Lamar Jackson exited Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills after a single offensive play due to a right thumb injury that requires surgery and an injured reserve stint. The Ravens lost 36-10, dropping to 4-4 as backup quarterback Tyler Huntley also sustained an injury.
It was a month in anticipation and barely lasted a snap. Lamar Jackson returned to the Baltimore Ravens’ offense on Sunday at the new Highmark Stadium after missing three games, only to head straight to the locker room following his first pass attempt against the Buffalo Bills.
The injury instantly derailed Baltimore’s game plan and compounded a dismal afternoon. The Ravens lost 36-10 in Orchard Park, falling to an even 4-4 on the season and landing at the bottom of the AFC North division.
Quarterback Crisis Deepens with Multiple Injuries
Jackson’s departure on a short right pass intended for Zay Flowers set off a catastrophic sequence for the visiting sideline. Head coach Jesse Minter confirmed after the game that Jackson suffered a right thumb injury when he made contact with Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau’s arm, requiring surgery and an injured reserve designation that will sideline the franchise quarterback for at least four games.
The position unraveled further before halftime. Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley entered the game in Jackson’s place but suffered a right turf toe injury, leading to a questionable designation before he was officially downgraded and ruled out, according to injury analysis from Banged Up Bills.
That left undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano to make his NFL debut under emergency circumstances. Fagnano completed 10 of 21 passes for 91 yards with an interception, absorbed three sacks, and lost a fumble on an aborted snap, contributing to a total of three turnovers by the Baltimore offense.
It’s my job to make sure that we stay together, that we don’t point fingers, that we have each other’s back, that we believe in the next-man-up mentality — it’s what we talked about a lot. Sometimes that happens and sometimes it doesn’t. So, we have to really just pour into the belief and believe in the guys that we have and move forward.
Jesse Minter, Head Coach
Offensive Struggles and Fan Frustration Mount
The statistics from Sunday afternoon illustrated an offense completely grounded. Three Baltimore quarterbacks combined to throw 26 passes for just 68 net passing yards, the team’s fewest since a 2017 game against Jacksonville in London. Star wide receiver Zay Flowers was targeted five times but finished without a catch, while running back Derrick Henry was limited to 53 yards on 11 carries.
The offensive line troubles drew intense scrutiny from supporters online. Entering Week 8, the unit ranked 18th in PFN’s Team OL Impact Metric after finishing 16th the previous season, compounded by the offseason departure of center Tyler Linderbaum to the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency.
Frustrated fans took to social media to direct their anger at the front office over pass protection failures and roster construction around Jackson.
This is on Eric DeCosta for consistently putting together a [expletive] poor offensive line. Just sickening, this has gotta be one of the worst seasons I’ve experienced as a Ravens fan.
Ravens Fan, via Yahoo Sports
Josh Allen and Buffalo Capitalize on Mistakes
While Baltimore scrambled to find answers under center, Buffalo built a commanding lead despite a sloppy first half marked by turnovers and penalties. Josh Allen completed 21 of 34 passes for 289 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, moving to 6-1 on the season.
Allen’s 11-yard scoring pass to DJ Moore in the fourth quarter marked the 259th touchdown of his career including postseason play, breaking the franchise record previously held by Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. Running back James Cook added 80 yards and a rushing score on the ground before exiting with a late neck injury.
Short Week Prepares Baltimore for Jacksonville
The Ravens have little time to dwell on their third consecutive defeat. A Thursday night matchup at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars looms as an immediate test of depth and resilience for a locker room facing a rapidly closing margin for error in the AFC playoff race.