Lamar Jackson 'progressing well,' but ruled out as Tyler Huntley starts Week 17 for Ravens

Jackson will miss his fourth game in a row

Another week and it looks like another start for Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley. With Lamar Jackson still sidelined from practice due to a knee injury, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters Friday that it's a "fair assumption" that Huntley gets the nod when Baltimore hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17. The Ravens made it official by ruling out Jackson for a fourth game in a row.

Jackson has not practiced since suffering that knee injury in the first half of the Ravens' Week 13 matchup with the Denver Broncos. Harbaugh did add that Jackson has been "progressing well" in his recovery. 

With Baltimore previously clinching a playoff berth, it has taken some of the urgency away from getting Jackson back onto the field. That said, the team could force a winner-takes-all matchup for the AFC North with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18 if they can beat Pittsburgh on Sunday night.

Huntley will be starting his fourth consecutive game for Baltimore and second against the Steelers. The 24-year-old squared off against Pittsburgh back in Week 14 and helped the club to a 16-14 win. 

"It's nothing surprising is probably the thing that most impresses me," Harbaugh said of Huntley managing the offense, via NFL.com. "He doesn't surprise you because he does in games what he does in practice. It's never too big for him. He operates well, he makes plays while he's under pressure, duress, he manages the situations of games well. I just love the way he plays the position. I think he continues to improve every time he goes out. It's Tyler. We're past that. We're not at 'What surprises you? What impress you?' We expect him to play well."

The Ravens are 2-1 in Huntley's previous three starts. He also completed 27 of 32 for 187 yards, an interception and a rushing score when he came in under duress following Jackson's injury in Week 13.