Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) is sacked by Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper in the first quarter Sunday. (Nick Wass, AP)
Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson exited Sunday’s 10-9 win over the Denver Broncos with a knee injury, but he’s not expected to be sidelined for the rest of the season, coach John Harbaugh said.
“We’ll get more tests tomorrow and let you know how long it’s going to be,” Harbaugh said. “It’s gonna be a number, days to weeks. We’ll see if he can go this week. If not, it will be sometime after that shortly.”
Jackson left the game after being sacked by Denver outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper with 14 seconds left in the first quarter. Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley replaced Jackson to start the second quarter.
Jackson was taken into the blue medical tent for evaluation before heading to the locker room. CBS cameras showed the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player walking with a slight limp down the hallway underneath M&T Bank Stadium.
Jackson has dealt with an illness, a hip injury and a quad injury over the past three weeks but hadn’t missed an offensive snap this season until Sunday. He came into the game completing 62.1% of his passes for 2,231 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions while rushing for 755 yards and three touchdowns.
The Ravens offense struggled before Jackson’s injury. Baltimore punted on two straight drives to start the game while Jackson went 3-for-4 with 11 yards. Huntley sparked the unit, engineering a 10-play, 62-yard scoring drive that ended with a game-tying 26-yard field goal by kicker Justin Tucker with 5:58 to go in the second quarter.
With the Ravens trailing 9-3 late in the fourth quarter, Huntley led a 16-play, 91-yard touchdown drive to take the lead with 28 seconds left. After completing all eight passes for 50 yards, Huntley ran up the middle for a 2-yard touchdown, and Justin Tucker added the go-ahead extra point. Denver kicker Brandon McManus missed a 63-yard field goal attempt as time expired to seal the win for Baltimore (8-4), which remains in first place in the AFC North.
Tight end Mark Andrews was the team’s emergency quarterback, according to CBS.
Huntley showcased his ability to be a reliable backup last season. He appeared in seven games, including four starts, and totaled 1,081 passing yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions while rushing for 294 yards and two scores.
Jackson, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, had an impressive start to the season and was an early MVP candidate before struggling in recent weeks. He threw for 749 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions in three games in September to earn AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors.
Jackson is in the final year of his rookie contract and is a potential free agent after the season. He and the Ravens could not agree to a contract extension before the start of the regular season as he reportedly turned down a five-year deal worth more than $250 million.
This story will be updated.
()
Originally published at Tribune News Service