The key problem with Lamar Jackson's injury for Ravens is his backup QB

Billy Heyen

The key problem with Lamar Jackson's injury for Ravens is his backup QB image

No one else is Lamar Jackson.

But the Baltimore Ravens didn't exactly create a situation where they were ready to fill-in for him.

Jackson has a hamstring injury and is iffy to play in Week 5.

His backup QB is Cooper Rush, who is a fine player and performed well last year for the Dallas Cowboys when given the chance. 

But his play style is nothing like the athletic, run-happy Jackson.

NFL analyst Adam Levitan summed it up like this in a post on X:

"WAS had Marcus Mariota as backup, didn't have to change much. NYJ had Tyrod Taylor as backup, didn't have to change much. BAL has Cooper Rush as backup, will have to change everything."

Mariota has stood in for Jayden Daniels for the last two weeks for the Commanders. Taylor started in Week 3 for Justin Fields with the Jets.

MORE: Lamar Jackson's injury has social media going crazy

This offseason, the Ravens let backup Tyler Huntley go, which meant they had to find a replacement, and they landed on Rush.

They can win games with Rush if Jackson is out, but the offense will have to operate a lot differently.

Defenses can focus in the running game more specifically on Derrick Henry rather than true option plays when Jackson is back there.

It's a bit surprising the Ravens didn't do more to get a backup who plays like Jackson, but now they'll have to figure it out.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle