Lamar Jackson injury: Ravens QB upset after taking knee to back vs. Patriots

The Baltimore Ravens’ playoff hopes took quite a shot on Sunday night, as they fell to 7-8 with a 28-24 loss to the New England Patriots. In addition to the Patriots clinching a playoff spot, a main headline from this matchup was Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson exiting in the second quarter with a back injury and not returning. 

On Monday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters that Jackson has a back contusion — or a bruise. 

“Painful, certainly,” Harbaugh said. “Saw him in here getting treatment this morning and this afternoon, early. He’s been classified as day-to-day on that, nothing beyond the contusion but I don’t want to minimize the severity and pain level of that, because it’s legit.” 

Jackson struggled to walk out of the locker room after speaking with reporters, according to the Ravens’ official website. The two-time MVP was injured on a designed run when he took a knee to the back from Patriots safety Craig Woodson. After the game, Jackson admitted his frustrations about being unable to re-enter the game. 

“It’s BS, bro,” Jackson said. “I can’t control that. I’m on the ground. I’m down. I gave myself up. I got kneed in the back. … [I’m] getting injured, and then we’re fighting for a chance to make the playoffs. I can’t finish the game with my guys. It’s BS.”

Jackson said that he felt like the game was in the Ravens’ favor when he got hurt. Jackson had completed 7 of 10 passes for 101 yards before exiting. He was injured right before the Ravens tied the game 10-10 with a field goal with 1:03 remaining in the first half. Tyler Huntley replaced Jackson under center, and completed 9 of 10 passes for 65 yards. Baltimore had a 24-13 lead early in the fourth quarter before the Patriots stormed back to win with two touchdowns in the final nine minutes.

“My legs felt great. I just got kneed in the back in the red zone. I just couldn’t finish the game. I was trying. I [got] a Toradol shot and stuff like that, but it still didn’t get [any] better,” Jackson said. “Pain. It hurts. [It] hurts.”

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More tests will be completed, but Jackson hopes to start against the Green Bay Packers next Saturday in what is a must-win game for Baltimore. Even if Jackson starts, the Ravens haven’t looked like the offensive juggernaut the NFL world has come to know in recent years. Jackson has accounted for just nine total touchdowns and seven turnovers while averaging 21.8 rushing yards per contest over the past eight games while dealing with an array of injuries. This season marks the first time Jackson has lost six games as a starter — and Sunday marked his first career loss in Week 15 or later. Previously, Jackson was 16-0.

According to SportsLine, the Ravens have a 5.8% chance to win the AFC North, while the 9-6 Pittsburgh Steelers have a 94.2% chance to hold onto their division lead.