Coming off their fourth-straight win, the Chicago Bears now head into a murky Week 8 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens might be 1-5, but this game could be a turning point if a couple of things go their way.
There is no bigger question this week, though, than whether or not Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will be playing. Jackson has been battling back from a hamstring injury that has caused him to miss the past two games for Baltimore, both losses.
On Monday, the Ravens' official practice report revealed that Jackson was still not participating. It's early in the week, but that is one more step in the direction of Jackson not suiting up against Chicago in Week 8.
Early indications keep Lamar Jackson's status in question for Week 8 matchup vs. Bears
Baltimore is in a tough spot, right now, as they are facing as close to a must-win situation as they could possibly face this early in the season. The Ravens having just a single win on the season wasn't on many people's bingo cards heading into Week 8, but here we are.
Jackson's replacement, veteran Cooper Rush, has thrown for 251 passing yards, zero touchdowns and four interceptions in the two starts he's made since Lamar's injury. Unlike Jackson, Rush offers no upside on the ground. He's been credited with only one rushing attempt in his last two games and it went for no gain.
The Ravens getting Jackson back might be the one thing that saves their season, so long as they beat the Bears.
That might not be the easiest task, though, as Chicago's defense has started to come up big time over their last four. The Bears now lead the league in takeaways with 16 on the season and have at least three in each of their four wins.
Ravens running back Derrick Henry has been as scary as any at his position for a long time, now, but even The King has had some fumbling issues this year. For a Bears team that's been taking the football away at an incredible rate, that is well worth monitoring.
Other injury news saw the Ravens get former Bears linebacker Roquan Smith back at practice, who will get to face the team that once traded him away.
The Ravens' defense has been, by far, the worst in the NFL to this point. Smith's presence sure helps, but Baltimore has issues at all three levels. That'll be an intriguing wrinkle in the game; whether or not Ben Johnson can take advantage of a hurting defensive unit.
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As for Jackson, though, it's his status which keeps us all on our toes this week.