BALTIMORE — What’s the rush?
Seriously.
Take a look at where the Ravens stand, who’s playing quarterback and the team they’re set to square off against on Sunday. Baltimore has enough going for it to give Lamar Jackson’s injured ankle another week.
No one should question how badly he wants to play.
The Ravens (4-1) enter Week 6 atop the AFC North, with coolheaded backup Tyler Huntley fresh off a masterful finish in Atlanta. They have earned the luxury of patience.
Are Todd Monken’s Cleveland Browns really supposed to scare them out of it?
Coach Jesse Minter announced Friday that Jackson will miss his second consecutive game ahead of the team’s divisional matchup at Cleveland. The star quarterback did not practice all week.
Disappointing? Of course. Jackson is one of the most electrifying players this sport has ever seen.
But the Ravens, and Jackson, are right to wait.
“I think it’s just a decision for [Lamar Jackson]’s best interest,” Minter said of Jackson being ruled out for the second consecutive week. “That’s really what every decision’s always going to be about.”
Truthfully, we’ve already learned to leave some room between Minter’s injury descriptions and actual reality. Back on Aug. 9, the first-year coach said Skylar Thompson, who entered training camp as the de facto No. 3 quarterback, was dealing with “something small.” Three days later, Thompson was placed on season-ending injured reserve, opening a path for undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano to make the roster.
As for Jackson, two NFL Most Valuable Player Awards should earn him some benefit of the doubt, and the 29-year-old knows his body as he plays in the fourth year of his five-year, $260 million deal.
Huntley, meanwhile, has given Baltimore plenty of good reasons to be patient.
The seasoned backup completed his final 11 passes in Atlanta, led the Ravens back in regulation, and then drove the team to an overtime touchdown in a drive that lasted more than seven minutes. Baltimore won, 30-23, because its backup quarterback played his best football when the Ravens had exhausted their room for error.
Snoop was dealing.
Zay Flowers supplied his review late Sunday night inside the visitors’ locker room at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Emerging from the showers, Flowers belted out, “Snoop gon’ do it every time! Snoop gon’ do it every time!”
Huntley’s grin from the bottom of the pile after his overtime quarterback sneak captured the joy of that spectacular finish. The photo went viral, and Jackson was the first to show it to him.
Huntley’s career will always be intertwined with Jackson’s. When Baltimore looks back on these years, Snoop will have his place as the trusted backup who kept finding his way home. The win in Atlanta joined last season’s triumphs over Chicago and Green Bay among his most memorable contributions.
Looking ahead, Huntley is set to lead the offense with two full weeks of practice behind him.
“The plays start hitting your brain faster, and you just feel more comfortable going through your reads and going through what you see out there,” Huntley said.
The Ravens and general manager Eric DeCosta are also a year wiser regarding their backup quarterback.
Signing veteran Cooper Rush ahead of the 2025 season never made much sense. His pocket-passing style didn’t fit an offense built around Jackson’s mobility. Huntley’s legs naturally preserve more of the playbook and give the Ravens their best chance to win when Jackson is sidelined.
Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is using his options well.
The first-time NFL play-caller’s impressive start continued last Sunday in Atlanta, where he used two contrasting approaches on his final possessions. Doyle trusted Huntley to move quickly when time was scarce, and in overtime, Baltimore leaned on its physicality as running back Derrick Henry punished the Falcons.
“He is one of those guys that gets in the huddle, and guys have confidence in him,” Doyle said of Huntley. “He’s a calming presence in that way, because he doesn’t get freaked out or stressed.”
And who, exactly, are we asking Huntley to beat?
Cleveland is 3-2, just one game behind Baltimore in the AFC North standings. Give the Browns that much. Monken’s familiarity with Huntley might give him a head start in disrupting the backup quarterback, but injuries thinning Cleveland’s defense make it much harder to exploit Huntley’s tendencies.
The Browns have made the playoffs only three times since resuming play in 1999, with one postseason win. Huntley can beat them for his fourth straight win as Baltimore’s starter.
This softer stretch also lets the Ravens be extra patient with Jackson’s health.
DeCosta revamped this roster to withstand injuries like these. Keeping the Ravens atop the division while Jackson heals would be a pretty good return on that investment.
Away from the field, Jackson, who missed four games last season due to hamstring and back injuries, continues to contribute. According to Huntley, they review film together, with Jackson sharing what he sees. Minter praised Jackson’s work in meetings and his sideline guidance during the Atlanta victory. Anyone questioning Jackson’s investment should consider those accounts.
Jackson is doing his part. The Ravens’ locker room has plenty of talent for everyone else to do their part.
Let Jackson heal. Go beat the Browns.