Snoop show.
When the Ravens take on the Steelers under the brimming M&T Bank Stadium lights, they'll do so missing a couple of pieces to their overall effort. Lamar Jackson headlines a list of Baltimore heavyweights set to miss Saturday's rivalry contest, some of whom are believed to be sporting an injury heading into the weekend, while others have been kept away in an abundance of caution.
Jackson's absence is sure to shatter the hearts of many. He's the best show in football. To be so close and yet so far from watching one of football's greatest-ever talents let sparks fly on his home terrain is painful.
Still, for Jackson, John Harbaugh and the rest of the Ravens' cadre, the decision to sit on the sideline was a measured one.
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Here's what you need to known about Baltimore and its calls to sit Lamar Jackson (and his other co-conspirators) for the Raven's Saturday night contest with the rival Steelers.
Why are Ravens resting Lamar Jackson, other starters vs. Steelers?
Baltimore's decision to sit Jackson and other key players is a curious one, especially given the fact that the Ravens are already slated to stay off the field for another week after locking up the AFC's No. 1 seed in their Week 17 beatdown of the Dolphins last Sunday.
As such, Jackson and Co. won't see the field for two weeks rather than one, a stark contrast from the hustle-and-bustle of a regular season slate.
Still, it seems John Harbaugh has no interest in sacrificing Baltimore's playoff aspirations for bragging rights over its hated rivals. Harbaugh opted against suiting Jackson, as his health is paramount to the team's dreams for a championship. A win over Pittsburgh, while good for morale, provides little quantifiable benefit for the Ravens, especially if Jackson (or any other starter) were to get injured.
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“Just all things considered, it seemed to be the right thing to do,” Harbaugh said. “You have conversations with Lamar and others, and you make the decision.”
Jackson, the odds-on favor to capture league MVP honors, has been masterful in Todd Monken's offense. He's completing more throws than ever before, eclipsed the 3,500 passing yard mark and ranks fifth in the league in passer rating (102.7).
Those numbers could have been improved with a strong outing against the Steelers. But keeping Jackson's health intact could be the difference between a push for the Lombardi and an early playoff exit. He's dealt with his fair share of maladies at the end of prior seasons. Those issues have come back to bite Baltimore when the light are at their brightest; just last year, Jackson was ruled out of the Ravens' wild card loss to the Bengals.
With that memory slaloming inside Jackson's head, he employed a clear-minded assessment of the situation in a Thursday presser.
“I’m cool with it. Me and coach talked about it. I felt like it was (most) suitable to sit me and stuff like that,” Jackson said, per Press Box Online. “I believe (Huntley) can get the job done and we have guys who are going to go out there and ball out. I have all the faith in my team.”
“I’m cool with it. Me and coach talked about it. I felt like it was (most) suitable to sit me and stuff like that,” Jackson said. “I believe (Huntley) can get the job done and we have guys who are going to go out there and ball out. I have all the faith in my team.”
Unpredictability swirls across M&T Bank Stadium, especially with the weather proving far more slick than expected. Keeping Jackson out of T.J. Watt's firing line seems especially valuable in that context.
Who are Ravens resting vs. Steelers?
In addition to Jackson, Harbaugh is resting a host of starting talents. Also included in the cull are Odell Beckham Jr., Kyle Hamilton, Zay Flowers, Roquan Smith and Marlon Humphrey, among others. Jackson and Beckham were tagged with the "coach's decision" designation. Hamilton, Flowers, Smith and Humphrey, meanwhile, were assessed to have suffered some sort of problem ahead of Saturday's game — ones that appeared too risky to overcome.
Today's injury report: pic.twitter.com/YthprBOWVm
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 4, 2024