Lamar Jackson Needs Thumb Surgery and Is Headed to Injured Reserve — and the Jaguars Are Next
Jackson was hurt on Baltimore's first offensive play of a 36-10 loss to Buffalo, his backup was hurt in the second quarter, and the Ravens now have a short week to sort out their quarterback room before Jacksonville comes to town on Thursday night.
Orchard Park, N.Y. — Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will be placed on injured reserve and undergo surgery on his right thumb after being injured on the team's first offensive play of Sunday's 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Reuters reported.
Jackson threw an incomplete pass on that first play and his throwing hand struck the wrist of Buffalo pass rusher Greg Rousseau. He grabbed his hand, showed the sideline that his thumb was out of place, and was ruled out a short time later; when he returned to the sideline in the third quarter, the thumb was in a splint. The two-time NFL MVP had only just returned from a three-game absence with a left ankle injury. Asked whether the thumb injury might be season-ending, Ravens coach Jesse Minter said: "Potentially. We'll see where it goes."
Baltimore's depth chart emptied behind him. Backup Tyler Huntley left in the second quarter with a right toe injury, and undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano finished the game. Josh Allen, meanwhile, set Buffalo's franchise record for career touchdown passes and rushed for a score, completing 21 of 34 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns as the Bills (6-1) won their third straight.
The Ravens (4-4) have lost three straight games, and the calendar offers no mercy: they host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night, which makes Baltimore's quarterback emergency a Florida story by kickoff. Who starts for Baltimore is, for the next four days, the biggest unknown on Jacksonville's schedule.
