Joe Flacco dealing with back injury, prognosis cloudy

FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 12: Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens looks to pass the ball during the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 12, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 12: Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens looks to pass the ball during the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 12, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The Baltimore Ravens keep getting bad news on the injury front. Joe Flacco’s timetable is cloudy. It was first reported that Flacco could miss three-six weeks. Then another report suggested it was a week to week kind of thing:

It was first reported by Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Joe Flacco could miss the first two weeks of the regular season. Right now, there isn’t a lot of information. It was just an hour ago that we thought that Flacco just had some soreness in his back. Now it’s a disc issue in his back. The hits just keep coming. First it was Tavon Young. Then it was Dennis Pitta. Next Kenneth Dixon got the injury bug. Now its the Ravens franchise quarterback.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Flacco’s situation may not be so bleak. Here is the tweet by Schefter:

Whatever you think about Flacco this could be a bad situation. Other than a surprise win against the Steelers in 2015, Ryan Mallet hasn’t given Ravens fans much reason for optimism. The Ravens could wind up bringing in another quarterback to the mix. The Ravens aren’t going to find an option better than Flacco. If Flacco does indeed miss playing time, the Ravens need to find somebody who can keep the ship afloat.

The Ravens can’t afford to lose the first two games on their schedule. In the third week of the season the Ravens face the Jaguars in London. Then it’s a battle against the Steelers followed by a showdown with the Raiders. If the Ravens stumble out of the gates, the season could spiral out of control.

Next: Baltimore Ravens: Potential replacements for Kenneth Dixon

Schefter is one of the most reliable reporters in the business and you have to hope this is something that a week of rest can heal. The Ravens need Flacco to be ready for the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. We’ll keep you in the loop as the story changes. Right now there isn’t much to say or do, just keep your fingers crossed Baltimore.

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