OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Perhaps the most concerning development to arise from the Ravens’ critical 28-13 win over the Miami Dolphins was the status of wide receiver Torrey Smith.
After his right knee swelled up during pre-game warmups on Sunday, the fourth-year wideout was limited to just 15 snaps and failed to record a reception while younger wide receivers Kamar Aiken and Marlon Brown picked up the slack in his absence. With the 8-5 Ravens now preparing to play 2-11 Jacksonville on Sunday, it’s possible that the medical staff will be cautious with Smith with an eye toward him being closer to 100 percent for the final two games of the regular season and a potential trip to the postseason.
“Torrey does not have any torn things in his knee. He’s got a sprain,” head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday. “We’ll just have to monitor that day to day and see if he makes it to the game. He made it to the last game — he didn’t damage it any further — but he just wasn’t able to be 100 percent. I think we all appreciate him gutting it out and giving us what he had. He showed a lot of toughness there in that situation.”
Of course, medical experts will tell you a sprain is a tear, but it’s believed that the 25-year-old isn’t dealing with a significant injury since the Ravens cleared him to play against the Dolphins before the knee flared up during warmups. Taking a more conservative approach against the Jaguars would make sense considering the Ravens will be facing one of the worst teams in the NFL at M&T Bank Stadium.
Smith has never missed a game in his career, but it was the second time this season he’s failed to record a reception with the first coming in a loss at Cincinnati on Oct. 26. It was clear from the early going Sunday that he was going to be used as little more than a decoy against one of the league’s better pass defenses entering Week 14.
Against the Dolphins, second-year receiver Kamar Aiken played 46 of 65 offensive snaps and caught six passes for 65 yards and a 13-yard touchdown in the third quarter. The Ravens also turned more frequently to 6-foot-5 target Marlon Brown, who played 33 snaps and caught three passes for 30 yards. Veteran Steve Smith led all Ravens targets with seven catches for 70 yards and a touchdown.
In the final year of his rookie contract, Torrey Smith leads the Ravens with eight touchdown catches and has collected 38 receptions for 609 yards after a slow start to the 2014 campaign.
