Maclin's status unclear as Ravens prepare for Indianapolis

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens head coach John Harbaugh says wide receiver Jeremy Maclin’s left knee injury is “nothing serious” that would sideline him for the rest of the season.
When the veteran will return is another story, however, as Harbaugh was noncommittal about the Week 16 availability of both Maclin and defensive end Carl Davis, who also left Sunday’s game in Cleveland with a leg injury. They each underwent magnetic resonance imaging exams on Monday.
The 10th-year coach seemed to imply that Maclin and Davis would be unlikely to play against Indianapolis without ruling out either player for Saturday’s game.
“It kind of depends on how they come along the next couple of days and how they progress,” Harbaugh said. “Anywhere from maybe more likely that it wouldn’t be this week and maybe the week after, but you never know. It could be this week with both those guys or either one of those guys. We’ll just see how they progress.
“They wouldn’t have to practice to play in the game at this stage, but they’ll go to work and they’ll do everything they can to be ready for Sunday, I’m sure.”
Maclin injured his left knee on the opening drive of Sunday’s game after making a 22-yard catch and being hit hard by Browns rookie safety Jabrill Peppers. He briefly returned for two snaps late in the first quarter, but he was officially ruled out to begin the second half.
Davis left the game in the second quarter with an apparent leg injury and didn’t return.
It’s been a disappointing season for Maclin, who signed a two-year, $11 million contract with the Ravens in mid-June to be the replacement for the retired Steve Smith. He missed two games with a shoulder injury in October and has dealt with other nagging injuries while making only 40 receptions for 440 yards and three touchdowns in 12 contests.
Since making eight catches for 98 yards — both season highs — against Tennessee on Nov. 5, the 29-year-old has just 13 receptions for 130 yards on 30 targets in five games. He and quarterback Joe Flacco haven’t appeared to be on the same page in recent weeks, something that would have been more understandable in the first half of the season after Flacco missed all of training camp with a back issue.
“That’s a little bit cyclic sometimes,” said offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg last week about Maclin’s recent struggles. “There’s never really one thing; it’s usually a combination of things. When you’re in that spot, get the hard work in, make sure you get prepared, let’s make sure we have great focus, and then good things tend to end up happening through all of that. It’s not uncommon to see something like that.”
Davis has made eight starts in 13 games this season and eventually stabilized the 5-technique defensive end spot after the season-ending foot injury suffered by Brent Urban in Week 3. The 2015 third-round pick’s potential absence could spell some trouble as the Ravens haven’t shown much confidence in young defensive ends Chris Wormley and Bronson Kaufusi this season.
Harbaugh was also asked whether running back Alex Collins made it through Sunday’s game OK after he appeared to be laboring on a few occasions and received only four touches in the second half.
“Mhhmm,” said the coach, nodding his head and elaborating no further.