Lamar Jackson Is Out Again — Baltimore's Backup Plan Faces a Bigger Test in Cleveland
GOATIFYBaltimore is 4-1, riding a three-game winning streak and still leading the AFC North. Yet its first divisional game of the season will begin without the player who makes its offense so difficult to defend. Lamar Jackson has been ruled out of Sunday's trip to Cleveland with the ankle injury that has kept him off the practice field since Week 4. Tyler Huntley will start for a second straight week, and the Ravens will have to protect their division lead without their two-time MVP.
The quarterback change is only the headline. Newly acquired center Cam Jurgens is also unavailable, two guards are questionable, and injuries have thinned the tight end room.
Hendrickson's return gives Baltimore a boost on defense.
Huntley can win again — but he cannot be asked to play like Lamar
Head coach Jesse Minter confirmed Friday that Jackson would not play against Cleveland. The quarterback has not practiced since the ankle injury he sustained against Tennessee on October 4, and the absence will be his second straight. Earlier optimism about a possible Week 6 return did not translate into a full week of preparation. Baltimore is treating the decision as a health matter rather than asking Jackson to prove his toughness on game day.
Huntley has earned more trust than the phrase backup quarterback usually suggests. Against Atlanta in Week 5, he completed 24 of 32 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns, then added a rushing score in Baltimore's 30-23 overtime comeback. The offense needed late answers under pressure, and Huntley helped produce the decisive drives when the margin for error had disappeared.
Huntley can move and extend plays, but Cleveland will want to force long third downs and make him win repeatedly from the pocket. The answer for Baltimore should be rhythm rather than imitation: early completions, a credible rushing threat and formations that prevent defenders from sitting on obvious passing situations.
Derrick Henry is central to that plan. He rushed for 102 yards against Atlanta. If Baltimore keeps him involved without becoming predictable, Huntley will see friendlier passing looks. Cleveland's best response is to stop the run without extra defenders.
The injury-hit offensive line is Baltimore's quieter problem
Jackson's absence draws attention, but the center position may decide how comfortable Huntley feels. Cam Jurgens, acquired from Philadelphia earlier this month, has not cleared concussion protocol and will not make his Ravens debut in Cleveland. Rookie Vega Ioane will start again after shifting from right guard. That continuity helps, but center responsibilities are demanding: identifying fronts, organizing protection and delivering clean exchanges.
Both guard spots need monitoring. Andrew Vorhees and Emery Jones Jr. were limited in practice and listed as questionable. If either cannot play, Baltimore may need another adjustment around Ioane. Pressure through the middle can erase the short passing lanes that make a controlled plan work.
The Browns are missing defensive tackles Mike Hall and Kalia Davis, while Mason Graham is questionable. Those absences may create running opportunities for Derrick Henry, but the Ravens still have to execute their assignments.
Receiver availability helps the offense stay flexible.
Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman carry no game designation, giving Huntley his main receiving options.
Hendrickson's return gives the Ravens a way to control the other quarterback
Baltimore is getting a timely defensive reinforcement. Trey Hendrickson, who underwent a procedure on an injured finger and missed the previous two games, has no injury designation for Sunday. Minter said the medical plan was chosen with the player's long-term interests in mind. Hendrickson practiced fully throughout the week, giving the Ravens a proven edge threat for their first AFC North matchup.
The matchup is inviting. Deshaun Watson was sacked eight times in Cleveland's loss to the Jets, and he entered the week having been sacked 19 times this season. Those numbers do not guarantee another barrage, but they identify a vulnerability Baltimore can attack. Hendrickson can draw extra protection, creating chances for teammates even without recording the sack.
With guard Teven Jenkins out, Cleveland faces additional protection questions.
Baltimore can win without Jackson if Huntley stays on schedule, Henry receives a meaningful workload and Hendrickson helps pressure Cleveland's quarterback. None of those conditions requires a heroic performance from one player. The roster must absorb several absences without letting one weak spot become the Browns' entire game plan.
The Browns will see the opportunity from the opposite side. At 3-2, a home win against a 4-1 division leader would reshape the early AFC North race. Baltimore's goal is to leave Cleveland 5-1, protect Jackson's recovery and prove last week's Huntley-led comeback was evidence of sustainable depth rather than a one-night rescue. Sunday's result will reveal whether the Ravens can stay in control while their most important player heals.
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