After losing Malik Cunningham to the Ravens and Will Grier to the Chargers, the Patriots have brought in another quarterback.
Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, New England has claimed Nathan Rourke off of waivers from Jacksonville.
The Jaguars waived Rourke on Saturday. With Trevor Lawrence in concussion protocol, the Jaguars now have just one healthy quarterback in C.J. Beathard.
After finishing his collegiate career at Ohio University, Rourke played a couple of seasons in the CFL for the BC Lions. He then signed with Jacksonville in January of this year and has bounced between the practice squad and the active roster.
Rourke gives New England three quarterbacks on their roster, as he joins Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones.
The Ravens did more than simply secure their 11th win of the season against the Jaguars on Sunday night.
Winning 23-7 on the road assured the Ravens of a place in the postseason for the second straight year and the fifth time in six seasons with Lamar Jackson at quarterback. Jackson ran for 97 yards and passed for 171 more before saying that the Ravens will not be resting on their laurels as they move into the final three weeks of the regular season.
“I’m just trying to win. I’m just trying to get there,” Jackson said, via the team’s website. “I’m grateful for the opportunity. . . . We’re just getting started.”
The playoff berth checks one box, but the Ravens still have the AFC North title and the top seed in the playoffs in their sites. The push for those accomplishments continues next Monday with a game against the 49ers that could wind up being a Super Bowl preview.
Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is in the concussion protocol after Sunday night’s loss to the Ravens.
Lawrence suffered an apparent concussion on the Jaguars’ last possession of the game, head coach Doug Pederson said.
Players in the concussion protocol have to be cleared by an independent neurologist before they can play. If Lawrence can’t go on Sunday against the Buccaneers, C.J. Beathard would start in his place. The Jaguars currently only have those two quarterbacks, after cutting third quarterback Nathan Rourke, but they will likely bring him back this week.
Lawrence has never missed a game in his football career.
Lawrence completed 25 of 43 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown and ran for 41 yards while losing two fumbles in the 23-7 loss to the Ravens.
The 8-6 Jaguars are now in a three-way tie atop the AFC South with the Colts and Texans, although Jacksonville is still the division leader because of the Jaguars’ head-to-head wins over the Colts and Texans.
Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell’s injury was as serious as it appeared it could be on the field.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told reporters in his press conference following the 23-7 victory over the Jaguars that Mitchell suffered a significant knee injury that will end his 2023 season.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Harbaugh said. “He’s just got a great attitude and demeanor about him. He’s a guy you want to see do well. He deserves to do well. And just feel for his parents right now — they’re watching and I’m sure they’re feeling it, too.”
Mitchell, an undrafted rookie out of East Carolina, had entered Sunday’s contest having rushed for 323 yards with two touchdowns — averaging an outstanding 8.5 yards per carry. He added 73 more yards to that total on nine carries in Week 15 before exiting the contest.
Mitchell went with the non-contact injury midway through the fourth quarter on a 13-yard run.
Harbaugh said the Ravens plan to have Melvin Gordon available from their practice squad to help replace Mitchell.
“He’s been working super hard,” Harbaugh said. “He’s in great shape and he’ll be ready to go.”
Baltimore also has Gus Edwards and Justice Hill currently on its 53-man roster.
The Ravens will play the 49ers next Monday night.
The Ravens are officially a playoff team and have kept the inside track to securing the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
With quarterback Lamar Jackson playing a strong game, Baltimore defeated Jacksonville 23-7 on Sunday Night Football to improve their record to 11-3 and clinch a postseason berth.
While Jackson’s passing numbers don’t appear outstanding at first glance — 14-of-24 for 171 yards, one touchdown, one interception — Jackson also rushed for 97 yards on 12 carries. But time and time again, Jackson made the critical throws and critical plays when Baltimore needed them.
Jackson’s best throw of the night came late in the third quarter when he escaped a sack, stood in to take a hit, and fired a pass deep down the left side to Isaiah Likely for a 26-yard gain. That set up Gus Edwards’ 1-yard touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter that put the Ravens up 17-7.
That was all the Ravens would need, but Justin Tucker hit two more field goals in the fourth quarter to get Baltimore to 23 points.
Likely also had a 16-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Tucker had opened the scoring with a 43-yard field goal in the first period.
The Ravens finished with 251 yards rushing, led by Jackson. Undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell had 73 yards on nine carries. Gus Edwards had 16 carries for 58 yards. Justice Hill had five carries for 23 yards.
But Mitchell may have suffered a significant knee injury. He was carted to the locker room in the fourth quarter and was quickly ruled out.
The Jaguars had plenty of chances to score but seemingly couldn’t get out of their own way — particularly in the first half. Brandon McManus missed field goals of 50 and 55 yards. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence fumbled when trying to gain some extra yards when already in field goal range, dropping the ball as he was transferring it between his hands.
But the worst missed chance came at the end of the first half. With 30 seconds on the clock, Lawrence completed a 36-yard pass to Zay Jones that got the Jags down to the 5-yard line. But with no timeouts and the clock running, Lawrence inexplicably threw to Parker Washington in the flat for a 1-yard gain. Washington wasn’t close to getting out of bounds and time ran out before Jacksonville could run another play.
The Jaguars got inside the Ravens’ 40-yard line on four consecutive drives but didn’t score a point — just the second time in franchise history that had happened.
Lawrence connected with Jamal Agnew for a 65-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter. But that was the only time Jacksonville would get on the scoreboard.
Lawrence finished 25-of-43 for 264 yards with a touchdown and two lost fumbles.
With the win, the Ravens became the first AFC team to clinch a playoff berth. They’ll play the 49ers on Christmas night before facing the Dolphins and Steelers at home to end the season.
The Jaguars are now 2-4 since their Week 9 bye and have lost each of their last three games — all to AFC North opponents. The club is now in a three-way tie for the best record in the AFC South with 8-6 Houston and 8-6 Indianapolis, though Jacksonville has the tiebreaker over both divisional opponents.
Jacksonville will be on the road to play Tampa Bay in Week 16.
