The Buffalo Bills will get the chance to rest and recover during their bye in Week 7, but could already be looking ahead to next week’s showdown with the Baltimore Ravens.
The Bills have endured some difficult contests against the Ravens in recent years, including last year’s stunning comeback in Week 1. They will face some uncertainty this year, however, with quarterback Lamar Jackson hit with a nagging injury that has kept him out for three straight weeks with the possibility of missing a third against the Bills.
Lamar Jackson Could Miss Next Week’s Game Against Bills
The Ravens announced this week that Jackson would remain out as he continues to recover from an ankle injury suffered in Week 4. Backup Tyler Huntley is set to take the field against the Cincinnati Bengals, the third straight start for the veteran backup.
Jackson did make some progress this week, returning to practice on Wednesday for the first time since suffering the injury. But he was listed as questionable during the week and ultimately ruled out on Saturday.
USA Today reporter Steve Gardner noted that Jackson is still dealing with a lot of pain, leading to a good chance he could miss next week’s game against the Bills as well.
“He also said team trainers told him he’s been dealing with a high ankle sprain,” Gardner reported. “Jackson classified it as a ‘very, very, very, very, very painful’ injury. So it shouldn’t be a surprise to see him on the sidelines for another week.”
Lamar Jackson Still Optimistic About Ankle Injury
Though his status for next week’s game against the Bills could still be up in the air, Jackson told reporters this week that he is making progress toward a return.
“Right now, I’m headed in the right direction,” Jackson said. “I can’t call it right now. … We’ll see, man. Hopefully.”
Jackson added that the swelling is down, though the pain still persisted.
“I feel like the swelling went down a lot, but just (dealing with) the pain tolerance. Just trying to move how I move. If I can’t do that, I can’t help my team,” Jackson said.
The Bills have struggled against Jackson and running back Derrick Henry in the past, giving up 40 points to the Ravens in last year’s 41-40 win in Week 1. The Bills leaned heavily on Josh Allen, who led the team to a 15-point comeback late in the fourth quarter of the win.
The Bills could have a major opportunity in next week’s game, as they already gained ground on the New England Patriots during their bye week. The Patriots kicked off this week’s slate of NFL games with a loss to the Chicago Bears on Thursday night, putting them 1.5 games behind the Bills in the AFC East standings.
Will Bills Face Lamar Jackson Next Week? Ravens QB Gets Bad Injury News