Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had fans worried as he suffered an apparent ankle injury at practice during the week. Jackson was listed as a limited participant for Baltimore’s practice on Wednesday, and he didn’t practice at all on Thursday, which led to some understandable concern regarding his status for the Ravens’ crucial Week 14 matchup with the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers.
The game against Pittsburgh is extremely important for both teams, as they’re currently tied at the top of the AFC North with identical 6-6 records. Whoever wins the game will take pole position in the division and give their playoffs hopes a major boost.
Lamar Jackson will play in Week 14 vs. Steelers
Luckily for Baltimore, Jackson will be available for the contest despite missing some practice time during the week. He was a full participant in practice on Friday, and he carries no designation heading into the game.
"I feel pretty good," Jackson said following practice on Friday, adding that the team is approaching the showdown with the Steelers like a playoff game. "… Right now, for the situation we're in, it's definitely a playoff game for us," he said.
Both the Ravens and Steelers lost their most recent game. Baltimore fell 32-14 to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving, while the Steelers were dominated 26-7 by the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The Steelers also lost their previous game to the Chicago Bears, 31-28.
The matchup between Baltimore and Pittsburgh will be the first of two on the season as the teams will also play in Week 18 in Pittsburgh. Those two games will go a long way towards determining who claims the crown in the AFC North this season.
Now that he’s been cleared to play, Jackson will look to put an end to a slumpy streak. The star quarterback has gone three straight games without throwing a touchdown pass – the longest such streak of his career. His last touchdown toss came against the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 9.