OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh presented his team’s latest injuries to end bad luck.
In practice on Thursday, runner Gus Edwards and cornerback Marcus Peters broke their ACLs without coming into contact with their teammates, which continued Baltimore’s terrible injury career. Both have been placed in the injured reserve.
Edwards, who had just replaced JK Dobbins as the starting runner, was injured making a cut from left to right and landed badly on his ankle.
“The weight ended up on his knee,” Harbaugh said before Friday’s practice. “It was kind of a problem.”
Peters, a three-time Pro Bowl cornerback, was injured while making a change of direction.
“He was kind of a pivot on a basic turn that he does dozens of times every practice,” Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh rejected the idea that the playing surface at Ravens’ facilities served as a factor. The Ravens have had three injuries at the end of the season: Justice Hill (Achilles) runner along with Edwards and Peters at the facility in a seven-day stretch.
“The grass? I don’t think so,” Harbaugh said. “I do not think so”.
After Edwards and Peters fell with injuries, offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley described the atmosphere as “depressing.” The players took advantage of the rest of the day to reflect.
On Friday, Stanley indicated the team had new energy after the Ravens board met and spoke of playing “in memory” of the injured players.
“I think you cry for a day and we fight today,” Harbaugh said. “We have a very good team, a lot of great players. We can move forward. The train is moving fast.”
The Ravens are looking to overcome a tough injury run. Over a 19-day stretch, Baltimore lost five players, including three runners (Edwards, Hill, Dobbins), to end-of-season injuries.
Stanley said he expects teams to now underestimate the Ravens, who have reached the playoffs in three seasons in a row.
“Guys can think what they want,” Stanley said. “The Ravens will be the Ravens. Let’s step up.”