*** This story has been updated below ***
Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is trending in the right direction to play on Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
After missing practices on Wednesday and Thursday due to knee and back issues, Jackson was on the field and spotted by local reporters in Baltimore on Friday.
Game statuses will come out later on Friday, but Jackson could be listed as questionable for the contest — or off the injury report entirely. For what it’s worth, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph always expected Jackson to suit up in this pivotal contest between 5-3 teams.
“I think Lamar’s going to play,” Joseph said on Thursday. “It’s midseason. Maybe he’s a little beat up. But he’s always answered the bell. He’s going to play.”
That’s the right philosophy from Joseph and clearly looks like what’s going to happen. The winner of this game will be the top wild card in the AFC and hold the tiebreaker moving forward in the playoff bracket.
Of course, the Ravens are hoping they can catch the Steelers to win the AFC North, while the Broncos have work to do to chase down the Chiefs in the AFC West.
It certainly was an interesting week for Jackson, after his head coach John Harbaugh told reporters on Wednesday the two-time MVP missed practice for rest. That wasn’t the case when the injury report came out, with the knee and back issues getting revealed.
On Thursday when Jackson wasn’t out there again, people started to really wonder. But his presence Friday means Jackson is trending in the right direction to play Sunday. And the Broncos figured that was the case all along.
(Update 11:28 a.m.) –
Jackson sounds like he’s definitely playing against the Broncos.
(Update 2:31 p.m.) –
Jackson is off the injury report and will face Denver.
