The Baltimore Ravens (4-4), losers of three straight, host the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) at M&T Bank Stadium on Thursday night with an 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff on Prime Video. Baltimore enters the week at the bottom of an AFC North that has the Pittsburgh Steelers at 6-2, and a fourth consecutive loss would make a playoff run significantly harder to manage.
The Ravens arrive here having been routed 36-10 in Buffalo in Week 8, a game in which Joe Fagnano completed just 10 of 21 passes for 91 yards after relieving Tyler Huntley, who is now reportedly out for the season with a toe injury.
Jacksonville, meanwhile, demolished Indianapolis 42-7 — Trevor Lawrence completing 10 of 14 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns while the defense held the Colts to 23 rushing yards from Jonathan Taylor.
Joe Fagnano's First NFL Start: What to Expect From an Undrafted Rookie Under Center
With Lamar Jackson on injured reserve with a thumb injury and Huntley's season over, an undrafted rookie who walked on at Maine and later transferred to UConn will start a Thursday Night Football game for the Ravens.
Fagnano led the NFL with 509 passing yards in the preseason and threw just one interception in 75 preseason pass attempts, but his Week 8 cameo — 91 yards, one interception, one fumble against 30 quarterback pressures — was a harsher introduction.
The key difference this week is preparation. Head Coach Jesse Minter said having the week to prepare as the No. 1 quarterback is a huge help, and Fagnano has the full trust of his offense.
Wide receiver Zay Flowers noted that Fagnano knows the playbook by heart and that the team has seen him operate at a high level in the preseason. The Ravens also expect to have rookie guard Vega Ioane back after he missed one game with a knee injury — his absence in Buffalo contributed to 15 pressures allowed, per Pro Football Focus.
The Ravens are also reportedly trading for veteran Jacoby Brissett, an 11-year starter who threw for 3,366 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. But Thursday belongs to Fagnano, whose first NFL start comes against the NFL's second-ranked scoring defense at 15.9 points per game allowed.
Can the Ravens' Ground Game Counter Jacksonville's NFL-Best Run Defense?
Baltimore's most reliable weapon without Jackson is Derrick Henry, who leads the team with 632 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 158 carries this season. The Ravens rank sixth in the NFL in rushing yards per game at 133.5.
The problem is Henry has averaged just 3.5 yards per carry over the past two games, per the Ravens' own reporting, and he faces the stiffest possible test Thursday.
Jacksonville's run defense is ranked first in the NFL, allowing just 77.4 rushing yards per game. It was built in large part around nose tackle DaVon Hamilton, who suffered a season-ending quadriceps injury against the Colts last week. Hamilton's absence is a significant variable — Jaguars analyst Bucky Brooks called his interior dominance a potential difference-maker down the stretch.
Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile will be tasked with compensating for Hamilton's loss, with Matt Dickerson and Ruke Orhorhoro among those expected to absorb more snaps. How much that interior drops off against Henry's sledgehammer style is the central football question of this game.
Trevor Lawrence vs. a Ravens Defense Giving Up 25.4 Points Per Game
While Baltimore tries to manage its quarterback crisis, Jacksonville has the opposite problem in a good way: Lawrence is playing the best football of his career. He has thrown 17 touchdowns against just four interceptions this season, and over his last 13 regular-season games he has thrown 32 touchdowns with five interceptions.
The Ravens' defense is allowing 25.4 points per game, 22nd in the NFL, and 228.3 passing yards per game, 21st. Baltimore gave up 35 and 36 points in its last two games, surrendering leads after halftime in both. The pass coverage breakdowns and poor tackling that have plagued the Ravens are well-documented from within the building.
Jacksonville also brings a plus-7 turnover differential, tied for first in the NFL — the Ravens sit at zero. If the Ravens' defense cannot force turnovers and Lawrence protects the ball as he has all season, the gap in that category will be difficult to bridge.
