After rehabbing a major knee injury for more than a year, Gus Edwards was back on the field for not even two full games before going back on the shelf.
Edwards suffered a hamstring injury in the win in Tampa Bay, which has knocked him out for the past two contests. He's hopeful that he's finally back – and for good – Sunday in Jacksonville.
"I feel good, man," Edwards said. "Had a good week of progress, definitely made a lot of progress. I'm excited to see what happens."
Edwards said that he was planning to play last week against the Panthers up until Friday, when he just didn't feel good enough to make a difference for the team. He felt it was the smart decision to hold back.
"I'm optimistic again this week, like I was last week," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "So, we'll just have to see but I feel good about it."
The Ravens have gotten a boost from Kenyan Drake and Justice Hill, but it's still clear that Baltimore could use it's hammer in Edwards, who scored two touchdowns in his first game back from the knee injury and is averaging 4.9 yards per carry this season. Edwards said it was tough suffering another injury after his grueling knee rehab.
"I always want to be out there with my guys," Edwards said. "It felt like it was finally my time to be out there and we had a setback. But we've got to go over every obstacle.
"The only thing that makes it more difficult is I have to stay on top of both things now. I'm still rehabbing my knee and working on my knee. My knee feels great. And my hamstring is coming along well."
Pat Mekari Is Ready to Step in, But He Won't Be the Only One
Left tackle Ronnie Stanley has been ruled out, which means Pat Mekari is expected to get another start at left tackle against the Jaguars.
Mekari started the Ravens' Week 2 and Week 3 games against Miami and New England until suffering an ankle injury. That brought rookie Daniel Faalele in to play left tackle. Both did a solid job until Stanley returned to action in Week 5 against Cincinnati.
With Stanley rehabbing last week's ankle injury, the Ravens may go back to a hybrid approach at left tackle.
"Every position he's ever played, he's played well. He'll play well again in this game," Head Coach John Harbaugh said of Mekari. "He won't be the only one playing; we're going to be working guys in and all those kinds of things."
Asked whether he feels like a left tackle at this point, Mekari said "I feel like whatever they need me to be. Today's it's left tackle. I don't know what tomorrow holds."
"It's definitely part of the routine, but starting is obviously different than being a backup," Mekari said. "It's another level of being locked in and bringing it to a whole new level and giving it my best."
Harbaugh: Michigan-Ohio State Is College Football's Best Rivalry
Michigan and Ohio State renew their age-old rivalry Saturday at noon and Harbaugh will be trying to find a way to watch from the Ravens' team plane.
Michigan and Harbaugh's brother, Jim Harbaugh, won last year in a blowout, 42-27. It was the first time the Wolverines had come out on top since 2011.
"Obviously, I think it's the greatest rivalry in college football," John Harbaugh said. "People are free to argue that, but to me it's not even close. That rivalry is what college football is all about."
Michigan enters Saturday's game ranked No. 3 in the nation while the Buckeyes are No. 2. They're both undefeated at 11-0.
"Whichever team wins this game obviously is in the playoffs, and whichever team loses this game, should be in the playoffs, in my opinion," John Harbaugh said. "You can't go through a whole season and blow everyone out really, and then also win your tough games in the fourth quarter and not get in, and that goes for both those two teams."
