The Ravens suffered a slew of injuries during the 2021 season and the ultimately proved to be too much for the team to overcome in their push for a spot in the postseason.
Things have not gotten that dire in Baltimore this season, but injuries have certainly been a storyline in recent weeks. Running back J.K. Dobbins went on injured reserve while defensive end Calais Campbell and linebacker Josh Bynes did not play on Thursday night. Tight end Mark Andrews, wide receiver Rashod Bateman, and running back Gus Edwards all played after being listed as questionable, but couldn’t make it through the game in Tampa.
Others have been in and out of the lineup, but the Ravens found players to make plays when needed on Thursday. Rookie tight end Isaiah Likely and wide receiver DeMarcus Robinson combined for 12 catches, 141 yards and a touchdown and Kenyan Drake ran for 62 yards to help the team to a 27-22 win.
“It was just crazy how guys stepped up and we were able to replace those guys,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said, via Jeff Zrebiec of TheAthletic.com. “We just lost J.K. a week ago. We lost so many guys recently and it’s been no complaining. Guys just stepped up and tried to fill in the best they could. We were able to come out with two wins these past two weeks.”
The Ravens made a habit out of blowing double-digit leads to open the season, but they ground out a win over the Browns last Sunday and came back from a 10-3 halftime deficit to win on Thursday night despite the missing pieces. Those experiences should help this year’s push for a playoff spot, especially if they can keep the injuries from overwhelming them over the second half of the schedule.
