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Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff Writer
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Just like 2019, the Baltimore Ravens will rest NFL Most Valuable Player favorite Lamar Jackson in the regular-season finale.
This means Jackson will have at least a 19-day break before playing in the AFC divisional round.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh announced Wednesday that Jackson would not play Saturday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a game that has no playoff ramifications for Baltimore. The Ravens (13-3) clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed and a first-round bye last week, but the Steelers (9-7) need a victory given that they have a 21.6% chance of reaching the postseason, according to ESPN Analytics.
Tyler Huntley will make the start for Baltimore, which will host a divisional-round game on Jan. 20 or 21.
The Ravens followed the same course with Jackson in 2019, when they secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC before the final game of the regular season. Baltimore sat Jackson and six other starters in the finale.
After a long layoff, Jackson and the Ravens looked rusty in a 28-12 upset loss to the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round. Baltimore was held to a season-low in points, and Jackson was 31-of-59 (52.5%) for 365 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Jackson was one of 12 quarterbacks to start every game for his team this season, but Harbaugh is taking the safe route with Jackson. He did not finish the previous two seasons because of late-season injuries — an ankle injury in 2021 and a sprained knee in 2022.
In his first full season since 2020, Jackson is the heavy betting favorite to win his second NFL MVP award after throwing five touchdowns and recording a perfect passer rating in a 56-19 rout of the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. During Baltimore’s six-game winning streak, Jackson has thrown 14 touchdown passes and two interceptions for a 109.8 passer rating, averaging 250.2 yards passing and 56.7 yards rushing.
Jackson is considered the best player on the NFL’s best team, but he could go against the grain statistically if he was named NFL MVP. No quarterback has won the award when ranking outside the top 10 in both passing yards and touchdown passes. Jackson ranks 14th in passing yards (3,678) and 10th in touchdown passes (24).