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 home game against the Denver Broncos with a knee injury and was ruled out.
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.
Tight end Mark Andrews is 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.
The Ravens entered Sunday in first place in the AFC North, though they share a 7-4 record with the Cincinnati Bengals.
This story will be updated.
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Originally published at Tribune News Service