Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh suggested Monday he was "very hopeful" star quarterback Lamar Jackson would ultimately be able to return for the upcoming "Sunday Night Football" divisional home game against the Cleveland Browns. Jackson missed this past Sunday's 16-13 win over the Chicago Bears because of what remains somewhat of a mystery illness.
Jackson addressed reporters Wednesday and said he was feeling "good" to go and is "120 percent" confident he'll be in the lineup for Sunday's clash between the 7-3 Ravens and 6-5 Browns:
"Feeling good!" @Lj_era8 pic.twitter.com/rqjRAhHDsM
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 24, 2021
"120%" @Lj_era8 pic.twitter.com/8WnLpe1LYb
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 24, 2021
One would understand Baltimore fans reacting to Jackson's latest update with cautious optimism. The 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player has been on the injury report multiple times this fall with illnesses, most notably last week, but practiced Friday and then said he was "feeling great" from his "cold or something" before the Bears game. However, Ryan McFadden of the Baltimore Sun wrote that cornerback Marlon Humphrey remarked Jackson didn't "even know the plane landed" because he was so sick ahead of the contest. Backup Tyler Huntley earned a massive win that kept the Ravens atop the AFC North standings.
As for Cleveland, quarterback Baker Mayfield declared Wednesday he plans to start in Baltimore even though he's dealing with three separate injury issues heading into Thanksgiving.
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