OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- A day after a 22-19 upset loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh did not blame his team's first loss of the season on the ever-growing list of injuries.
The Ravens entered Sunday's game without seven injured starters and then watched five more players get injured. Baltimore, which was a 7.5-point favorite, scored a season-low 19 points and allowed a season-worst 327 yards.
"It's not ideal that we have all these guys out because of these injuries. It's not ideal," Harbaugh said Monday. "We're not making excuses for that. We trust the guys that are going in there to play well, and our guys are going to go play their hearts out."
Baltimore (2-1) was without four starters on offense: wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle), offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (knee), center Tyler Linderbaum (ankle) and running back Justice Hill (foot). The Ravens were also without three starters on defense: cornerback Marlon Humphrey (foot), safety Marcus Williams (pectoral) and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh (ankle).
By the end of Sunday's overtime loss, Baltimore had five more players get hurt: running back Gus Edwards (concussion); wide receivers Rashod Bateman (hamstring) and Tylan Wallace (hamstring); outside linebacker David Ojabo (ankle); and safety Geno Stone (ribs). This is in addition to losing starting running back J.K. Dobbins to a season-ending Achilles injury in the season opener.
Injuries have been a longstanding problem for Baltimore, which has finished the past four seasons with double-digit players on injured reserve. The Ravens have six players on IR after adding Wallace on Monday.
"If you look at each injury this year, they've almost all been guys getting caught in piles," Harbaugh said. "It's all been football contact-related injuries. I don't think you can have a theme for that other than it's football. That's the way it's been."
With Dobbins, Edwards and Hill injured, the Ravens have no healthy running backs on their 53-man roster. Baltimore does have three running backs on the practice squad: Melvin Gordon, Kenyan Drake and Owen Wright.
Asked whether the Ravens will add a running back this week, Harbaugh said, "I think all of that is up in the air right now. We'll just see where we're at. We're early. It's Monday. Guys get evaluated on Monday."
Harbaugh was equally tight-lipped on whether any injured players will return to practice this week.
"We'll see," he said. "We're working on that right now."