OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- After walking with a limp to the podium after Friday's practice, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson expressed uncertainty whether he will play Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, saying his decision will come down to pain tolerance.
"Right now, I'm heading in the right direction," said Jackson, who is officially listed as questionable. "I can't call it right now."
Jackson said that he is dealing with a high ankle sprain, which he suffered in a win over the Tennessee Titans 19 days ago. He indicated the swelling has gone down significantly, but he is still experiencing pain in his injured left ankle and foot.
The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player doesn't believe he needs to be at 100% to suit up for Sunday's important AFC North game between the Ravens (4-2) and Bengals (3-2).
"If I can just go out there and feel the pain a little bit, I can play," Jackson said. "But if I'm restricted and I can't do what I do, I'm not helping nobody. If I can just go out there and just be a statue and get hit, that's not helping my team at all."
If Jackson can't play, the Ravens will start Tyler Huntley for a third straight week.
There has been increased hope surrounding Jackson after he returned to practice with limited participation all week. He was not seen walking off the field with the rest of the team at the end of Friday's practice, but Ravens coach Jesse Minter mentioned that Jackson "was able to get a pretty good amount of work in."
It's looking like a game-time decision with Jackson.
"I think it's in that phase where we'll certainly go as long as it needs to take," Minter said on when the team will make a decision at starting quarterback.
On Oct. 4, Jackson was injured on the last offensive snap before halftime, when he was sacked from behind. It looked like Titans defensive end Jermaine Johnson II's shoulder landed on the outside of Jackson's left ankle, which caused it to bend awkwardly.
"It was very, very, very, very, very painful," Jackson said.
After getting treatment every day and repeatedly icing the ankle, Jackson felt he turned the corner Sunday, when Baltimore was playing at Cleveland. He ran "a little bit" Sunday and Monday before resuming practice Wednesday.
Jackson doesn't feel pain when he walks, but he does at practice when he tries to plant his foot.
"It's just like trying to run ... can't put too much pressure [on the left foot]," Jackson said.
It was around this time last season, when Jackson missed three games with a hamstring injury. On Friday, he expressed regret rushing back from it because he was never truly healthy the rest of the season.
"I feel like that was dumb a little bit because I was still hurting," Jackson said. "I'm trying to help my team win, but I'm not to my full capability or not even close to it."
The Ravens' offense has struggled with its consistency without Jackson. In 14 quarters with Jackson this season, the Ravens have scored 116 points and 14 offensive touchdowns. In 10 quarters with Huntley, Baltimore has totaled 40 points and four touchdowns.
If Jackson can play Sunday, it would be a timely return. Since Jackson became the starter midway through the 2018 season, the Ravens are 11-2 against the Bengals with Jackson, who has thrown 24 touchdowns and six interceptions against Cincinnati. Without Jackson over that span, Baltimore is 0-3, including the playoffs, against the Bengals, losing by an average margin of 12 points.
"One thing I'll say about Lamar is that he's super competitive and he wants to play," Minter said. "It's going to be a decision based on how he feels and how effective he feels like he can be and how we feel like it looks."