The Baltimore Ravens have settled their quarterback situation for Thursday Night Football against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but naming Joe Fagnano the starter is only the beginning of the challenge facing Jesse Minter and his coaching staff.
Minter confirmed Tuesday that the undrafted rookie will make his first NFL start after Lamar Jackson suffered a right thumb injury and Tyler Huntley injured his toe during Sunday's 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Fagnano is also dealing with a right ankle injury, making Baltimore's offensive approach particularly important during a short week.
The Ravens have lost three consecutive games and fallen to 4-4. Jacksonville enters the matchup at 5-2 after dismantling Indianapolis 42-7, creating a difficult assignment
for a Baltimore team that has scored just 33 points over its last three contests. Minter cannot solve every problem in four days, but the Ravens can make several adjustments to give Fagnano a realistic chance to succeed.
1. Build the offense around Derrick Henry
Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle must establish the running game rather than asking Fagnano to carry the offense through conventional dropback passing. Henry finished with 53 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries against Buffalo, but Baltimore never established a consistent offensive identity. The Ravens need more opportunities for their veteran running back, particularly on early downs when the game remains competitive.
A productive rushing attack could also create opportunities for play-action passes, allowing Fagnano to work with defined reads and manageable throwing situations.
2. Give Joe Fagnano better protection
Baltimore allowed four sacks and struggled against Buffalo's pressure, forcing Fagnano to operate behind an offensive line that frequently failed to provide a clean pocket.
Doyle should emphasize quicker throws, more tight-end protection, and designed passing concepts that let Fagnano release the ball without waiting for lengthy routes to develop.
The Ravens also need their tackles to account for Jacksonville's edge rushers, particularly Josh Hines-Allen. With Fagnano already managing an ankle injury, minimizing unnecessary hits should be a priority.
3. Prevent Jacksonville from establishing the run
The Jaguars rushed for a season-high 183 yards against Indianapolis, with Bhayshul Tuten producing 104 yards and two total touchdowns. Trevor Lawrence needed only 14 pass attempts to throw three touchdowns because Jacksonville controlled the game through explosive plays and favorable situations.
Tuten is dealing with an ankle and foot injury, but Baltimore must prepare for Jacksonville's rushing attack regardless of who is available Thursday. Minter needs his defense to win on early downs, maintain gap discipline, and force Lawrence into more predictable passing situations.
4. Win the field-position and turnover battles
With a rookie quarterback starting, Baltimore cannot afford unnecessary turnovers, poor field position or wasted scoring opportunities. The Ravens generated two takeaways against Buffalo, and special teams contributor Rasheen Ali produced 147 kickoff return yards. Both areas could help shorten the field for an offense that managed only 144 total yards Sunday. Jake Moody will also handle kicking duties after Tyler Loop was placed on injured reserve with a right groin injury, giving Baltimore another new contributor in a critical role.
The Ravens cannot expect Fagnano to reproduce Jackson's playmaking ability. They need Minter to manage the game effectively, Doyle to develop an offense suited to the rookie's strengths, and the defense to prevent Jacksonville from controlling possession.
Thursday's matchup will test whether Baltimore can adapt to its injuries without abandoning the offensive principles that made the Ravens successful.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Four adjustments Ravens must make for Thursday night vs. Jaguars
