The Baltimore Ravens are set to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in a pivotal Week 16 matchup that could very well determine the fate of the AFC North. However, it has been unclear who the starter behind will be for Baltimore, as quarterback Lamar Jackson missed every practice this week due to an ankle injury.
On Friday, it was reported that the Ravens are expected to start Tyler Huntley in the place of Jackson, which would mark the second-consecutive game that the second-year player would start in place of the former league-MVP.
Source: Ravens expected to start QB Tyler Huntley vs. Bengals despite missing practice with illness https://t.co/sdnixZCGlo
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) December 24, 2021
Huntley missed practice with a non-COVID related illness on Friday, but in a tweet replying to Ian Rapoport, NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala reported that even though Huntley was absent at practice on Friday, he is still expected to start. Kinkhabwala also doesn’t expect Lamar Jackson to play in the AFC North showdown between the Ravens and the Bengals.
True, but Tyler Huntley is still fully expected to start for the #Ravens Sunday in this monster matchup vs the #Bengals, I am told by someone w/in the organization. (Lamar Jackson missed his 12th straight day… don’t expect him to play.) https://t.co/1IYpg8tSQW
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) December 24, 2021
Adam Schefter of ESPN republished the story that ESPN reporter Jamison Hensley published on Saturday afternoon about Huntley being the expected starter.
Baltimore Ravens are expected to start QB Tyler Huntley vs. the Cincinnati Bengals, despite his non-COVID-19 illness, per @jamisonhensley.https://t.co/fNrcyXAsnD
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 25, 2021
If Huntley is somehow unable to play against the Cincinnati, that would mean veteran Josh Johnson would get the nod. The 35-year old journeyman quarterback has been signed and released by a handful of NFL teams throughout his career. It would be a difficult task for Johnson to make an impact on this Ravens offense with such little practice time, but players on the team have stepped up in big situations before.