Ravens Face Texans Amid Mounting Injuries And A Must-Win Situation
The Ravens will take the field at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday with a lineup that looks very different from what fans expected in September. At 1-3, Baltimore is already in a precarious position, and its roster is battered with injuries to some of its most important players, including quarterback Lamar Jackson.
When the season began Sept. 7, expectations were sky-high. Playoff football felt inevitable. A Super Bowl run was not out of the question. But just a month later, the team that was supposed to be building toward January is instead scrambling for a regular-season win in October.
Baltimore practiced Wednesday without Jackson and seven other projected Week 1 starters. Their starting lineup against the Houston Texans (also 1-3) could resemble a preseason depth chart more than a regular-season roster.
“We know what needs to happen,” wide receiver Rashod Bateman said. “It’s just about whether we’re going to do it.”
A Growing Injury Crisis
The Ravens’ injury list is staggering. Defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike is out for the year with a neck injury, while fellow lineman Broderick Washington is also on injured reserve. Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard hasn’t practiced since training camp.
Missing from Wednesday’s practice were Jackson, left tackle Ronnie Stanley, linebacker Roquan Smith, and cornerbacks Nate Wiggins, Marlon Humphrey and Chidobe Awuzie. Other key starters, including center Tyler Linderbaum, linebacker Kyle Van Noy and safety Kyle Hamilton, were limited.
If Jackson’s hamstring injury keeps him sidelined, Baltimore would turn to backup Cooper Rush, who went 9-5 as a starter with the Cowboys. But history is not on the Ravens’ side: since 2019, the team is just 4-10 in games Jackson hasn’t started.
Defense Under Pressure
The Ravens entered the season with defensive firepower across the board, but September was disastrous. No team allowed more points, and only the Cowboys gave up more yards. Now, with so many starters sidelined, the defense could be relying on rookies, practice-squad call-ups, and untested reserves.
That includes players like defensive lineman Josh Tupou, linebacker Jake Hummel, and rookie cornerbacks Keyon Martin and T.J. Tampa. If both Smith and Hamilton are unavailable, Baltimore could be forced to give the defensive play-calling “green dot” to an inexperienced player.
Coach John Harbaugh said the challenge is nothing new: “It’s always a challenge. We have really good game-planners, and we’ll put together a great plan. Now it’s about executing it.”
The Stakes
A loss Sunday would drop Baltimore to 1-4, a mark from which only two teams since 2020 have rebounded to reach the playoffs. History offers a cautionary tale: the 2015 Ravens also started 1-3 before finishing 5-11 in a season ruined by injuries.
The coming weeks may prove pivotal not only for the roster but also for Harbaugh’s staff. Injuries and late-season collapses have led to coordinator changes in the past, from Don “Wink” Martindale’s exit in 2021 to Greg Roman’s departure after 2022.
Still, Harbaugh and his players say belief remains strong. “We have guys that are going to step up and play great,” linebacker Tavius Robinson said. “I’m not worried about that at all.”
For now, the Ravens don’t need to look like Super Bowl contenders. They just need to find a way to beat Houston, and get back to .500 before the season slips further away.
