Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson will start Sunday vs. the Oakland Raiders in place of Joe Flacco, per the team's official Twitter account.
Flacco has been hampered by a hip problem and missed last Sunday's home game vs. the Cincinnati Bengals. The rookie Jackson filled in for Flacco, tossing 150 passing yards while adding 119 rushing yards. The Ravens beat the Bengals 24-21, moving to 5-5 on the season.
The Ravens traded up to select Jackson with the No. 32 pick in this year's draft, a clear sign they're ready to move on from the 33-year-old Flacco down the road. Should Jackson continue to perform well in Flacco's place, he should land the starting job for the remainder of the season.
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Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com recently noted that Baltimore would save $10.5 million in cap space if they cut the Super Bowl 47 MVP and champion after the season. Thus, it's Jackson's opportunity to show that he's the quarterback of the future, which could pave the way for Flacco's exit this offseason.
The 5-5 Ravens are tied with the Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans for the final playoff spot in the AFC. The Ravens' defense has been a top-tier unit once again (best in both yards and points per game), but the offense has struggled mightily in 2018.
What This Means
Baltimore's offense ranks a mere 17th in points for per game (23.7), but a respectable 12th in yards per contest (370.2). The hope is Jackson can help the offense get better over the final six games and lead them to the playoffs for the first time in four years.
But if Jackson struggles vs. the two-win Raiders, don't be surprised if Flacco gets the starting job back when he's healthy enough to play again.
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