BALTIMORE – Joe Fagnano had three days to prepare for his first NFL start.
During the Baltimore Ravens’ 33-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night, it often looked like it. Fagnano, who was thrust into action due to injuries to two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and backup Tyler Huntley, completed just 10 of 18 passes for 60 yards, with two interceptions marking a challenging debut in the league.
“I think anytime you’ve got a quick turnaround, it (poses) its own challenges,” the 25-year-old undrafted rookie said. “But I’m not here to sit up here and make excuses. I mean, they were on a short week as well. Credit to the Jaguars, they played well. Just didn’t execute today.”
In light of Fagnano’s struggles, the Ravens are expected to bolster their quarterback lineup by adding Jacoby Brissett before Tuesday’s trade deadline. Brissett, who started Arizona’s first eight games, is anticipated to take over the starting role as Baltimore prepares for their Week 10 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night.
“I know that our front office and ownership are going to do what’s necessary to give us a chance,” Ravens coach Jesse Minter remarked. “Tons of respect for Joe and how he operated and how he played. … Anybody that comes in, we’ll see how it goes, and we’ll see where it takes us.”
The Ravens leaned heavily on a Wildcat formation led by running back Derrick Henry to alleviate the pressure on Fagnano, who entered training camp as the fourth-string quarterback on Baltimore’s depth chart following an injury to Skylar Thompson. This strategy initially seemed effective until Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence connected with Parker Washington for a crucial 50-yard touchdown, extending Jacksonville’s lead to 17-3 just before halftime.
“I thought the team was ready to play, and from a competitive standpoint, I really think the explosive play before the half really kind of broke the game open,” Minter noted.
As the game resumed, Fagnano was forced into a more aggressive approach, leading to two critical interceptions thrown to Montaric Brown and Jourdan Lewis on similar out routes intended for receiver Zay Flowers. The team’s overall performance was marred by sloppiness, evidenced by four false-start penalties and a fumbled snap by tight end Mark Andrews during a crucial fourth-down attempt in the third quarter.
Fagnano reflected on the changes made to the game plan, acknowledging the need for adaptation after Jackson and Huntley exited early in a previous loss to Buffalo. “Derrick Henry, you want to get him the ball anyway, so that was just part of the plan,” he explained. “It was obviously to run, and I feel like we did that pretty well there in some spurts. We’ve got to be able to sustain some drives, whether that’s me making a play or making a better decision or not shooting ourselves in the foot.”
As the Ravens navigate a difficult stretch of the season, the focus will be on how they can regroup and prepare effectively for the challenges ahead.
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This version has been corrected to show the Ravens had four false starts.
