Mark Ingram went down in Cleveland in Week 16, and his calf strain may force Baltimore to turn to other running backs. But by the time the Ravens play their next game of consequence, Ingram is expected to be back in uniform.
The Pro Bowl running back should be back in time for the Ravens’ divisional-round game, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link). Ingram will have either 20 or 21 days to recover, depending on Baltimore receiving the Saturday or Sunday Round 2 date. After good news stemming from a Monday MRI, that is expected to be enough rehab time.
Baltimore’s Ingram signing has worked out incredibly well. The 30-year-old back earned his third Pro Bowl nod and surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the third time, getting to 1,018 with his 55-yard showing Sunday. Ingram will also end a season with more than five yards per carry for the second time, finishing with 5.0 per tote in the Ravens’ historically successful ground attack.
The point man of said ground force, Lamar Jackson will also be shelved for Week 17. For the first time in the franchise’s 24-year history, the Ravens have clinched home-field advantage. The runaway MVP frontrunner will have two weeks of rest before taking the field in his first divisional-round game. While the words “calf strain” have taken on a new meaning after the Kevin Durant debacle, Jackson may well have Ingram out there when the Ravens resume relevant football.
Would hate to go into the playoffs without Ingram
Huge sigh
It a hard decision to make about Lamar Jackson not playing in wk 17. You wanna make sure he’s healthy, but you don’t want him not playing for 3wks.