John Harbaugh was left in disbelief as the Baltimire Ravens' franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson suffered two costly fumbles in the first half against the Cincinnati Bengals
06:21 ET, 28 Nov 2025
John Harbaugh was unimpressed by Lamar Jackson's late second-quarter fumble against the Bengals
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John Harbaugh was unimpressed by Lamar Jackson's late second-quarter fumble against the Bengals(Image: Getty)
John Harbaugh's instant reaction to Lamar Jackson's costly second fumble against the Cincinnati Bengals spoke volumes as the Baltimore Ravens were forced to head into halftime trailing.
The Ravens have been on a mission to recover a disappointing 2025 NFL season, following two-time MVP Jackson's three-game absence and subsequent month of inaction due to injury. The team sat at 2-5 before his return against the Miami Dolphins. With Jackson back as a starter, the Ravens put together a run of four-straight wins before meeting the Bengals on Thanksgiving, placing them at the top of the AFC North and in playoff contention.
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However, with the opportunity to move to 7-5 on the line, Jackson and Co. were put to the sword by the 3-8 Bengals. Jackson suffered a costly fumble with 28 seconds left on the clock in the first half. With the Bengals leading 9-7, Jackson appeared to attempt a forward pass but ended up dropping the ball in front of him, which Cincinnati recovered.
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"That's bad. That's bad. That's so bad," Harbaugh was caught on TV cameras saying, reacting to Jackson's costly error. The decision sparked debate over whether it was a fumble or an incomplete pass.
The Bengals then went on to score a field goal before halftime to extend their lead to 12-7. It wasn't the only fumble Jackson suffered on the night as the Bengals ran out 32-14 winners on franchise quarterback Joe Burrow's return. Jackson fumbled first near the Ravens' own end zone with the team leading 7-3.
The ball was knocked out of his grasp by the Bengals' No. 58 and recovered by the No. 52 Cedric Johnson. After the game, Jackson took responsibility for his doing in the Ravens' costly defeat, with the team now 6-6 and second in their division behind the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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"I just got to play consistent," Jackson said. He then rejected the suggestion that injuries are playing a bigger role in the Ravens' struggles. "No, I just got to be more consistent," Jackson continued.
"I got to make those throws. I don't miss them in practice, so I shouldn't be missing them in the game."
Jackson has also struck an unlikely record. It marked the third straight game without a touchdown pass by Jackson, which is the longest drought of his eight-year NFL career.
Lamar Jackson suffered two fumbles against the Bengals
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Lamar Jackson suffered two fumbles against the Bengals(Image: AP)
Again, Jackson hammered home the need for consistency. "I feel like I'm seeing the field pretty good for the most part," said Jackson. "But I just got to be consistent. We all just got to be consistent."
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Jackson also maintains the confidence of his offense. "I have no complaints," Ravens tight end Mark Andrews said about Jackson. "He's our guy, and I have full trust in him. Football is a way of life. Sometimes bad things happen."
"Lamar is out there fighting with us," Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers said. "As long as he is fighting, and we are fighting with him, we will be alright."