OWINGS MILLS, Md. — For the second straight game, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will play despite missing practice time.
Jackson did not participate in Tuesday’s practice, which is the only full session of the week, because of a knee injury. But, just like last week, the lack of practice time won’t affect the reigning NFL MVP’s availability for Thursday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Lamar will be playing Thursday night,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said after Tuesday’s practice.
Harbaugh declined to get into the specifics of why Jackson missed practice. Jackson was later listed with a knee injury on the injury report.
Last week, Jackson missed two practices because of back and knee injuries. After returning for one practice, Jackson produced a perfect 158.3 passer rating in a 41-10 win over the Denver Broncos.
On Monday, Jackson wasn’t listed on the injury report when he spoke to reporters.
Asked if practicing once a week could become a routine, Jackson said: “No. My guys are out there working, so I don’t [have a] problem with working. But you know, if that’s going [to] help me recover faster, yes, I’d be cool with it.”
Jackson, who leads the NFL in QBR, is quarterbacking an offense that leads the league in total yards and ranks second in scoring. He is among the betting favorites to win his third MVP award.