Running back Alex Collins’s absence from Wednesday afternoon’s practice was related to a calf ailment, according to the Ravens’ first injury report of the week.
Collins was not reported to have suffered an injury in Monday night’s 23-16 victory over the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium, carrying the ball 16 times for 60 yards and one touchdown.
Collins, who leads the team in carries (129) and yards (630), could still make his seventh consecutive start against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. If not, Buck Allen would presumably start in his place against a Detroit defense that has allowed 150.8 rushing yards per game since losing defensive tackle and former Raven Haloti Ngata to a season-ending torn biceps.
Collins’ absence illustrates the toll Monday’s win took on the players. Wednesday’s session was more of a walk-through with no pads, helmets or hitting, and coach John Harbaugh said the emphasis was on technique and mental reps.
“We’ve got to get the guys back,” he said before practice. “Hey, football, it’s tough, and that was a very physical game on Monday night. … That was a physical game against a really good team that had to win the game, a very physical team. They gave us really good schemes and they gave us some really challenging schemes on both sides of the ball. … So we’ve got to kind of get bandaged and back up and get ready to go Sunday afternoon in an important game.”
In addition to Collins, rookie guard Jermaine Eluemunor, who did not play against Houston because of a shoulder ailment, did not practice.
Four players in rookie cornerback Marlon Humphrey (hamstring), middle linebacker C.J. Mosley (right ankle), cornerback Jimmy Smith (Achilles tendon), and left tackle Ronnie Stanley (right knee) participated on a limited basis.
The Lions practiced without a trio of starters: running back Ameer Abdullah (neck), right guard T.J. Lang (foot), and center Travis Swanson (knee). Quarterback Matthew Stafford participated fully despite a sprained right ankle.