The Ravens have a bye week to heal following Sunday's victory, but at least one player will be out for an extended period.
Third-year cornerback Anthony Averett suffered a shoulder injury that will keep him out of action for weeks. Head Coach John Harbaugh said the injury was not season-ending, but that Averett would be placed on the injured list.
"He's going to be out five or six weeks," Harbaugh said. "He has a slight fracture in one of the bones, clavicle, shoulder, somewhere in there. [There will] be some sort of an IR there. It won't be season-long."
Harbaugh said cornerbacks Khalil Dorsey and practice squad player Terrell Bonds would have an opportunity for increased reps due to Averett's absence.
"I'm very confident in Khalil," Harbaugh said. "He's playing really well in practice and he's playing well on special teams. Terrell Bonds is another guy who's in the mix there. He'll get his opportunity. Those guys are ready to roll."
The news on other Ravens injured Sunday was more positive. Harbaugh said running back Mark Ingram II (ankle) might be back when the Ravens return to action Nov. 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"I think he probably will be back for the Steelers game," Harbaugh said. "We'll have to see."
Defensive lineman Derek Wolfe (neck/concussion) is progressing nicely and the hand injury to starting right guard Tyre Phillips is not serious.
"Derek Wolfe had a concussion protocol Wednesday in practice," Harbaugh said. "He says he feels great. Tyre Phillips had the hand, I don't think it's anything serious."
Nose tackle Brandon Williams (Reserve/COVID-19 list) missed Sunday's game, but Harbaugh is optimistic Williams will be back soon.
"He never tested positive," Harbaugh said. "It was a close contact. He'll be fine."
No Surprise That Marshal Yanda's Absence Is Felt
After eight-time Pro Bowler Marshal Yanda retired, the Ravens knew their first season without him at right guard would be a huge adjustment for the offensive line.
That has proven to be true. Harbaugh said Yanda was that rare player who may have been at his best when he decided to leave the game. The Ravens don't focus on Yanda not being around anymore, but it's difficult to fill the void he left. His absence is one reason the Ravens' offensive attack has not been as potent as it was in 2019.
"We don't think about it, we don't dwell on it, but if you want to make a comparison [between offenses], that's it," Harbaugh said. "Marshal, he played at a Hall of Fame level for years, but especially last year. I think in a lot of ways last year was his best year. He had so many good years, but he never played better than he did last year. He was just dominant. He was blocking two guys often times."
By winning the job as a rookie, Phillips has proven he has potential. But the Ravens' offensive line hopes to improve collectively after the bye, and the line had too many dead-ball penalties during Sunday's win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Yanda was the leader of the offensive line last year, but even without him Harbaugh knows the line can avoid those pre-snap mistakes.
"Really, it's just a matter of doing a better job," Harbaugh said. "We practice them every single day. We've just got to be locked in way better than that. It goes for the alignment issues as well. Those are issues that really shouldn't happen. Last year we were one of the best in the league, both cadence and pre-snap formation stuff. We run a lot of motions. We put guys in different spots. We're very creative that way. But with that, you have to be locked in. That's something we need to improve on."
Lamar Jackson and Miles Boykin Look for Rhythm
For the second straight game, Lamar Jackson and Miles Boykin were out of sync on a pass play, with Jackson throwing when Boykin wasn't expecting the ball to come his way. Boykin (11 catches, 122 yards, no touchdowns) is in his second season playing with Jackson and the chemistry between them was expected to improve. Harbaugh wants to see them eliminate the miscommunication.
"It's happened at least twice in the last two games," Harbaugh said. "Those are plays that are opportunities for big conversions. We talked about that in the meeting today. That's got to be fixed. It will be. They're both very smart. It's Miles' responsibility to get it right. Lamar's calling the play and Miles has to get it right. He knows that, he's a very accountable guy."
James Proche II Trusts His Hands
Rookie wide receiver James Proche II helped put the cap on Sunday's victory by recovering an onside kick in Baltimore's 30-28 win. Proche didn't wait on the ball, but aggressively charged forward to make the recovery.
That showed the confidence Proche has in his hands, and he was regarded as one of the draft's most sure-handed receivers when the Ravens selected him in the sixth round. He hasn't disappointed, winning the punt return job and becoming a mainstay the onside kickoff recovery team. It's his second onside kick recovery.
"That was a perfect kick by the Eagles," Harbaugh said. "And he just attacked that thing like a shortstop, third baseman, going after a bunt. He's got amazing hands."
Proche likes to show off his hands at the beginning of practice. As he is jogging into position to field kickoffs off the JUGS machine, he tracks the ball in the air without turning around to make over-the-shoulder catches.
"He just hears it, he doesn't look over his shoulder," Harbaugh said. "He finds the ball and catches it every single time. The first time I saw him do that like four weeks ago, he looked at me, held the ball and said, 'This is my best friend.' The right guy to have on your hands team."
