Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Ravens likely to be without their top offensive player against Texans

By Zachary Cariola | Last updated Oct 3, 2025 2:11 PM ET

The Baltimore Ravens entered this season with Super Bowl aspirations, but those dreams are fading away as they sit 1-3 and are third in the AFC North.

The Ravens play the 1-3 Houston Texans on Sunday, entering as a one-point favorite against them. The Ravens have a 69.5% chance to win the game, according to BETMGM’s simulation.

The Ravens should have better odds of winning, but with star quarterback Lamar Jackson doubtful for Sunday's game and the season seemingly in the gutter, things could get ugly for them.

Lamar Jackson seems doubtful to play on Sunday against Houston Texans

According to Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley of ESPN, Jackson has missed his third straight practice due to a hamstring injury.

Hensley also reports that Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton missed his second straight practice due to a groin injury. His absence will be felt, with the Ravens having one of the worst defenses in the league.

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (hamstring) missed his 3rd straight practice (and final full one) before Sunday’s game vs. Texans.

It’s looking like Jackson will miss first game due to injury since 2023.

Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton (groin) missed his 2nd straight practice.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) October 3, 2025

Baltimore Ravens will need to win with Cooper Rush and the defense standing firm

Cooper Rush will likely start in place of Jackson on Sunday, as he was taking snaps with the first-team offense on Friday.

"Obviously, as athletic as 'Coop' is, some of those things are not going to look the same as Lamar," offensive coordinator Todd Monken said while speaking to the media about his game plan for Sunday. "But that doesn't mean you can't still be effective and efficient."

The Ravens offense isn’t the problem, as they have scored over 30 points in three of their four games this season, but the defense is another story.

Ranking 31st in both total defense (406.8 yards) and passing defense (265.5 yards), while having had a slightly better performance against the run at 27th (141.3 yards), the defense will need to be adequate for the Ravens to eek out a win.

Texans signal-caller C.J. Stroud is a decent quarterback and could have a strong game against a bad defense. He ranks 10th in the league in passing yards with 832 and is tied with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones with four passing touchdowns.

Zachary Cariola

My name is Zachary Cariola and I have been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. My areas of expertise are MLB, NBA, and NFL. You can find my other work on Southside Showdown from FanSided and at Chicitysports where I cover all Chicago sports. When not watching sports, I love spending time with my family and learning history.

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