New alarming injury update on Ravens' Lamar Jackson emerges

While speaking with reporters on Monday, first-year Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter suggested the left ankle injury that quarterback Lamar Jackson suffered in Baltimore's 24-18 win over the Tennessee Titans this past Sunday would not keep Jackson out of action for multiple games. 

It now seems as if Minter was concealing the truth or that the Ravens ultimately received worrisome news about the nature of Jackson's setback after the coach spoke on Monday. 

Is Lamar Jackson's ankle injury worse than first thought? 

On Tuesday morning, league insider Ian Rapoport of NFL Network/ESPN revealed that Jackson has "only an outside chance to play" in the Ravens' upcoming "Sunday Night Football" matchup at the 2-2 Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 11. 

"Jackson could end up missing multiple games based on how rehab goes," Rapoport added, "but the injury is not considered long-term or surgical." 

Backup Tyler Huntley will likely serve as Baltimore's QB1 during practice leading up to the Falcons game, and he will start at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium if Jackson can't go this coming Sunday. Against the Titans, Huntley went 8-of-9 passing for 63 yards and no touchdowns.

What other games could Lamar Jackson miss?

After quarterback Michael Penix Jr. returned to the Atlanta starting lineup, the Falcons notched a 35-14 Week 3 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field and a 45-24 victory at the rival New Orleans Saints on Monday night. Shortly after Rapoport offered his update, DraftKings Sportsbook had the 3-1 Ravens as 1.5-point road underdogs against the Falcons. 

Meanwhile, a previous report from Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk said that Jackson was considered more week-to-week than day-to-day. It now sounds like there is a real chance that Jackson won't play in Baltimore's road game at the suddenly-hot Cleveland Browns (3-1) on Oct. 18. In Week 7, Baltimore will host the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 25. 

Considering how Atlanta and Cleveland have played as of late, the Ravens could be 3-3 heading into their matchup against Cincinnati. One would think Jackson would do all he could to start against the Bengals if such a scenario plays out.