Ravens Turn to Brissett Amid Historic Scoring Drought
Baltimore’s fourth quarterback in four games will start Monday against a winless Los Angeles team.
By Tomas Gonzalez ·
Jacoby Brissett will start for the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers. The 11-year veteran arrived from the Arizona Cardinals last week. He takes over as the team's fourth starting quarterback in four games. The move follows a series of injuries that have left the roster depleted.
The Ravens currently hold a 4-5 record. They sit in last place in the AFC North. The team has lost four straight games. During this skid, opponents have outscored Baltimore 117 to 43. The Ravens have been held under 14 points in four consecutive games for the first time in franchise history.
Passing numbers show the offensive struggle. Baltimore managed 68 passing yards against Buffalo and 55 against Jacksonville. This marks the first time since 2004 that the team was held under 100 passing yards in back-to-back games. Quarterbacks have been pressured on 38.2% of dropbacks. The offense averages 103.4 yards per quarter with Lamar Jackson on the field and 67.6 without him.
Lamar Jackson suffered a right thumb injury in the loss to Buffalo. He underwent surgery and was placed on injured reserve. He must miss at least four games. Backup Tyler Huntley suffered turf toe and will miss the rest of the season. Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano made his first NFL start on Nov. 5 against the Jaguars. Baltimore lost that game 33-10. Fagnano finished with 60 passing yards and two interceptions.
The Ravens completed the trade for Brissett less than 24 hours after the Jacksonville loss. Baltimore received Brissett and a 2027 fifth-round pick. Arizona received a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 seventh-round pick. The Cardinals converted part of Brissett's remaining salary into a signing bonus. The Ravens are responsible for about $2.43 million in base salary for the rest of the year, plus possible incentives.
Brissett threw for 1,719 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight starts for Arizona this season. He has played for seven organizations. These include Cleveland, where he worked with current Ravens quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork. First-year coach Jesse Minter said he expects Brissett to be the starter on Monday. Minter praised the veteran's ability to command the huddle during his first practice on Wednesday.
Minter served as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator for the previous two seasons. He knows the opponent well. The Chargers are 0-8 and remain the NFL’s only winless team. Brissett has a recent history against them. In Week 1 with Arizona, he completed 27 of 37 passes for 277 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
The Ravens face additional roster changes. Kicker Tyler Loop is on injured reserve with a groin injury. Jake Moody left the practice squad to sign with Atlanta. NFL Network reported that Baltimore is signing Riley Patterson, though the team had not announced the move as of Wednesday evening. The offensive line also added center Ryan Neuzil in a trade.
After Monday's game, Baltimore travels to Carolina on Nov. 22. Jackson's minimum stay on injured reserve means Brissett is likely to start more than one game. The team has not shared a detailed timeline for Jackson's return. Brissett is scheduled to speak with reporters on Thursday. He will be given a chance to explain how much of the playbook he can handle in less than a week.
