Lamar Jackson Exits Return Game With Thumb Injury

Caption: Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson on the sidelines during a game in Landover, Maryland, on October 4, 2020. Credit: All-Pro Reels / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Lamar Jackson will need thumb surgery and be placed on injured reserve after his return to Baltimore’s starting lineup lasted one play in a 36-10 loss to Buffalo on November 1. Ravens coach Jesse Minter said the injury could end the quarterback’s season.

Jackson hurt the thumb on his right throwing hand when his hand struck Bills edge rusher Greg Rousseau’s arm during a pass attempt to Zay Flowers. He had been making his first start after missing three games with an ankle injury.

Baltimore’s problems deepened when backup Tyler Huntley also left with an injury. Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano finished the game, leaving the Ravens facing an unsettled quarterback situation before a Thursday-night home matchup with Jacksonville.

The loss dropped Baltimore to 4-4 and extended its losing streak to three games. Buffalo improved to 6-1 behind Josh Allen’s two touchdown passes and rushing touchdown.

Jackson Leaves on Opening Snap

Jackson could not complete his follow-through on the opening pass, which bounced short. He immediately began leaving the field, appeared to indicate his thumb and took a knee before reaching the sideline, according to the Associated Press.

He was escorted into the tunnel, and Baltimore initially listed him as questionable. The Ravens ruled him out before the end of the first quarter. He later returned to the sideline with his thumb in a splint.

The postgame surgery announcement replaced the uncertainty of the initial injury bulletin with the prospect of another extended absence. Minter said Jackson would go on injured reserve, although the final length of his absence had not been established.

Huntley Injury Forces Rookie Into Debut

Huntley injured his toe while being sacked and losing a fumble at the end of Baltimore’s fourth offensive series. Fagnano, an undrafted rookie from Connecticut, then made his regular-season debut.

He completed 10 of 21 passes for 91 yards and threw an interception. Buffalo’s defense finished with four sacks and three takeaways and held the Ravens to 144 total yards.

Huntley’s availability for the short week was unclear after the game. The Ravens had already gone 1-2 during Jackson’s earlier three-game absence, making the latest injuries another disruption rather than the beginning of a new quarterback adjustment.

Bills Pull Away After Halftime

Baltimore remained within reach early in the second half. Tyler Loop’s 26-yard field goal cut Buffalo’s lead to 16-10, but the Bills scored the game’s final 20 points.

A 49-yard Allen completion to DJ Moore helped set up James Cook’s five-yard touchdown run. Dalton Kincaid and Moore added touchdown catches on consecutive fourth-quarter possessions.

Allen finished 21 of 34 for 289 yards, two passing touchdowns and an interception. Buffalo overcame 10 penalties for 87 yards and a mistake-filled first half to score touchdowns on three of its first four possessions after halftime.

Derrick Henry scored Baltimore’s only touchdown on a two-yard run. Another Henry touchdown was erased by a holding penalty, and Loop missed a 34-yard field-goal attempt.

The Ravens now have only a few days to prepare for Jacksonville while assessing Huntley’s toe and Jackson’s surgical recovery. What began as Jackson’s anticipated return ended with Baltimore relying on a rookie and preparing for another stretch without its starter.

References: Associated Press via Yahoo Sports, final score and surgery announcement | Associated Press via ESPN690, opening-play injury