TL;DR
- Baltimore Ravens' offense struggles despite Lamar Jackson's return, losing to Bengals with five turnovers.
- Lamar Jackson's recent four-game slump shows decreased passing and rushing effectiveness, raising health concerns.
- Jackson and coach Harbaugh deny injury impact, citing consistency issues and missed practice sessions.
- Jackson's stats show a significant drop in completion rate and touchdown passes in his last four games.
The Baltimore Ravens found their rhythm after Lamar Jackson's return, swiftly resuming their winning streak, though some recent victories occurred despite a surprisingly slow offense.
The Ravens' offensive struggles proved costly on Thanksgiving. Facing a Cincinnati Bengals defense that had been inconsistent throughout the season, Baltimore's five turnovers led to a decisive loss on their home turf.
While Joe Burrow's return was a factor for the Bengals, Jackson and the Ravens left plenty on the table on Thanksgiving night. For Jackson, his last four games can officially be labeled a mini-slump that is starting to raise questions regarding whether he is close to 100 percent healthy.
Here's a closer look at Jackson's slump and what the reasons could be.
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What's ailing Lamar Jackson?
The Ravens' early-season struggles stemmed from their defense, which appeared historically poor on occasion before Lamar Jackson sustained a hamstring injury sidelining him for three games.
With Jackson back, the dynamic has changed. Beyond a strong showing against the Miami Dolphins, the two-time MVP has not replicated the output he achieved last season or earlier this season. Meanwhile, the defense performed adequately, enabling the Ravens to secure victories against the Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, and New York Jets.
Thursday marked a low point for Jackson and the offense. The Bengals' defense created five turnovers, with Jackson responsible for two fumbles and an interception.
Jackson's output on the ground suggests he may not be completely recovered. He gained only 71 yards on 25 rushes in his initial four contests following an injury layoff, and seemed to forgo some chances to run versus the Jets in Week 12. Jackson showed slightly more agility on Thursday, gaining 27 yards on six carries, but his effectiveness still lags behind his pre-hamstring injury performance.
Are defenses altering their approach to the Ravens due to Jackson's limited mobility and the protection concerns he faces? He's thrown for under 60 percent of his passes in four straight starts, a feat he'd only managed twice in 2024. This marks the first time in Jackson's NFL tenure that he's completed under 60 percent of his passes across four consecutive contests.
Jackson's last three games have seen him fail to throw a touchdown pass, marking the first time this has happened since he joined the league.
As long as Jackson is setting the wrong kind of career marks, the "slump" label fits. The Ravens know he is talented enough to snap out of a slump at any moment, though questions about the quarterback's health could complicate that possibility.
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Is Lamar Jackson injured?
Following Thursday's game, both Jackson and coach John Harbaugh refuted claims that injuries are impacting the two-time MVP's performance.
"Uh, yeah, he's fully healthy to play, absolutely," Harbaugh said when asked about Jackson's health.
Jackson also brushed aside the inquiry, informing journalists, "No, I just got to be more consistent. I got to make those throws," when questioned if physical ailments were restricting his performance. "I don't miss them in practice, so I shouldn't miss them in the game."
When questioned about whether his recent string of injuries had impacted his subpar performance this evening, Lamar Jackson responded: "No, I just gotta be more consistent. I gotta make those throws. I don't miss them in practice, so I shouldn't miss them in the game."
— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) November 28, 2025
Jackson's practice absences have contributed to injury concerns, as he's missed one practice session each of the past three weeks due to distinct ailments. A knee issue prevented Jackson from practicing on a Wednesday before Week 11, an ankle problem led to him missing another Wednesday prior to Week 12, and a toe injury kept him out of practice on Monday of a short week.
Jackson and Harbaugh both dismissed the notion that injuries are impacting the Ravens' current offensive difficulties, but Jackson's availability for practice leading up to Week 14 might offer a partial explanation. However, due to the condensed schedule, Jackson has an additional three days to recuperate before a significant game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Lamar Jackson stats
2025 stats
| Starts | Comp. Rate | Yards | TD | INT | Rush att. | Rush yards | Rush TD |
| 9 | 64.8% | 1,841 | 15 | 4 | 52 | 264 | 1 |
Jackson is still completing nearly 65 percent of passes through nine starts, with 16 total touchdowns to four interceptions. The Ravens star is averaging his fewest yards per carry since his rookie season at 5.1.
Last four games
| Starts | Comp. Rate | Yards | TD | INT | Rush att. | Rush yards | Rush TD |
| 4 | 56.0% | 768 | 1 | 3 | 26 | 84 | 0 |
Jackson's return from injury was spectacular, throwing four touchdowns with just five incompletions during a prime-time victory against the Miami Dolphins, yet his performance has declined since then.
In his most recent four outings, Jackson's completion rate is a mere 56 percent, and he's thrown for less than 200 yards each game, managing only a single touchdown against three interceptions. Jackson has also fumbled the ball four times over these four contests, but he didn't lose possession of any fumbles until Thursday evening.
On the ground, Jackson has been close to a non-factor with 3.2 yards per carry and only 84 rushing yards in this recent stretch.