Coming off their bye week, the 5-1 Buffalo Bills face one of their most difficult tests so far when they host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday — or do they?
The question facing the Bills is straightforward — will they have to deal with two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson? Or won’t they? Ravens coach Jesse Minter offered a little bit more clarity on Monday, but only a little.
Lamar Jackson is moving toward a Sunday return against the Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens coach Jesse Minter expects his quarterback to be in a “decent spot,” according to ESPN reporter Jamison Hensley.
“Ravens coach Jesse Minter said QB Lamar Jackson will be in a “decent spot” as far as playing Sunday in Buffalo but the team will know more about Jackson’s status on Wednesday,” Hensley reported on Monday afternoon. “Jackson has missed the last three games with a high ankle sprain.”
Baltimore fell to 4-3 without him, and Buffalo’s 5-1 start sets the AFC East pace.
Jackson is “working his butt off” to return, Minter said Monday, according to NFL.com.
Jackson was “really close” to playing against the Bengals on Sunday when Baltimore lost 35-13 behind backup QB Tyler Huntley, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported. Jackson is expected to return against the Bills, according to Sports Illustrated. Baltimore held him back with Buffalo next and a short week after that.
Dr. David Chao, who assesses NFL injuries independently on social media, has tracked Jackson’s recovery week by week. “Lamar Jackson keeps trending closer to a return,” Chao wrote Monday. “Week 6: I had him at 85% no-go. Week 7: 66% no-go. Week 8: 50-50. This is his best chance to return since the ankle injury.”
Ravens’ Lamar Jackson Ankle Injury and Bills History
Jackson hurt his left ankle on the last play of the first half of Baltimore’s Oct. 4 win over the Tennessee Titans. He then missed road games at Atlanta and Cleveland, plus Sunday’s loss to the Bengals.
Baltimore’s medical staff determined that Jackson has a high ankle sprain, according to Pro Football Rumors, though Rapoport has described it as not a “typical” one.
“It was very, very, very, very, very painful,” Jackson said, according to BaltimoreRavens.com.
Jackson said the swelling is down and he is “headed in the right direction,” yet he will not play if the injury leaves him “a statue” who cannot help his team.
Jackson last faced Buffalo on Sept. 7, 2025, when he went 14-of-19 for 209 yards and two touchdowns and ran six times for 70 yards and a score. The Bills still won 41-40. He beat them 35-10 in September 2024, but lost 23-20 in October 2022 while throwing two interceptions.
Over five regular-season meetings, Jackson has completed 67.3% of his passes for 135.6 yards per game, with eight touchdowns and three interceptions, according to SI. He has added 55.2 rushing yards per game. Buffalo also eliminated Baltimore 27-25 in the AFC Divisional round in January 2025.
Jackson owns the better passer rating this season, but he has played two fewer games than Josh Allen. In four games, Jackson is 68-of-96 for 967 yards with six touchdowns, one interception and a 119.6 rating. Allen, in six games, is 114-of-171 for 1,504 yards, nine touchdowns, four interceptions and a 102.1 rating, and he has run for eight scores.
Allen has accounted for 17 touchdowns to Jackson’s seven, according to StatMuse. Allen holds the edge in touchdowns, yardage and availability, and the Bills (5-1) lead the Ravens (4-3) in the standings.
Buffalo Bills’ AFC East Outlook With Lamar Jackson in Play
The Bills enter Week 8 at 5-1 after the bye. They beat the Raiders 33-30 on Oct. 18, following a 37-34 overtime win at the Los Angeles Rams. Their only loss was a 29-26 defeat to the New England Patriots on Oct. 4.
Buffalo leads the NFL in scoring at 32.8 points per game, but its defense allows 28.5, which ranks 28th. SI ranks the Bills’ pass defense second-worst in the league.
The Patriots (4-3) visit the Dolphins (1-5) in Week 8 while the Bills host the Ravens. If New England wins and Buffalo loses, the Bills would sit at 5-2 and the Patriots at 5-3, leaving the Bills one game ahead in the loss column.
Buffalo currently leads New England by two games in the loss column, and the teams meet again Dec. 6.
Bills Face Lamar Jackson Injury Question Ahead of Week 8 Ravens Showdown