Lamar Jackson's return from an ankle injury lasted just one offensive play on Sunday, Nov. 1, when the Baltimore Ravens quarterback injured his thumb against the Buffalo Bills. Baltimore ruled the two-time NFL MVP out for the remainder of the game, cutting short his first appearance after missing three games.
The injury occurred with slightly more than 10 minutes remaining in the opening quarter at Highmark Stadium. Buffalo had already scored a quick touchdown before Baltimore's offense took possession. On first-and-10, Jackson attempted a pass to Zay Flowers and struck a defender's arm with his hand as he released the ball.
Jackson appeared to be in pain immediately after the contact and quickly headed toward the sideline. Members of Baltimore's training staff then escorted him to the locker room. The injury was to the thumb on his right hand, leaving the Ravens without their starting quarterback almost as soon as his comeback began.
Jackson had been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury in Week 4. That injury kept him out of Baltimore's previous three games and resulted in an absence of nearly a month before he returned in Buffalo. Sunday's matchup had offered the Ravens an opportunity to get him back into an offense whose scoring had fallen during his absence.
Tyler Huntley took over following Jackson's departure, but Baltimore's problems at quarterback continued in the second quarter when Huntley suffered a toe injury. The Ravens then turned to third-string quarterback Joe Fagnano, an undrafted rookie from UConn. It was Fagnano's first career appearance.
The meeting between Jackson and Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen had been billed as one of Week 8's leading matchups. Instead, Baltimore was forced to move through three quarterbacks, with its rookie entering after injuries to both the returning starter and his replacement.
Baltimore's results this season illustrate Jackson's importance to the offense. The Ravens won three of their first four games with him playing and averaged 29.8 points per game. Across the three games he missed, they went 1-2 and averaged 17.7 points.
The Ravens also face a short turnaround before hosting their next quarterback decision, with a Thursday night game against the Jacksonville Jaguars scheduled for Week 9. A thumb injury to Jackson's throwing hand could affect his ability to grip the football. His early exit against Buffalo leaves his availability for Thursday in question.
