The Baltimore Ravens have finally confirmed the worst-case scenario around Lamar Jackson: the two-time MVP is expected to miss six to ten weeks after surgery on a broken and dislocated right thumb. For a team already struggling at 4-5 and sitting last in the AFC North, the injury turns the remainder of the regular season into a fight for survival.
Jackson suffered the injury on the first offensive snap of Baltimore’s Week 8 loss to Buffalo on November 1, when his throwing hand struck the arm of Bills linebacker Greg Rousseau. He was placed on injured reserve, underwent surgery, and coach Jesse Minter said the Ravens will let his recovery progress determine when he can return.
What Baltimore loses
Jackson is more than Baltimore’s quarterback. He is the engine of an offence built around pressure on the edges, designed run threats, play-action passing and the constant possibility that a broken play becomes a touchdown.
Without him, defensive coordinators no longer have to dedicate a spy or commit an extra defender to contain the quarterback. That changes everything for Baltimore’s running backs, tight ends and receivers. The Ravens can still run the ball, but they lose the threat of Jackson pulling the ball and turning a read option into a explosive gain.
The passing game also becomes less dangerous. Jackson’s ability to extend plays forces coverage to hold longer, creating opportunities downfield. A more traditional pocket passer cannot replicate that pressure, which means Baltimore’s receivers may face tighter windows and the offence may need to become more structured and conservative.
Brissett must keep Baltimore alive
Baltimore acquired veteran Jacoby Brissett from Arizona on November 6, and he is expected to start Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers. His job is not to imitate Jackson; it is to protect the football, move the chains and keep the Ravens within striking distance until their star quarterback can possibly return.
The earliest point in Jackson’s six-week recovery window would be Week 16 against Cleveland. If he needs the full ten weeks, his return would come during the postseason, assuming Baltimore qualifies. That makes every remaining game critical: the Ravens must stay close enough in the standings for Jackson’s comeback to matter.
AFC North implications
Baltimore’s 4-5 record leaves it last in the AFC North and on a four-game losing streak. The division remains tightly contested, but the Ravens cannot afford another extended slump while their franchise quarterback watches from the sideline.
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Cleveland now have a clearer path to separate themselves. Every Baltimore loss gives the rest of the division more room, while every Ravens win keeps the possibility of a late-season Jackson return alive. The AFC North has often been decided by physical football and late-season momentum, and Baltimore must now find both without its most dynamic player.
The Ravens’ path is clear but difficult: win enough with Brissett, survive the division schedule, and hope Jackson’s thumb heals in time for a meaningful return. If that happens, Baltimore could enter the final weeks with a playoff berth and a former MVP waiting to change everything. If it does not, the AFC North race may pass them by.