Baltimore Beatdown
The Ravens ruled out four players on their final injury report ahead of their Week 3 matchup with the Lions, including star defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike.
Madubuike’s neck injury has grown into a major concern for Baltimore’s defense. He anchored the pass rush in the first two games, but he will be sidelined on Monday night and potentially longer. On Saturday, John Harbaugh declined to share any details regarding the nature of the injury, saying only that Madubuike “came up with some symptoms after the game” last Sunday.
“Nothing specific in the game where we saw it actually happen,” explained Harbaugh, “but they’re dealing with the symptoms, and they’re testing right now.”
Neck injuries can be notoriously tricky, and the Ravens’ lack of clarity on the situation is a bad sign, not just for this week, but for the rest of the season. Harbaugh said that he didn’t know enough to comment on a potential injured reserve placement.
Monday night will now be a major test for Baltimore’s defensive line. Travis Jones is off to a solid start and will be counted on to step up in a contract year, but not having Madubuike next to him will lead to even more double-teams. Rookie Aeneas Peebles should be in line for expanded pass-rushing opportunities, and Brent Urban will likely be elevated from the practice squad to take up some early-down snaps.
In the long-term, the Ravens have depth in players like Urban, Broderick Washington and John Jenkins, but none can match Madubuike’s down-to-down impact. If he’s out for an extended period of time, defensive tackle will soar to the top of Eric DeCosta’s trade-deadline wishlist.
Here are the all of the Ravens’ injury designations for Week 3:
OUT
Rasheen Ali (concussion) and Marlon Humphrey (groin) practiced in full on Friday and Saturday, while Nate Wiggins (groin) was upgraded to full participation on Saturday. None of the four have an injury designation for Monday night’s game.
Having Humphrey and Wiggins on the field will be important against a dangerous Lions passing game, especially with the pass rush weakened by the loss of Madubuike.
Harbaugh confirmed on Saturday that Ali’s availability would spell another healthy scratch for Keaton Mitchell, saying that Ali’s work on special teams “probably tilts the scale right now.” He expressed a desire to get Mitchell on the field, but that would likely require a change in the team’s approach to their game day roster. If Mitchell can’t get activated when Likely and Ricard are both sidelined, how is the numbers game going to get any better when one or both are healthy?
The Lions ruled out one player with four others designated as questionable. Here is their final injury report for Monday Night Football.
OUT
QUESTIONABLE
