An AFC rival of the Patriots and a team currently ahead of New England in the playoff standings continues to get unlucky breaks when it comes to injuries.
Seen as a contender in the AFC largely due to the wizardry of Lamar Jackson, the dynamic quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens now has one less weapon to throw to.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh announced Thursday that second-year wide receiver Rashod Bateman opted to have Lisfranc surgery on his left foot, which will sideline him for the remainder of the season.
"It was one of those ones where it was up to him," Harbaugh told reporters Thursday, as seen in team-provided video. "He and his agent and his family talked it over and they decided it'd be in his best interest to do that. So, we support him on that. We understand what he's doing."
Bateman was Baltimore's No. 1 wide receiver even if his production didn't match the label. The 2021 first-round pick had only 15 catches for 285 yards and two touchdowns this season. But the 6-foot-1, 193-pound wideout was a big-play threat, ranking second in the NFL with 19 yards per catch, according to ESPN's Jamison Hensley.
Bateman is just one the injuries the Ravens are currently facing as star tight end Mark Andrews has been hobbled by a couple ailments and did not practice Thursday.
Being without Bateman, and possibly Andrews, could hamper a Ravens offense which is fifth in the league in scoring at 26 points per game. It might also help the 4-4 Patriots catch the 5-3 Ravens in the standings, especially if Baltimore suffers a couple hiccups due to the injuries.
But Baltimore has a couple things going for it. The Ravens own the tiebreaker over the Patriots after a Week 3 win at Gillette Stadium and they have an easy slate to finish up the record season. None of Baltimore's remaining opponents currently own an above .500 record.
It will certainly be interesting how the Ravens' offense operates going forward, starting with Monday's road contest against the New Orleans Saints.
