The Baltimore Ravens will be without Lamar Jackson for the next two to three weeks as the two-time NFL MVP winner recovers from a hamstring injury sustained against the Kansas City Chiefs.
That means it is Cooper Rush time for the AFC North champs, and while some aren't sold on Rush's ability to keep the Ravens afloat over the next fortnight, it is worth noting he was 4-1 in 2022, filling in for Dak Prescott, and then 4-4 in 2024, so he can win games.
And for head coach John Harbaugh, he has all the faith in the world that Rush will come in and do a job against the Houston Texans.
“I think it's very valuable and Cooper practiced today, he was the quarterback,” Harbaugh said. “Cooper's experience, he's been in these situations before, he's up to speed. He's been with us all the way back to the beginning. He's been in every practice, every meeting, he knows the offense, and he'll be ready to go.”
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Rush holds Ravens' season in his hands
Sitting at 1-3, it is gut-check time for the Ravens, and with the Texans and then the Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore's season could be over at 1-5 as it enters the bye.
Rush has to simply win one of the next two to give the Ravens hope that when Jackson returns, he can lead them on a run towards the playoffs. Some are still confident that the Ravens, even at 1-5, can mount a comeback, but there will be no margin for error, and even now, Rush can't afford too many mistakes.
And as such, the fate of Baltimore's entire 2025 season rests on Cooper's hands in the next two weeks.
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