The Baltimore Ravens will face the Chicago Bears on Sunday without their star quarterback, Lamar Jackson, who has been ruled out due to a lingering hamstring injury. This marks Jackson’s third consecutive game missed, leaving backup Tyler Huntley to start in a critical matchup for the struggling 1-5 Ravens.

Lamar Jackson’s injury update

Lamar Jackson returned to the practice field this week, raising hopes for his comeback. He participated in three straight sessions, starting as a limited participant on Monday and Wednesday. On Friday, he was initially listed as a full participant, fueling optimism. However, the Ravens downgraded his Friday status to limited and ruled him out on Saturday.

The two-time NFL MVP has been sidelined since injuring his right hamstring in a Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on September 28. Despite the bye week offering extra recovery time, the Ravens are prioritizing a full recovery to avoid risking further injury to their dual-threat star.

Tyler Huntley steps up as starter

With Lamar Jackson out, Tyler Huntley will take the helm over Cooper Rush, who started the past two games. Rush struggled, throwing for just 251 yards with zero touchdowns and four interceptions, leading to his benching in a Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Huntley holds a 5-9 record as a starter, including a 3-6 mark with Baltimore Ravens from 2021-2023. Notably, Huntley led the Ravens to a 16-13 win over the Bears in 2021, completing 26 of 36 passes for 219 yards.

Huntley’s mobility aligns more closely with Jackson’s dynamic style, as Jackson leads all NFL quarterbacks in career rushing yards. “Nobody can replace Jackson’s dual threat abilities,” analysts note, but Huntley’s skillset offers a better fit than Rush’s pocket-passing approach.

Baltimore Ravens’ playoff hopes fade

Baltimore’s 1-5 record ties the franchise’s worst start, with a four-game losing streak adding urgency to Sunday’s game. The Ravens are 5-12 without Jackson since he became the starter in 2019, averaging just 15.4 points per game compared to 28.1 with him. In his four starts this season, Jackson completed 71.6% of his passes for a league-best 10.78 yards per attempt, with 10 touchdowns and one interception.