NFL teams
Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff Writer 2y

Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson confident he'll play vs. Cleveland Browns

NFL, Baltimore Ravens

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- This time, Lamar Jackson is "120 percent" certain that he's playing.

Three days after an illness relapse caused him to miss a game, Jackson returned to practice Wednesday and is set to start against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday night.

"I'm feeling good. Great this time," Jackson said with a smile. "... Positive. Certain. No relapses, man."

Jackson participated in the morning walkthrough Wednesday morning and attended all the meetings. He was officially listed as a full participant in Wednesday's practice. 

"I think I'm fully back to normal," Jackson said. "I want to go out there and just go. I don't want to go out there and limit myself or have coach limit me."

He has a 4-1 mark against the Browns with an 85.8 Total QBR. That's the second-highest Total QBR of any quarterback against a single opponent since the metric was first tracked in 2006.

Jackson missed two days of practice last week because he was sick, but he came back for a full practice Friday. Symptoms, however, returned Saturday, which sidelined him for Sunday's 16-13 win at the Chicago Bears.

"I have no clue [what happened from Friday to Saturday]," said Jackson, who added he was sweating in his sleep. "I just got fatigued. I got some chills. I was out of it. But I'm good now. I'm feeling great."

On the flight to Chicago, Jackson rolled up in a ball in the seat and was so sick that he didn't realize the plane had landed. During the game, Jackson watched from the locker room with his jacket wrapped around him.

Jackson, however, celebrated when backup quarterback Tyler Huntley guided the Ravens to a game-winning 72-yard drive in the final minute.

"When he did that last drive, I felt like I wasn't sick anymore," Jackson said.

The AFC North-leading Ravens (7-3) play host to the Browns (6-5) in an important division game. If the Ravens win, their chances of capturing the AFC North improves to 72%, according to ESPN's Football Power Index. If Baltimore loses, its chances of winning the division decrease to 39%.

An MVP candidate, Jackson ranks 14th in the NFL in passing (2,447 yards) and eighth in rushing (639).

He has missed more time in his four-year career because of illness than injury. This year, he been sidelined for practice by three separate illnesses.

"I'm not worried about it because I've been healthy all my life," Jackson said. "I've never had a problem being ill until I'm here. I don't really know that that is. Hopefully, that's done with."

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