Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told reporters on Wednesday that he's "very optimistic" that two-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson (back) will play in Sunday night's pivotal win-or-go-home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.
"He looked good," Harbaugh said . "I'm very optimistic. We'll see how it plays out the rest of the week."
Jackson, who missed last Saturday night's game against the the Green Bay Packers with a back contusion that he suffered in Week 16 against New England , was a full participant at Wednesday's practice. That certainly bodes well for Jackson and his chances of playing on Sunday night.
The Ravens had a custom back flap built to protect Jackson's back. He wore it at Wednesday's practice.
"It means everything, man. … Seeing him back out there, it was very exciting for everyone," Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers said .
Ravens tight end Mark Andrews is also excited to have his quarterback back.
"That's our guy, that's our leader. And it's awesome to have him out there," he said .
The Ravens could become the fifth team in NFL history to make the playoffs after starting a season 1-5. Harbaugh loves the fight that his team has displayed through all the adversity.
"I think this team has a lot of character, a lot of grit, a lot of toughness," Harbaugh said .
In the grand scheme of things, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin thinks the Ravens' offensive philosophy doesn't change much whether it's Jackson or Huntley under center.
Either way, the Ravens are at their best when they heavily rely on running back Derrick Henry , who is coming off a career-high 36 carries for 216 yards and four touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers.
"I think there's certainly some things that are exclusive to Lamar, and that's not taking anything away from Huntley. It's just certain things that are Lamar and no other human on the planet," Tomlin said during his Tuesday press conference. "But largely, I think they play to a certain personality, regardless of who is at quarterback. I think that was on display a week ago. I think they're experienced in playing with Huntley. They know how to play with him schematically, and certainly, he knows how to play and has logged some significant reps over his years there. … Although it is potentially a backup quarterback circumstance, I think there is some fluidity there from their perspective, and to be quite honest with you, when things get thick, they play a certain way, regardless of who is playing quarterback. Usually the ball is going through the big runner, and that's what we expect."
The two-time NFL MVP has thrown for 2,311 yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions in 12 games. He's also added 340 yards and two more scores on the ground.
Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley has filled in nicely in Jackson's absence, throwing for 426 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions, but there's no arguing Jackson adds another element to Baltimore's offense.
Aaron Becker contributed.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Harbaugh 'Very Optimistic' Jackson Will Play vs. Steelers
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