Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco missed practice again Friday because of his right hip injury, leaving rookie Lamar Jackson almost certain to start for a second straight week on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.
"I don't know if we're going to rule him out for this game," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said when asked about Flacco after a chilly practice. "But I'm counting on Lamar being the starter for this game. I think that's pretty straightforward."
Jackson has been the presumed starter all week after he led the Ravens to a 24-21 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Harbaugh said after the game that Flacco would be hard-pressed to make it back to face the Raiders.
The quarterback question could loom larger next week as the Ravens prepare for a trip to Atlanta to play the high-scoring Falcons.
But Harbaugh acknowledged the longer Flacco is out, the less easy it would be for him to jump straight into game action.
"At this point, he would have to practice to be ready," he said.
As for Jackson, he's changed little in the wake of his successful debut as an NFL starter. He ran for 117 yards and rallied the Ravens from an eight-point deficit to put them in a five-way tie for the final AFC wild-card spot.
"Same guy," Harbaugh said. "He's always confident and into it and upbeat. He's kind of the same. It's interesting. He's just kind of Lamar, and he's a joy to be around."
