in seven games this season after he was sacked 23 times in 17 games last season.
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“G****mn. I gotta talk to the offensive line about that,” Jackson said, drawing some laughs. “I’m gonna holla at my guys about that, man. I ain’t tryna … gonna talk to my guys about that.”
Jackson added shortly after: “They probably ain’t going to like that, though. You guys telling me it’s 23 sacks. They probably not going to like that.”
Jackson made light of the situation, however, it’s a real issue for the Ravens’ offense. Normally Houdini-like, Jackson hasn’t been quite as elusive under pressure this season.
His percentage of pressures turned into sacks this season is the highest of his career, according to PFF. Jackson’s dual-threat ability remains daunting. That said, his sack total is alarming. Both he and his offensive line can work together to keep it under control down the stretch.
