Ravens and Bengals quarterbacks are off their prime-time peaks

BALTIMORE — In a season that has seen both of them tested by injury. Crows defender Lamar Jackson And Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow hope to prove they are still among the best defenses in the NFL, just as they did during Thursday night's game at M&T Bank Stadium a year ago.

In the Ravens' wild 35-34 win last season, Burrow threw for 428 yards and four touchdowns – only to be surpassed by Jackson's three fourth-quarter touchdowns. Showcasing their different styles and strengths, they went back and forth to wow national television audiences, starting with Burrow and ending Ja'Marr Chase on pace for a 70-yard touchdown to Jackson, making the game-winning 5-yard touchdown throw followed by a pass that resembled a floater.

As the Ravens (6-5) prepare to host the Cincinnati Bengals (3-8) on Thanksgiving night (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), Jackson and Burrow now face the question of whether they will reach the same heights in prime time. Jackson is in the worst slump of his eight-year career as injuries continue to mount and Burrow is surprisingly poised to return after being sidelined for two months following toe surgery.

Burrow, a two-time NFL Comeback Player of the Year, is recovering faster than expected from a Week 2 injury to his left big toe. He was initially expected to be out until mid-December, but he took the practice field two weeks ago, setting the stage for this high-profile return to a reeling Bengals team that has lost six games in a row.

“Joe is extremely important to this team, to this city, to everyone,” the Bengals running back said. Chase Brown said. “To see him come back, it’s going to be crazy.”

Brown added, “Everyone's feeling like this is a big comeback for The Dark Knight Rises.” Quite possible.”

Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP, has his sights set on his own comeback. He's trying to get out of a rut while cope with a toe injurywhich is his third different illness in three weeks.

Even though Baltimore had won five games in a row, Jackson made mistakes by missing receivers in the passing game and showing reluctance to handle the ball. He's been below 60% and has passed for 200 yards in three straight games, his longest such streak since he was a rookie in 2018.

'He's a tough guy,' Ravens cornerback Patrick Ricard said. “He’s played with injuries before and still does. And even if he's not 100%, he'll still be a great defender. So we'll take it at 50%.”

It will be the first Thanksgiving matchup since at least 1950 between two starting quarterbacks who are former Heisman Trophy winners, according to ESPN Research. But so far it has been a one-sided rivalry.

Jackson has an impressive 6-1 record against Burrow, winning their last five meetings. Burrow's only win over Jackson came in 2021.

“These games mean a lot to every team,” Ravens offensive tackle. Ronnie Stanley said. “I'm not surprised that [Burrow] came back for this game.”

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GAMES AGAINST The Ravens have always been a key part of Joe Burrow's career.

As a rookie in 2020, Burrow had to deal with lopsided losses. A year later, Burrow threw for a career-high 525 yards and the Bengals ended a 31-year drought without a playoff win and eventually reached the Super Bowl.

But this was from an era that seems very distant. After the Bengals won back-to-back AFC North titles, Cincinnati missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. A promising 2023 season was cut short when Burrow tore a ligament in his right wrist, ending his season. And while Burrow played exceptionally well last season, the Bengals defense struggled.

This season, while Burrow was recovering from surgery to repair a left toe injury, he had a specific target date in mind: Thanksgiving night against Baltimore.

Burrow said it would be “very” meaningful if he could play against the Ravens. And he's really worked for the last 10 weeks to make it happen.

“He looks like he's in good shape right now and could be ready to play,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said Monday.

Before Burrow was injured in Week 2, he was poised for a huge 2024 season. He led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns, was an MVP finalist and was named the Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year in his season coming off a wrist injury. He joins Chad Pennington as the second person to receive the award twice.

Then he injured his toe on a routine play, a quick throw that never materialized and instead turned into Burrow getting tackled on a sack, his left big toe hyperextended because it was stuck in the turf.

“I was very happy with where I was,” Burrow said on November 10. “So that part was obviously incredibly disappointing for me, the amount of work you put into it and what happened in that place, it's tough. But that's life in this business.”

In their last nine games, the Bengals have used Jake Browning and then Joe Flacco to intensify the crime. Although it worked at times, Cincinnati could not play well enough to win games. The Bengals have lost eight of their last nine games and had a 1% chance of making the playoffs after last Sunday's games.

But Burrow is determined to return, even if it likely won't affect the team's chances of making the playoffs.

If Burrow had remained healthy, the Bengals would have had the opportunity to derail the Ravens' bid to win the AFC North for the third year in a row. Instead, Baltimore is gaining momentum after a slow start while Cincinnati struggles to find midseason momentum.

The Ravens have a lot of respect for Burrow.

“I'll expect the best from him,” Ravens safety Explore Karti said. “The way he can work the field and make every shot is elite. And for me, I'm very excited. As a competitor, you want to play the best you can. So Thanksgiving, what better night to do it. So I welcome that.”

When asked about Burrow's return, the Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers first responded, “It is what it is.”

Flowers then added: “They got their quarterback, so there probably won't be any more excuses. You can say so.”

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DURING THE LAST Media session, Jackson asked about the Vikings linebacker's hit Dallas Turnerresulting in a roughing penalty and some residual injury.

Jackson immediately flinched and grabbed his lower back with his left hand.

“God, he caught me right there,” Jackson said. “I didn’t expect this at all.”

In terms of injuries, it was the most painful season of Jackson's career. After being sidelined for three games in October with a strained hamstring, Jackson watched his battered body increase in problems each week in November.

Two weeks ago he missed training due to knee pain. He missed practice last week with an ankle injury. He now sat out Monday's walkthrough due to a toe injury.

Jackson maintains that injuries are not the cause of his problems, but his uncharacteristic play suggests otherwise. He went back-to-back games without throwing a touchdown for the first time in his career. It was the first time in five years that he had been held under 200 yards for three weeks in a row.

Asked if the injuries affected Jackson's play, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, “I can't say for sure. I'm always proud of him. He plays winning football. Every week he works very hard to prepare and be ready to play. [he's] does everything he can to win the game.”

Jackson lost his rhythm in the passing game, which could be due to the increase in hits. He has been sacked 24 times in eight starts this season, one more than he was sacked all of last season. He faced a pressure rate of 35.6%, which could be the highest of his career.

As a result, Jackson looked rushed and out of sync. His average throw time this year is 2.88 seconds, his fastest of any season.

Flowers said he “can't say” whether Jackson looks healthy during games.

“I feel like he wouldn't have put himself in a bad position if he wasn't healthy,” Flowers said. “Do you understand what I mean? I don't think he'll jeopardize that.”

Jackson, who holds the record for most rushing yards among quarterbacks, lacks explosiveness and desire to run. He has a career average of 29.6 yards per game and hasn't rushed for more than 13 yards in four games since returning from a hamstring injury.

Last December, Jackson recorded his fastest speed of 21.25 mph on a 48-yard touchdown in Houston. This season, his fastest run was 19.39 mph, which came on a (much shorter) 17-yard dash after a read option play in the season opener.

Jackson doesn't believe his decline in rushing attempts is what's missing from Baltimore's chaotic offense.

“When they call my number, we’ll see,” Jackson said.

If the Ravens want to win a third straight AFC North title, they'll likely need more than just a healthy Jackson. If Baltimore wants to get to the Super Bowl, it will likely need an MVP version of its quarterback.

“He looked like the same old Lamar,” Jets defensive lineman. Joovon Briggs said after Baltimore's 23-10 win over New York on Sunday. “Trust me, I saw him on the injury report, but during my time with the Browns last year, we played him twice and I saw him do some crazy, you know, curse words. So that’s the bar.”