To win the AFC North and nail down a bye and at least one playoff game at home, the Ravens need only to beat the Browns at home on Saturday and the Bengals in Cincinnati next Sunday.
If the Ravens are going to do it, they’ll need to do it without receiver Anquan Boldin.
Coach John Harbaugh said Thursday that receiver Anquan Boldin will miss the next two games, after surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
“Anquan Boldin is getting surgery this afternoon,” Harbaugh said, via Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times. “He’s got a slight tear in his meniscus. It flapped up on him, I think it was Tuesday night after the walkthrough. He’s going to have to get it repaired.
“It’s a two-week thing. It’s two weeks and he’ll be back for the playoffs, whatever round we happen to play in. It will be a little bit tighter if we have to play in the first round.”
Dr. James Andrews will be performing the surgery on Thursday afternoon in Alabama.
The absence of Boldin means that Lee Evans and Torrey Smith will have increased chances to contribute. “It’s time to step up,” Smith said. “Coach Harbaugh told us it’s the next man up.”
Though deep threats primarily, Evans and Smith have the skills to perform at a high level. And if the Ravens need a short-term possession receiver, they can always dial up Derrick Mason.
source: PFT.com
author: Mike Florio
