Ravens lose Jackson and Huntley, forcing rookie Joe Fagnano into starting role

Baltimore Ravens fans watched their starting quarterback leave the field after the very first offensive play of the Sunday game against the Buffalo Bills. Lamar Jackson hurt the thumb on his right throwing hand during a passing attempt. His injury forced the team to rely on a rookie with no prior starting experience.

Jackson was dropping back to throw to Zay Flowers when his right hand struck the arm of Bills pass rusher Greg Rousseau. He could not finish his follow-through. Jackson pointed to his thumb as he jogged off the field and knelt near the sideline. The team initially listed him as questionable but ruled him out before the first quarter concluded.

The Ravens were not done losing quarterbacks. Backup Tyler Huntley took over for Jackson but suffered a toe injury early in the second quarter. Huntley was sacked by safety Cole Bishop on a third-and-eight play at the Baltimore 40-yard line. He fumbled the ball and appeared to hurt his foot. The Ravens ruled him out to begin the third quarter.

Rookie Joe Fagnano, an undrafted player from Connecticut, entered the game as the emergency backup. He made his NFL debut on the next series. Fagnano completed his first two passes for a total of 28 yards. He is the third quarterback to take the field for Baltimore this week.

The loss of Jackson and Huntley continues a trend of offensive struggles. Baltimore went 1-2 in Jackson’s absence during a previous three-game stretch. During that period, the team scored 63 fewer points than in the first three games of the season. They also averaged three fewer yards per play. The Ravens entered this game with a 4-3 record.