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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will miss his second straight game as he was officially ruled out Friday for Sunday's Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Jackson, who missed last week's 44-10 loss to the Houston Texans with a hamstring injury, did not practice all week. His absence means backup Cooper Rush will once start under center for a Baltimore team mired in a three-game losing streak and off to its worst start (1-4) since 2015.

The 31-year-old Rush struggled against Houston, completing 14 of 20 passes for 179 yards and three interceptions as the Ravens were outgained in total yards 417-207. He will again be tasked with leading a struggling offense that has scored just 30 combined points over its last two games.

Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP and four-time Pro Bowler, has thrown for 869 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception in four games this season while completing 71.6% of his passes. His status beyond Sunday remains uncertain, particularly with Baltimore scheduled for a Week 7 bye. Jackson was injured during the Sept. 28 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Baltimore is seeking to avoid becoming one of the few teams in NFL history to mount a playoff push after a 1-5 start; only four teams have done it. The Ravens have also endured defensive struggles, giving up 81 points in its last two games and now tasked with trying to stop quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Rams' high-powered passing attack.

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Cooper Rush called upon again

Rush, a veteran NFL backup, has built a reputation for stepping in when starters are sidelined. The Central Michigan product spent seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, posting a 9-5 record in relief of Dak Prescott.

Rush signed a two-year, $6.2 million deal with Baltimore in March, giving the Ravens what they hoped was reliable depth behind Jackson.

He made his Ravens debut in Week 4 at Kansas City, entering the game after Jackson exited with a hamstring injury. It was a brief and uneven outing, as Rush completed 9 of 13 passes for 52 yards while the offense struggled to find rhythm. Despite that rough start, his experience will be critical as Baltimore faces another game without their star quarterback.

Rush has appeared in 41 NFL games, starting 15. Over his career, he has completed 61.2% of his passes for 3,694 yards with 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. On the ground, Rush is much less of a threat compared to Jackson with 61 carries for 20 yards and no touchdowns.