Baltimore opened Jesse Minter’s first season as head coach the way it expected to. Lamar Jackson threw for 324 yards in a 41-23 win at Indianapolis, Derrick Henry ran for 144 yards and three touchdowns, and the Ravens won three of Jackson’s first four starts.

The only loss in that stretch was 24-17 at home to New Orleans.

1. Sept. 13Ravens 41, Colts 23, in Indianapolis. Jackson goes 17 of 25 for 324 yards.
2. Sept. 20Saints 24, Ravens 17, in Baltimore.
3. Sept. 27Ravens 34, Cowboys 31, in Arlington. Jackson completes 15 of 20 with two touchdowns.
4. Oct. 4Ravens 24, Titans 18. Jackson throws two touchdown passes, then sprains his left ankle. Tyler Huntley finishes the game.

The injury was a high ankle sprain. Huntley started the next three games, and the first went well: 24 of 32 for 201 yards, two touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown in a 30-23 win at Atlanta. That made Baltimore 4-1.

Then the offense dried up. The Ravens lost 13-10 at Cleveland and 35-13 at home to Cincinnati.

Ravens points by game, and who started

Jackson practiced fully on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of Week 8, his first full week since early October. Minter said on Friday that the team expected to have him at Buffalo.

Jackson said he still felt pain when he planted, but that it was bearable, and that he would not try to protect the ankle on the field.

On Baltimore’s first offensive play in Orchard Park on Nov. 1, Jackson threw for Zay Flowers as Bills edge rusher Greg Rousseau tried to knock the ball down. Jackson’s right hand, his throwing hand, hit Rousseau’s. The pass fell incomplete.

Jackson went to a knee near the sideline and then to the locker room. The Ravens listed him as questionable at 1:20 p.m. ET and ruled him out at 1:33 p.m.

Huntley came in and lasted until early in the second quarter, when Bills safety Cole Bishop sacked him and forced a fumble. Huntley left with a toe injury, possibly turf toe, after going 2 of 4 for no yards.

That put Joe Fagnano, an undrafted rookie from Connecticut and the emergency third quarterback, into his first NFL game with no first-team practice reps that week. Baltimore became the first team since the 2017 Cowboys to have three quarterbacks throw a pass before halftime.

Bills 36, Ravens 10: total yards

After the game, Minter said Jackson needs surgery on his right thumb and is going on injured reserve. Asked if it could end his season, he said: “Potentially, but we’ll see where it’s at.”

Injured reserve means at least four games. With Baltimore’s bye in Week 13, the earliest Jackson could come back is Dec. 13 against Tampa Bay.

1. Thu., Nov. 5Jaguars (5-2) at Ravens, Thursday night
2. Mon., Nov. 16Chargers (0-7) at Ravens, Monday night
3. Sun., Nov. 22Ravens at Panthers (3-4)
4. Sun., Nov. 29Ravens at Texans (2-5)
5. Week 13Bye
6. Sun., Dec. 13Buccaneers at Ravens: first game Jackson would be eligible for

Three straight losses have dropped Baltimore from first place to last in the division. The Ravens have scored 33 points in those three games, and they have now been outscored 203-179 for the season.

AFC North after Week 8 (wins)

Skylar Thompson is already on injured reserve, and Huntley was due for an MRI on Monday. Minter said the team would decide by Monday whether it needs to add a quarterback. The trade deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 4 p.m. ET.