Lamar Jackson Out for Ravens in Loss to Bills
Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano played his first NFL snaps after two other quarterbacks were injured during the Week 8 matchup in Buffalo.
By Pavel Bell ·
Lamar Jackson was ruled out of the Ravens game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday after suffering a hand injury on his first play of the season. The two-time MVP entered the contest in Orchard Park, New York, attempting his first pass. His right hand collided with the arm of Buffalo linebacker Greg Rousseau. Jackson immediately inspected the injury, showed his thumb to the medical staff, and left the field with a towel wrapped around his hand.
The Ravens had waited four weeks and three missed games for Jackson to return from a high ankle sprain. He told reporters the ankle injury was very painful. Although he practiced fully ahead of this matchup, the team had been cautious about his status. Jackson was listed as questionable but was declared out before the first quarter ended.
With Jackson unavailable, backup quarterback Tyler Huntley assumed command. Huntley had a 1-2 record in his starts for Baltimore this season. He played 15 snaps before sustaining a toe injury in the second quarter. Huntley was ruled out after halftime, forcing a third change at the position.
Joe Fagnano, an undrafted rookie and the team's emergency quarterback, entered the game for his first NFL action. Fagnano took over from Huntley in the second quarter. Under NFL rules, an emergency quarterback may only remain in the game while the primary backup is injured. The Ravens confirmed Huntley's exit after the break, keeping Fagnano on the field for the remainder of the contest.
Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen controlled the opening sequence of the game. He led his team on a scoring drive that concluded with a one-yard rushing touchdown. This started the scoring for the Bills in a matchup that pitted two MVP-caliber signal callers against each other.
The Ravens fell to last place in the AFC North following their Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. They have lost to Allen and the Bills in high-stakes games during the previous two seasons. The team entered Sunday's game with a full practice week behind them, but the rapid succession of injuries left them relying on their least experienced option by the second quarter.
Source: The Baltimore Banner
