Lamar Jackson Confirms He’ll Start for Ravens in Must-Win AFC North Showdown

The Moment He Stepped to the Mic

BALTIMORE — The rain had just begun to spit outside the Under Armour Performance Center when Lamar Jackson tugged at the sleeve of his purple hoodie and said the four words every Ravens fan needed to hear: “I’m playing Sunday.”

With that, the 2023 MVP frontrunner ended 48 hours of speculation that had spread from talk-radio airwaves to the betting markets. Jackson will start in the winner-take-all AFC North finale against the Steelers, a game that could decide home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Why the Doubt?

Jackson missed last week’s practice with a mild high-ankle sprain suffered in the fourth quarter against Miami. Backup Tyler Huntley took first-team reps all week, and coach John Harbaugh refused to tip his hand, calling his starter a “game-time decision.”

But inside the building, confidence never wavered. “Lamar doesn’t miss these games,” one veteran receiver told me in the locker room. “He’s built for December.”

The Numbers That Matter

• Jackson is 5-1 lifetime versus Pittsburgh.
• He averages 78 rushing yards per game against the Steelers, his highest against any opponent.
• A win secures Baltimore’s first division crown since 2019 and a first-round bye.

“This is why you play,” Jackson said. “All the OTAs, the film sessions, the rehab—it’s for moments like this.”

Steelers Stand in the Way

Pittsburgh arrives battered yet dangerous. T.J. Watt has vowed to “test” Jackson’s mobility, and the Steelers’ blitz-heavy scheme leads the NFL in third-down sacks. Still, defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin sounded almost resigned when asked about containing Baltimore’s quarterback: “You don’t stop Lamar. You hope to slow him down.”

Weather forecasters predict 34-degree temperatures and swirling 15-mph winds—conditions that historically favor the Ravens’ ground attack. Baltimore enters as a 4.5-point favorite, but Jackson insists the line means nothing. “It’s Steelers week. Throw the records out.”

What’s at Stake

Beyond the division banner, the winner clinches the AFC’s No. 2 seed and avoids the wild-card gauntlet. A loss could drop Baltimore to the seventh seed, forcing a short-week trip to Buffalo or Kansas City.

Jackson, playing on the final year of his rookie deal, also has millions in incentive money on the line. A postseason run would strengthen his case for a record-setting contract this spring.

As fans filed out of the facility Wednesday night, one held a hand-painted sign above his head: “In Lamar We Trust.” On Sunday, that faith faces its biggest test.