Baltimore takes its quarterback uncertainty into Atlanta’s Sunday-night running test

The Ravens arrive at their first Sunday-night game of the season with a winning record and an unresolved question at the center of the offense. Lamar Jackson missed a second consecutive practice Thursday with an ankle injury, leaving Baltimore to prepare for Atlanta without claiming that its starting quarterback is either cleared or ruled out.

Baltimore is 3–1; Atlanta is 2–2 after consecutive wins. The teams meet October 11 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with kickoff at 8:20 p.m. Eastern on NBC. The Falcons are coming off a 45–24 victory at New Orleans, giving Baltimore a recent example of an offense capable of scoring through the run and pass.

The quarterback plan needs two paths

Jackson completed 15 of 20 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns before leaving last Sunday’s 24–18 win over Tennessee. Tyler Huntley then went eight of nine for 63 yards. That relief appearance gives Baltimore a performance to build from if Huntley is needed, while remaining a limited sample rather than proof that an entire game would look identical.

Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle addressed the possibility of a different quarterback in the official October 8 press transcript. His emphasis was that the “standard is still the standard.” Doyle said the offense would continue seeking explosive plays and attacking defensive rules regardless of which quarterback operates it.

maintaining that intent and reproducing Jackson’s impact are different tasks. Huntley’s preparation gives Baltimore an alternative; Jackson’s availability would affect what Atlanta must respect on every possession. Thursday’s report did not settle who would start.

Jurgens is a future addition, not assumed Sunday help

New center Cam Jurgens remained in concussion protocol Thursday, and the Ravens reported that his debut is expected next week. The trade offers a way to strengthen the line, but his availability remained unsettled Thursday.

Other Thursday entries were mixed. Ronnie Stanley and Kyle Hamilton returned to full participation. Zay Flowers remained limited with a foot injury. Marlon Humphrey and Trey Hendrickson did not practice. Those are practice statuses; the captured report had no final game designations.

Atlanta also had work to do with its health report. Left tackle Jake Matthews progressed from no participation Wednesday to limited Thursday with a groin injury. Divine Deablo and Samson Ebukam were added as limited participants with hamstring issues. Za’Darius Smith remained a nonparticipant with a concussion/neck entry. Final game designations remained pending Thursday.

Atlanta’s running game makes finishing tackles essential

Bijan Robinson scored two rushing touchdowns against New Orleans, and Brian Robinson Jr. added three. Michael Penix Jr. completed 15 of 20 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown; Drake London caught five passes for 96 yards. The scoring came through more than one player or one kind of play.

Baltimore must therefore confront the running threat without assuming that making Atlanta throw automatically solves the matchup. disciplined run fits and finishing tackles would help prevent the rushing game from setting up favorable passing situations. Conversely, overcommitting to the run can create room for London and the other receivers. That is the tradeoff the Ravens must manage, rather than a claim that one defensive call works in every situation.

The visitors also have their own path through the ground game. Derrick Henry ran 23 times for 73 yards and a touchdown against Tennessee. Sustaining drives would help whichever quarterback plays and reduce the number of possessions in which the offense needs an immediate explosive gain to recover lost ground.

Prediction — editorial opinion with an explicit health assumption

Provisional NSMT pick: Atlanta 27, Baltimore 24, assuming Huntley starts or Jackson remains meaningfully limited. Atlanta’s recent balanced scoring and home setting support the narrow pick under that scenario. A cleared Jackson changes the reasoning enough to require revisiting it; his absence is not being reported as fact. The forecast depends on the quarterback’s health.