OWINGS MILLS, Md. — If the Ravens are to snap their three-game losing streak, they’ll likely have to do it without two of their three longest-tenured players in linebacker Terrell Suggs and right guard Marshal Yanda.
Head coach John Harbaugh confirmed reports that Suggs suffered a left biceps tear in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 27-23 loss to the New York Giants. As he did late in the 2012 season when he tore his right biceps, the 34-year-old linebacker will try to continue playing. Suggs missed only one game after that injury before returning to action and finishing the remainder of that season that culminated with a win in Super Bowl XLVII.
“He’s played with that injury before, so he has a chance to come back soon,” said Harbaugh, who added that he was unaware if surgery was still a possibility for Suggs. “How soon remains to be determined. I’m not going to say anything this week yet. I think this week would be tough for him, but I don’t put anything out of Terrell Suggs’ possible ability to overcome. We’ll see how that goes.”
Suggs leads Baltimore with five sacks and is the only edge rusher who’s put any semblance of pressure on quarterbacks, but even the six-time Pro Bowl selection hasn’t been nearly as disruptive in the pocket as he has been in the past.
After missing his first game since the end of the 2012 regular season on Sunday, Yanda will be a “stretch” to play against the New York Jets in Week 7, according to Harbaugh. The five-time Pro Bowl selection is dealing with a shoulder injury that’s likely to sideline him until after the bye week.
Ryan Jensen started at right guard in Yanda’s place against the Giants on Sunday.
Harbaugh offered no further specifics on the Ravens’ other injured players, a lengthy list that includes wide receiver Steve Smith (ankle), linebackers Elvis Dumervil (foot) and C.J. Mosley (hamstring), left tackle Ronnie Stanley (foot), return specialist Devin Hester (thigh), and cornerbacks Jimmy Smith (concussion) and Jerraud Powers (groin). Of those names, Dumervil could be the biggest return after being shut down yet again in his return from offseason foot surgery.
With the bye arriving next week, the Ravens could be tempted to take a conservative approach with any injured player who would benefit a great deal with an additional week of rest. Of course, Baltimore desperately wants to avoid falling to 3-4 with a challenging second-half schedule still to come.
Harbaugh also confirmed that running back Lorenzo Taliaferro will return to practice this week. The 2014 fourth-round pick is on the reserve physically unable to perform list and will begin a 21-day window in which the Ravens will be able to evaluate his progress coming back from foot surgery last year. At the end of the practice window, the organization would be forced to activate him, waive him, or leave him on the PUP list for the remainder of the season.
