The Baltimore Ravens’ season in 2025 just got worse. After their Week 5 loss to the Houston Texans, 44-10, head coach John Harbaugh got some bad news on star quarterback Lamar Jackson’s hamstring injury, as per ESPN’s analysts. The Ravens are currently 1-4, and without Jackson and his two-way ability in the fold, it has become more apparent than ever that they cannot rely on finding someone to plug the hole left by their franchise quarterback.

On The Rich Eisen Show, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler gave his honest take on Jackson’s return. When asked if Jackson is going to play before Week 7, Fowler replied, “They really don’t know yet. They’re going to play this out and see if he can get on the practice field. But, you know, as was relayed to me from a source there, he’s not going to be out there unless he can be himself. You know, he’s not going to be out there 50% just trying to throw the ball in the pocket.”

Fowler went on to say that Jackson’s overall mobility is the core of his game, and hamstring pulls around the league are now “an epidemic,” with at least two weeks to recover. As of now, Lamar’s Week 6 status is uncertain. The Ravens will monitor him throughout the week before concluding.

Jackson was heading in the right direction early in the season before the injury snag. He went on to play four games, 68 of 95 (71.6%) for 869 yards with 10 touchdowns and one interception and a 130.5 passer rating, and 74.0 QBR. He also assisted in running for 166 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries at a respectable 7.9 yards per attempt.

Scrambling running by him had placed Baltimore in contention despite a poor defense. But the Week 4 third-quarter hamstring pull removed him from the game, and ever since, the Ravens’ offense has been in trouble.

Quarterback Cooper Rush struggled to fill in for Jackson against the Texans, while Baltimore’s depleted defense surrendered 417 total yards, including 167 on the ground. To make matters worse, the loss came against a 1-3 Houston team, making the Texans’ dominance all the more frustrating for the home crowd.

The offense failed to find the end zone until the game was already out of reach, while the league’s 31st-ranked defense was overpowered by a team Baltimore had routed 31-2 last Christmas. In their losses this season, the Ravens have surrendered 40, 38, 37, and 44 points, a troubling pattern for a unit once known for its toughness.

Head coach John Harbaugh acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding his quarterback’s recovery, saying, “We’ll know more later this week.” He avoided committing to a specific timeline for Jackson’s return. As per Fowler’s report, Jackson appears more likely to be on the sidelines until re-evaluated properly.

Without Jackson, the Ravens’ offense bogged down in Houston. Cooper Rush, getting his first start in a Baltimore jersey, was 14 of 20 for 179 yards but threw three second-half interceptions as the game got away. Although he showed potential at times but his football play was a reminder of how much the Ravens miss the explosiveness and improvisational skills of Jackson.

Houston averaged 5.0 yards per carry against a Ravens defense ranked 27th against the run and scored on each of its first eight possessions. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was nearly flawless, completing 23 of 27 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns, matching his total from the previous four games combined. By the time Stroud’s final touchdown made it 41-10, the few remaining fans at M&T Bank Stadium voiced their frustration with a chorus of boos.

With little assistance from the ground attack, Rush was under constant duress from the Texans’ defense, which established the tempo, tone, and created turnovers all day long.

With the status of Lamar Jackson for Week 6 unknown, the Baltimore Ravens may be left to dig deep into their quarterback depth.

Harbaugh eyes Snoop Huntley?

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on the Rich Eisen Show also pointed out that if Jackson does not return, then the Ravens will trust which QB. He continued to say that they’d still have Cooper Rush, but at least are considering promoting up Tyler “Snoop” Huntley from the practice squad.

Huntley, who rejoined the Ravens in August, according to CBS Sports, has been an in-house insurance policy consideration based on familiarity with the offense. A return to play for Huntley would be a return to the franchise he spent his first four years with in the NFL (2020–2023).

The last time he was in Baltimore, Huntley sufficiently filled in for Jackson occasionally, gaining himself a Pro Bowl selection for the 2022-23 season. He began five games for the Miami Dolphins last season and embarked on a 64.7% success rate for 829 yards and three touchdowns.

Though the Ravens aren’t making a final commitment to Tyler, having him on the practice squad gives them a chance to rely on him if Cooper Rush fails to perform.

In addition, the Ravens have been racing against the clock to repair their decimated defense. Tuesday, Baltimore traded outside linebacker Odafe Oweh to the Los Angeles Chargers for veteran safety Alohi Gilman and a trade of a draft pick.

The front office signed Super Bowl-winning safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the practice squad after his release last week by the Houston Texans. Gardner-Johnson, who has 18 career interceptions and 51 passes defended, brings experience and depth to an injury-plagued secondary that’s been ravaged by injuries.

With All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton out because of a groin injury and Reuben Lowery burned in coverage, bringing in Gilman and Gardner-Johnson will bring instant relief. Getting them in could also help Hamilton play nearer to the line of scrimmage on his return, rekindling the physical, turnover-emphasizing approach Baltimore’s defense has employed previously.