The last two games have been tough for the Baltimore Ravens as quarterback Lamar Jackson has been sidelined due to an injury. Ever since the mishap, multiple reports have been doing the rounds about the kind of injury. As the fans now wait with bated breath for his return, ESPN insider Ian Rapoport landed in the hot seat for confusing the fans. Jackson clarified his situation before the Cincinnati Bengals face-off.

“I thought it was a high ankle sprain, so who said that? … Ian Rapoport said that? He part of the training staff? So we can’t go off Ian Rappaport,” Jackson said in the latest presser.

“You know, he’s just reporting. Somebody probably told him that too, though, so can’t blame him. But nah, man, my staff told me it was a high ankle sprain, so we’re going with what Adrian [Dixon] told me. Not going with what Ian told me.”

For context, Rapoport said the ankle injury was neither low nor high, which complicated things a little bit for fans. Jackson’s confirmation of this being a high-ankle sprain makes it clear that he needed more time off than initially projected.

Weirdly enough, this comes after the highly debated situation with Jalen Hurts, after Tom Pelissero was called out for reporting that the Philadelphia QB did not sleep before playing the Jaguars game. Later, he confirmed that Hurts was able to sleep for a while before the game.

Jackson went down with an injury on Oct. 4 right before halftime, when a sack from behind caused his left ankle to bend awkwardly.

“It was very, very, very, very, very painful,” was the quarterback’s reaction to the injury. He confirmed that the swelling has gone down, but he is still in pain when he tries to run.

It was a deja vu moment for Jackson, who missed three games at this time last season with a hamstring injury. This season, Jackson was on a roll, but the injury caused him to miss Weeks 5 and 6.

Hopes of Lamar Jackson returning have increased after he joined practice on Wednesday. The QB began to notice improvement in his ankle on Sunday after receiving daily treatment. He started running “a little bit” that day and continued on Monday before returning to practice Wednesday.

“It’s just like trying to run … can’t put too much pressure [on the left foot],” the quarterback said.

“Lamar Jackson moved around well during Thursday’s media viewing and didn’t favor his sprained left ankle at all,” ESPN Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley reported. “During warmups (with no defenders), he made a couple nice deep throws to LaJohntay Wester and Rashod Bateman.”

However, he remains listed as questionable. Lamar Jackson said that he is “heading in the right direction,” but “can’t call it” about his status for the upcoming clash with the Cincinnati Bengals.

“I’m just trying to move how I move,” Jackson said. “If I can’t do that, I can’t help my team. I can’t put my team in a situation like that. I feel like I’m doing a disservice then.”

The Ravens have their fingers crossed to see Lamar Jackson hit the gridiron this Sunday. After all, the last two weeks have been hard for them, as the offense felt like a fish out of water without Jackson on the field. With Jackson on the field, the Ravens accumulated 116 points. Without the quarterback, they scored only 40 points

The Bengals, meanwhile, are prepared for Jackson’s return. Head coach Zac Taylor said at a recent presser that they are practicing as if the QB will be active for the game.

Backup QB Tyler Huntley hasn’t been shockingly disappointing, but he is 1-1 starting for the Ravens in place of Jackson. Huntley has thrown for 366 yards and three touchdowns in the last two matchups. But he is also the same QB who nearly took away a victory from the Bengals in the 2022 playoffs, had he not had that fumble, which was recovered for a 98-yard touchdown by the Bengals.

When Lamar Jackson returns remains to be seen. He will probably get the green light once there is no pain in his ankle. Fans, meanwhile, will wait with bated breath to see him back on the field.