The Baltimore Ravens got the job done, beating the Cleveland Browns 31-15 in Week 16 to get to 13-2 on the season and lock up the No. 1 seed. But in the win, a handful of players got banged up leaving everyone a bit concerned.
Chief among them was running back Mark Ingram, who left late in the game with what was described as a calf injury. Ingram didn’t return to the game with Baltimore already leading and eventually winning. Following the game, Ingram was spotted with a walking boot on his left leg and explained what it was doing to ESPN’s Josina Anderson.
Though a player leaving a game in a walking boot is never a good thing, it doesn’t appear as though the Ravens are terribly concerned about the injury.
Coach John Harbaugh said the injury wasn’t structural. He noted Ingram was dealing with cramping, something it appeared cornerback Jimmy Smith had suffered from earlier in the game as well. However, Harbaugh said the team would know more once they get back to Baltimore.
The hope is obviously that Ingram’s injury is minor and he’s available for Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. But with next week’s game meaning nothing for Baltimore’s playoff hopes, it could be a reason to sit Ingram and other key Ravens players in order to get healthy for the second round of the postseason.
