Lamar Jackson Out vs. Bills After Thumb Injury on First Play

Lamar Jackson left the field after Baltimore's first offensive play of the Week 8 game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The two-time NFL MVP suffered a thumb injury to his right hand during a first-and-10 situation. Ravens officials ruled him out for the remainder of the contest.

The injury occurred just over 10 minutes after the start of the second quarter, following a quick Buffalo touchdown. Jackson threw a pass to Zay Flowers when his hand struck a defender's arm. He ran immediately to the sideline and entered the locker room at Highmark Stadium for evaluation. The team confirmed the right thumb injury shortly after.

The Ravens had hoped to feature a matchup between Jackson and Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Instead, backup Tyler Huntley took over for the remainder of the game. Huntley also exited in the second quarter with a toe injury. Rookie Joe Fagnano, an undrafted quarterback from UConn, entered the game for his first career appearance.

This injury marks a second setback for Baltimore in a short span. Jackson missed the previous three games with an ankle injury sustained in Week 4. He returned to the lineup this week after nearly a month on the sideline. The team has shown a stark difference in performance depending on his availability.

With Jackson on the field in the first four games of the season, the Ravens went 3-1 and averaged 29.8 points per game. During the three-week stretch without him, the team dropped to a 1-2 record and scored 17.7 points per game. The offensive output dropped by 12.1 points per game in his absence.

A right thumb injury limits a quarterback's grip on the football. The Ravens face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night in Week 9. With Jackson already ruled out for Sunday, his status for the upcoming Thursday game remains uncertain given the nature of the injury and the short turnaround time.