OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Linebacker Roquan Smith said the Ravens were “refreshed” and had an “awesome vibe” when the team returned to the practice fields at the team’s Under Armour Performance Center on Oct. 20 after their Week 7 bye. But quarterback Lamar Jackson remained sidelined by his hamstring injury, clouding any optimism as the reeling Ravens prepare to host the Chicago Bears on Oct. 26.
The Ravens (1-5), who began the season as a trendy Super Bowl pick, have lost four games in a row, and it’s not hyperbole to say their season is on the line against the Bears (4-2), winners of four in a row.
It’s hard to see how the Ravens could remain relevant for any playoff chase if they drop to 1-6, but based on the past two weeks, it’s hard to see how they can sustain any kind of run without Jackson.
The two-time league MVP has missed the past two games after suffering an injury in Week 4 at Kansas City, and backup quarterback Cooper Rush in seven quarters led the team to one touchdown and committed five turnovers.
Rush was ultimately pulled in the fourth quarter of the Ravens’ 17-3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams and replaced with third-string quarterback Tyler Huntley, a practice-squad callup.
After the team’s Oct. 20 workout, head coach John Harbaugh was vague when asked about Jackson’s continued absence, saying only, “All the guys are working really hard to get back, I can tell you that, so we’ll see who’s back and who practices on Wednesday. I don’t really want to comment on any individual guys per se.”
Other than Jackson, the only player on the 53-man roster who didn’t practice Oct. 20 was outside linebacker Tavius Robinson, who is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a foot injury sustained in the Ravens’ Week 6 game against the Rams.
The Ravens haven’t won since Week 2 against Cleveland and have equaled the worst start in franchise history through six games.
Wide receiver Zay Flowers was one of several players who spoke in the Ravens’ locker room after practice and stressed the notion of looking forward as the Ravens try to resurrect their season after their disastrous start.
“It’s tough when you’re missing your starting quarterback,” Flowers said. “But we’ve still got all our pieces that we [need]. We’ve got everything we need; we’ve just got to put it all together.”
“We all needed a mental reset,” Flowers added. “We’re ready to come back out swinging, and we’re going to try to make an example out of this first game.”
NOTEBOOK
SMITH ‘ABSOLUTELY’ EXPECTS TO PLAY AGAINST FORMER TEAM: Smith, one of the leader’s of the Ravens’ defense, has missed the past two games with a hamstring injury, but he said he “absolutely” expects to play against the Bears, the team he spent his first four seasons with before being traded to the Ravens just before the trade deadline in 2022.
“I’m excited about the matchup, for sure,” Smith said. “I haven’t gotten a chance to play Chicago since I’ve been here. [I’m] grateful for all of my time in Chicago.” Smith said he still had friends in that organization, “but obviously, it’s the team that’s on the schedule, and every team on the schedule has to get dealt with accordingly.”
The Ravens’ injury-ravaged defense has been shredded most of the season. Coming into this week’s game, the Ravens rank 30th in total defense, 26th against the run and 28th against the pass. The Ravens are tied for last in the league with eight sacks.
ROOKIE JONES WILL JOIN 53-MAN ROSTER THIS WEEK: Rookie offensive lineman Emery Jones will be added to the 53-man roster this week when his 21-day practice window concludes. Jones, a third-round draft pick out of LSU, has been on the Non-Football Injury list since the start of training camp as he recovered from a shoulder injury he’d dealt with since the Ravens drafted him.
Jones began practicing Oct. 1, which began a 21-day window after which he must either be added to the 53-man roster or placed on season-ending injured reserve. Harbaugh said Jones would not go on injured reserve, and although Harbaugh noted that doctors have not cleared Jones to play yet, he will have to move to the 53-man roster to remain eligible to play at some point this season.
“I do think he has a chance to be a factor this year,” Harbaugh said.
The team will need to make a corresponding roster move to add Jones to the roster. One obvious one would be to move Robinson to injured reserve since he is expected to be sidelined at least six weeks.
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