Ravens vs. Jaguars by the Numbers
The sharpest contrast in these rankings is at points allowed per game: Jacksonville's defense gives up 15.9 (2nd in the NFL) while Baltimore's allows 25.4 (22nd). The Jaguars also hold a plus-7 turnover differential, tied for first in the league, against the Ravens' zero differential, tied for 14th.
| Ravens | Jaguars | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 4-4 | 5-2 |
| Points per game | 22.4 19th | 28.0 5th |
| Yards per game | 338.6 14th | 350.3 10th |
| Pass yards per game | 205.1 21st | 227.4 16th |
| Rush yards per game | 133.5 6th | 122.9 13th |
| Points allowed per game | 25.4 22nd | 15.9 2nd |
| Yards allowed per game | 331.0 15th | 331.3 16th |
| Pass yards allowed | 228.3 21st | 253.9 29th |
| Rush yards allowed | 102.8 13th | 77.4 1st |
| Sacks | 17 18th | 15 T-22nd |
| Takeaways | 8 T-21st | 12 T-6th |
| Turnover differential | 0 T-14th | +7 T-1st |
League rank among all 32 teams, entering Week 9 of the 2026 season. Highlighted figures mark which team has the edge in each category.
Season Leaders
| Ravens | Jaguars |
|---|---|
| Passing | |
| Lamar Jackson 967 yds, 6 TD, 1 INT | Trevor Lawrence 1,690 yds, 17 TD, 4 INT |
| Rushing | |
| Derrick Henry 632 yds on 158 carries, 8 TD | Bhayshul Tuten 492 yds on 110 carries, 3 TD |
| Receiving | |
| Zay Flowers 40 rec, 608 yds, 3 TD | Parker Washington 27 rec, 432 yds, 4 TD |
| Sacks | |
| Tavius Robinson 3.5 sacks | Travon Walker 3 sacks |
| Interceptions | |
| Roquan Smith 1 INT | Jourdan Lewis 2 INTs |
Ravens vs. Jaguars: Last Five Meetings
Baltimore holds a 3-2 edge over Jacksonville in the last five meetings. The most recent matchup, on Dec. 17, 2023, ended Ravens 23, Jaguars 7.
| Game | Result |
|---|---|
| Dec. 17, 2023 Ravens at Jaguars | Ravens 23, Jaguars 7 |
| Nov. 27, 2022 Ravens at Jaguars | Jaguars 28, Ravens 27 |
| Dec. 20, 2020 Jaguars at Ravens | Ravens 40, Jaguars 14 |
| Sept. 24, 2017 Ravens vs. Jaguars | Jaguars 44, Ravens 7 |
| Sept. 25, 2016 Ravens at Jaguars | Ravens 19, Jaguars 17 |
What They're Saying
Ravens
Fagnano has spent the entire season treating every walkthrough as a game-week preparation. When asked about his readiness, he was direct: "Every walkthrough and every meeting, I'm locked in as if I was preparing to be a starter. That's how you have to be in this league."
Minter has seen Fagnano operate the offense in live situations and pointed to a specific set of traits when describing why the Ravens feel comfortable with him as the starter: "He's cool, calm and collected; [he] doesn't really get rattled, has a really good demeanor [and] played in a bunch of games in college."
Jaguars
Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen acknowledged the physical toll of a short week on both rosters without using it as a distinction between the teams: "Everybody in this game is going to be sore, tired, all those things. Mentally, physically, everybody feels the same exact way. Everybody's nicked up and have to go play this game. That's just the way it is."
Ravens vs. Jaguars Injury Report
For every practice designation from the week, see the full Ravens injury report.
Ravens vs. Jaguars Inactives
Each team announces its inactive players about 90 minutes before kickoff. This section updates automatically once both lists are out.
Ravens Depth Chart
Who's starting where, from the offensive line to the return units: see this week's Ravens depth chart.
Kickoff Information
Matchup: Baltimore Ravens vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (Week 9)
When: Thursday, Nov. 5, 8:15 p.m. ET
Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
TV: Prime Video (national broadcast)
Radio: 98 Rock (97.9 FM) and WBAL NewsRadio (AM 1090 / FM 101.5)
Weather: 68°F, Overcast, 23% chance of precipitation