Sometimes, you just can’t make it up. Sometimes, you don’t have to.
Just one day after the NBA found itself embroiled in the biggest scandal to date in the era of legalized, normalized, and heavily monetized sports betting, the Ravens—and, by extension, the NFL—stepped on a giant rake.
Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, who last played in Week 4, finally returned to practice this week. He was listed as limited on Wednesday and Thursday. Then came Friday. The Ravens listed Jackson as a full participant in practice. That sent a distinct message to the public—and, importantly, to the betting public. It suggested that Lamar was good to go, that he would be playing. This surely influenced countless spread and moneyline wagers placed on Baltimore after the designation was announced.
But today, out of nowhere, Jackson was ruled out for Sunday’s game. To make matters much worse, his practice status for Friday was retroactively changed from “full” to “limited.”
There’s plenty of digging to be done regarding what actually happened and how much he did—or didn’t—practice on Friday. Needless to say, this is the worst possible scenario for the NFL at the worst possible time.
Here’s the real question: Who knew before today that Lamar wouldn’t be playing? The Ravens had Tyler Huntley address the media this week, while Lamar himself didn’t speak to reporters. In hindsight, the breadcrumbs were there—indicating that Lamar, even if in uniform, possibly wouldn’t be starting.
For now, it sounds like someone got unsettled by the recent NBA scandal and made a rash decision that sends up gigantic red flags. Either way, we have a feeling there’s a lot more to this story—and there’s a chance it may get worse, not better, as more details emerge.
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/ravens-nfl-invite-intense-scrutiny-for-sudden-change-in-lamar-jacksons-practice-status