Lamarless

The Ravens have shown they can win games when Lamar Jackson is not the starting quarterback.

It hasn’t been pretty and all of the victories have come against teams with losing records.

But, winning is difficult in the NFL.

When the Ravens run the football and play tight defense, good things tend to happen.

That’s been the formula for recent success.

Coach John Harbaugh is confident that strategy can work over the final two games of the season and beyond.

“I don’t think there’s any team that’s going to feel like they aren’t capable of doing it,” he said. “This is the National Football League, and we have a very good football team. There are things we do well, but everything we can do better. There’s nothing that we can’t do better than what we’re doing right now, and I’m excited about the possibilities. Hey, if you’re hitting on all cylinders, then you’ve got nowhere to go but down, I guess. So, we feel like we can play a lot better in a lot of different ways. I know our players have said that. I heard Marlon [Humphrey] say that after the game. And that’s something that we’re all excited about – the possibilities.”

Can the Ravens make a little more noise in the playoffs than that sparse crowd did the other day?

Fans’ lack of confidence in the former likely impacted the latter. #RavensFlock https://t.co/NmqRKBgEU7

— Russell St. Report (@RussellStReport) December 27, 2022

The Ravens are 3-1 since Jackson suffered a knee injury against the Denver Broncos in Week 13. Those three victories came against the Broncos, Steelers, and Falcons. The Ravens lost to the Browns.

The Ravens have another tough game with the Steelers in Week 17. Baltimore beat Pittsburgh 16-14 on Dec. 3 even when undrafted rookie Anthony Brown was forced into action after Tyler Huntley was placed in concussion protocol.

Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett was also injured on a first-quarter sack by linebacker Roquan Smith. Pickett was also placed in concussion protocol and was replaced by Mitchell Trubisky, who proceeded to throw three interceptions in the red zone.

Jackson could be back in the lineup for the game, but coach John Harbaugh was uncertain about whether he will be ready.

“I haven’t thought about that,” Harbaugh said. “Players play when they’re healthy and ready to go. That’s really all we do. When the player and the docs come back and say, ‘Hey, it’s time,’ then [as] coaches, we build him into the game plan. That’s really how [it works]. To think about it beyond that is just kind of a waste of energy and time.

“Lamar is working very hard to get back. The trainers are working very hard to get him back. I’m optimistic in so many ways, but focused on our team and the next game plan with who we have, really.”

As of Wednesday, it’s still uncertain whether Jackson will be able to play against Pittsburgh or even the potentially huge regular-season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals that could decide the AFC North champion.

Even though the Ravens are finding ways to win games, they are going to need a healthy Jackson for the playoffs when the stakes are higher and the competition will be better.

Harbaugh has confidence in the players that have been able to stay on the field.

“They’ve had each other’s backs all season,” he said. “All the other stuff, and the criticism, and the noise and the harshness of some of it, is just how it goes. It’s what we sign up for when you’re involved in this, and it’s OK. The point is that you stick together, and you find a way to get better in every kind of single area.

“So, right now where we’re at, I’m excited about where we’re at because I feel that when we really get going, we can kick this thing into gear maybe at the right time. We’ve been fighting for that; we keep fighting for that every single week.”

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