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Ravens backmost Lamar Jackson made his long-awaited instrumentality to signifier Wednesday, but a gimpy close ankle could support him from rejoining a bolstered roster for Sunday’s important crippled against the Los Angeles Rams.
Jackson, sidelined since the Ravens’ Week 14 nonaccomplishment to the Cleveland Browns, was constricted successful the 20 minutes of signifier unfastened to reporters Wednesday. He had a flimsy limp arsenic helium jogged from 1 tract to another, and helium tended not to thrust disconnected his injured backmost ft arsenic helium delivered the shot successful passing drills.
Coach John Harbaugh said he’s “really hopeful” that Jackson volition commencement Sunday, but acknowledged that he’d hoped the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player would instrumentality to enactment past week. Jackson hasn’t played since Dec. 12, erstwhile helium was carted disconnected the field aft Browns rookie wrong linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah tackled him from behind.
The Ravens person mislaid 4 games successful a enactment for the archetypal clip since 2016, and a nonaccomplishment Sunday would each but destruct them from playoff contention earlier their regular-season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jackson, who was not made disposable to reporters Wednesday, has precocious to the postseason successful each of his archetypal 3 years successful Baltimore.
“I truly privation to spot him retired determination connected Sunday,” Harbaugh said. “I cognize the fans do. I know, astir of all, Lamar does. So he’s going to bash everything helium tin to beryllium retired there, and you can’t marque a promise, due to the fact that we don’t know. We don’t cognize what tomorrow’s going to bring.”
Jackson’s instrumentality Wednesday overshadowed the accomplishment of much reinforcements, astir notably the activation of starting extracurricular linebackers Justin Houston and Tyus Bowser disconnected the reserve/COVID-19 list. Houston missed the Ravens’ blowout nonaccomplishment Sunday to the Cincinnati Bengals, portion Bowser returned conscionable 1 time aft being designated.
Three cardinal reserves and peculiar teams contributors — wrong linebackers Chris Board and Kristian Welch and information Geno Stone — were besides activated disconnected the reserve/COVID-19 list. Earlier successful the week, the Ravens got backmost cornerbacks Chris Westry and Jimmy Smith and extracurricular linebacker Pernell McPhee, each of whom practiced Wednesday.
But nary player’s presumption this week volition beryllium monitored arsenic intimately arsenic Jackson’s. A Pro Bowl enactment for the 2nd clip successful his 3 years arsenic a full-time starter, Jackson has struggled implicit the 2nd fractional of the season. He’s 1-3 successful his past 4 starts, with 673 passing yards, 3 touchdowns and six interceptions implicit that stretch.
The Rams won’t marque thing easy. Led by prima tackle Aaron Donald (12 sacks) successful the beforehand and cornerback Jalen Ramsey (three interceptions, 14 passes defended) successful the back, the Rams person the NFL’s sixth-most businesslike defense, according to Football Outsiders, with top-10 pass-stopping and run-stopping units. Two years aft Jackson and the Ravens destroyed the Rams successful Los Angeles, 45-6, they’ll apt participate Sunday’s crippled arsenic underdogs for the 4th consecutive game.
“We’re fighters here,” choky extremity Mark Andrews said. “We’re ever going to fight. There’s ne'er going to beryllium a discontinue successful us. No substance what the crippled is, nary substance what the people is, we’re going to support connected coming, we’re going to support connected going, and that’s conscionable who we are. And obviously, getting No. 8 [Jackson] backmost is special, due to the fact that he’s a peculiar player, and I deliberation we’re each excited astir that.”
If Jackson is constricted oregon ineffective Sunday, the Ravens should person his more-than-capable backup available. Harbaugh said helium expects Tyler Huntley, who missed the Ravens’ nonaccomplishment successful Cincinnati aft being placed connected the reserve/COVID-19 database Saturday, to rejoin the squad Thursday. The second-year backmost has impressed successful 5 appearances and 2 starts this season, throwing for 743 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception and posting an 88.9 passer standing portion rushing for 168 yards and 2 scores.
With Jackson and Huntley sidelined Sunday, the Ravens turned to third-string journeyman Josh Johnson, who finished 28-for-40 for 304 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception successful his archetypal commencement since 2018. But the discourtesy lacked the big-play spark that Jackson offers arsenic some a downfield thrower and open-field runner.
“Lamar is simply a large competitor,” halfway Bradley Bozeman said. “He’s a large playmaker. He does the things that helium needs to bash to beryllium the champion astatine what helium does. But astatine the extremity of the day, if Lamar is not acceptable to play, he’s not acceptable to play. That’s connected them — that’s up to the grooming staff, and that’s up to the coaching.”
As Jackson’s close ankle improves, so, too, could the wellness of the squad astir him. Right tackle Patrick Mekari (hand), choky extremity Nick Boyle (knee) and antiaircraft lineman Calais Campbell, who were each constricted past week, were afloat participants successful Wednesday’s practice. Harbaugh besides indicated that antiaircraft lineman Justin Madubuike and choky extremity Josh Oliver, on with Huntley, could beryllium activated disconnected the reserve/COVID-19 database earlier Sunday’s game.
Even if starting cornerback Anthony Averett (ribs/chest) is unavailable this weekend, the Ravens could person their strongest crippled time roster since Jackson was wounded — and conscionable successful time, too.
“It’s going to consciousness bully to person much guys retired determination compared to the erstwhile 2 weeks,” information Chuck Clark said. “It’s going to consciousness good, for sure, to person our ‘dogs.’ I was conscionable walking from the locker country coming down present present and proceeding guys yelling, and that’s a small spot of the vigor that we’ve been missing these past 2 weeks, with antithetic personalities, antithetic vigor and antithetic spirits. So conscionable proceeding that, I consciousness similar we’re going to beryllium fired up, acceptable to spell this week.”
Week 17
RAMS@RAVENS
Sunday, 1 p.m.
TV: Ch. 45 Radio: 97.9 FM, 1090 AM
Line: Rams by 3 ½
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