Lamar Jackson (ankle) will miss his third straight game Sunday, meaning Tyler Huntley will start at quarterback in a must-win game against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17.
Jackson is inactive after missing practice Thursday and Friday, and had a noticeable limp while participating on a limited basis Wednesday. Baltimore's franchise quarterback has not played since being injured Dec. 12, and Huntley will make his third start of the season after being sidelined last weekend on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
Huntley returned to practice Thursday and took the first-team reps, and he has played well whenever called upon this season, in a victory over the Chicago Bears and in narrow losses to Cleveland and Green Bay. With the Ravens (8-7) fighting to make the playoffs, Huntley said the magnitude of Sunday's game would not impact his performance.
"I'm treating it just like another week. We've just got to get a win, and that's the goal every week," Huntley said.
Huntley will have the benefit of throwing to Baltimore's top wide receiver, as Marquise "Hollywood" Brown is active after missing practice Thursday and Friday with an illness. Brown is just 47 yards away from his first 1,000-yard season, and he can join tight end Mark Andrews, who has already reached that plateau, as Baltimore's first pair of 1,000-yard receivers since Michael Jackson and Derrick Alexander in 1996.
Two other key offensive players who were questionable to play are active: wide receiver/returner Devin Duvernay (ankle) and fullback Patrick Ricard (knee). A three-time Pro Bowler, Ricard's presence as a versatile blocker after a three-game absence is extremely important to Baltimore's running attack. Duvernay, who was named to the Pro Bowl as a returner, is back in the lineup after a one-game absence to handle the kickoff and punt return duties.
Rooke outside linebacker Odafe Oweh (foot) is inactive, and his five sacks are the second-most on the team. He would have been a key part of pressuring Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has struggled this season when under duress. Justin Houston, Tyus Bowser and Jaylon Ferguson are the active outside linebackers, and Malik Harrison is also active and can swing to outside linebacker if necessary. Veteran outside linebacker Pernell McPhee is inactive.
With Duvernay back in the wide receiver rotation, wide receiver James Proche II is inactive after making seven catches for 76 yards in Cincinnati last week. Also inactive for Baltimore are cornerback Anthony Averett (ribs) and offensive lineman Ben Powers (foot), who was ruled out Friday, along with wide receiver Miles Boykin. Josh Johnson is active as Huntley's backup at quarterback.
For the Rams, running back Cam Akers, who has been sidelined by an Achilles injury all year, is inactive even though he practiced all week. Also inactive are safety JuJu Hughes, outside linebackers Chris Garrett and Terrell Lewis and offensive linemen Alaric Jackson and Tremayne Anchrum Jr.
