Ravens shouldn't rush Lamar Jackson back vs. Falcons

The Baltimore Ravens may be without star quarterback Lamar Jackson in Week 5 against the Atlanta Falcons.

In fact, even if Jackson wants to play, the Ravens would be smart to keep him on the bench this week. He should only play if he's 100 percent or better.

The reason? Baltimore has the perfect "break glass in case of emergency" quarterback in Tyler Huntley.

Huntley has been in this position before. He's also a dual-threat quarterback much like Jackson, so offensive coordinator Declan Doyle would not have to change much of the game plan heading into Week 5.

A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time league MVP, one of the biggest criticisms against Jackson has been the fact that he's oft-injured. What that has meant for the Ravens, and Huntley by extension, is that they've got plenty of experience playing with a backup.

Huntley has been with the team on and off since 2020, and he has 12 starts under his belt with the Ravens. That includes a start against the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2022 AFC wild-card round, where he threw for 226 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a 24-17 loss.

The Ravens are 5-7 with Huntley filling in as the starter. Their opponent this weekend is the Atlanta Falcons, who are 2-2 but riding a two-game win streak over the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints.

Atlanta is known for its run game, led by Bijan Robinson, but the Falcons defense has been surprisingly stout. In fact, they're ranked eighth in the NFL in yards per game given up at just 313.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport has reported that there's an "outside chance" that Jackson plays against Atlanta, while he has also heard that the star quarterback could miss multiple games with the sprained ankle, depending on how rehab goes.