The Ravens are surging toward the No. 1 seed in the AFC but keep losing key offensive pieces.
Promising rookie running back Keaton Mitchell suffered a gruesome knee injury that “likely” will end his season, according to Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
The Ravens already lost starting running back J.K. Dobbins to a torn Achilles in Week 1 and starting tight end Mark Andrew to an ankle injury in Week 11.
“Keaton is going to be a serious injury, knee injury,” Harbaugh said after the Ravens’ 23-7 road win over the Jaguars.
“It looks like he won’t be back for the rest of this season.”
The Ravens (11-3) became the first AFC team to clinch a playoff spot with their Sunday night win, but their road through the playoffs is getting harder with all these losses.
Mitchell took a handoff early in the fourth quarter for 13 yards, but his left leg bent inward while he stepped away from Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard.
Warning: Video shows gruesome injury
He then fell to the ground and immediately grabbed his leg before being carted off the field.
Mitchell finished with nine carries for 73 yards and added two catches for 15 yards.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Harbaugh said. “He’s a guy that – I was just in there, we were just in there and we were talking and we pray – and he’s got a great attitude and demeanor about him. It’s a guy you want to see do well and he deserves to do well.
“You just feel for his parents right now, they’re watching and I’m sure they’re feeling it too.”
Mitchell, an undrafted free agent from East Carolina, had really started to find his footing in recent weeks after starting the year on injured reserve.
He led the team in rushing on Nov. 5 against Seattle and Nov. 26 against the Chargers, and had the most rushing yards among the team’s running backs Sunday.
The Ravens will now lean on veterans Gus Edwards and Justice Hill — not to mention quarterback Lamar Jackson is a prolific rusher — and Harbaugh said the plan is to promote Melvin Gordon to help fill the void.
“(Melvin)’s been working super hard, he’s in great shape and he’ll be ready to go,” Harbaugh said.
Baltimore has a potential Super Bowl preview in Week 16 against the 49ers on “Monday Night Football” in Santa Clara on Dec. 25.