The market has already priced in a Baltimore Ravens pounding at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Baltimore will be turning to undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano, who is going to be making his first NFL start on Thursday night at M&T Bank Stadium.
The Ravens, who are without Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley, will hope that the third-stringer can put together a solid start. But the market isn’t having any of it. According to the lines at Bovada, the Jaguars enter the contest as 10-point favorites.
Meanwhile, the moneyline heavily favors the Jaguars at -510, with the Ravens coming in at +385. Sure, there is always the possibility of a fantastic debut from Fagnano, things don’t look too encouraging for the 4-4-0 Ravens.
Ravens Lose Both Jackson and Huntley at the Worst Possible Time
Losing Jackson was already a significant problem for Baltimore. The former MVP is the engine of the offense, and replacing his production and ability to extend plays is no straightforward task. The Ravens could at least take some comfort in having Huntley available as a capable backup who knows the system.
Then Huntley went down, too.
That second injury changed the equation entirely. Instead of turning to an experienced backup, Baltimore now has to hand the offense to Fagnano, an undrafted rookie who has yet to make an NFL start. That’s a massive ask for any young quarterback, particularly against a Jacksonville team that has every reason to attack an inexperienced signal-caller.
The timing couldn’t be worse. At 4-4, the Ravens don’t have much room to absorb another setback. They needed to keep themselves in the playoff picture while Jackson recovered. Now, even keeping the offense functional could prove difficult.
A Baltimore Blowout Could Trigger Serious Questions About What Comes Next
A loss to Jacksonville wouldn’t necessarily end Baltimore’s season. A blowout, however, could force the organization to confront some uncomfortable questions.
The biggest one concerns Jackson’s availability. If his injury ultimately keeps him out for the remainder of the season, the Ravens may have to accept that this campaign is effectively lost. There is little reason to expect a third-string rookie to carry a team with postseason aspirations, particularly when the roster was built around Jackson’s unique abilities.
That could change how Baltimore approaches the coming weeks. Rather than trying to salvage a season with limited options at quarterback, the organization may need to start thinking about its longer-term priorities. That doesn’t automatically mean a fire sale or sweeping changes, but it could bring difficult decisions about the roster, coaching staff and how much the team should invest in a potential comeback.
Of course, one game shouldn’t determine the future of the franchise. But the Ravens are approaching a point where the injuries may have taken the decision out of their hands.
If Fagnano struggles and Jacksonville delivers the kind of beating the betting line anticipates, the conversation in Baltimore could quickly shift from making the playoffs to figuring out what comes next.
Ravens Priced In to Take Pounding Against Jaguars