Harbaugh Cautiously Optimistic About Ravens Injured Players Returning
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens coach John Harbaugh is encouraged about the prospects of getting back key injured players for the Week 11 game against the Carolina Panthers.
Tight end Mark Andrews (shoulder/knee), Gus Edwards (hamstring), Jason Pierre-Paul (ankle), and DeSean Jackson (hamstring) were each dealing with injuries that kept them out of the games leading up to the bye week.
Harbaugh said those players benefitted from the extra rest and could be back on the practice field this week.
"[When] you talk to Mark, he sounds very positive, obviously, about it, and the trainers, as well," Harbaugh said. "We’ll see how it progresses throughout the rest of the week. It’ll be the same answer for Gus. ‘JPP’ ] was out there today. And [with] DeSean, all those guys, we’ll just see how they look on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. They all have a real good chance.”
Andrews leads the team with 488 yards receiving with five touchdowns in eight games.
Edwards has been a spark for the running game and has 131 yards rushing on 27 carries with two touchdowns in less than two games.
Pierre-Paul has eight tackles and a sack in six games.
In his debut Week 9 against the Saints, Jackson had two targets and one catch for 16 yards before leaving with a hamstring injury.
The Ravens have won three games in a row and are poised to make a playoff run. Baltimore is 6-3 and in first place in the AFC North.
Harbaugh is not worried about the bye quashing some of that positive momentum.
"That’s not going to be a problem," Harbaugh said. "And the season, it starts right back up again. It’s not like we’ve been gone for a month. We get a little bit of rest, and we get right back at it. We just have to go play our best game on Sunday, and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”
