Gus Edwards has progressed since his first practice on Oct. 5, and his return from year's torn ACL is moving closer, according to Head Coach John Harbaugh.
"He's doing well," Harbaugh said after Friday's practice. "He looks good, it's just a matter of when is he really ready to play at a high level. I do believe he's getting close."
Edwards is a powerful back who's averaged 5.2 yards per carry for his career. His physical running style will add another dimension to Baltimore's attack, and Edwards and J.K. Dobbins have not been healthy together since Dobbins' rookie season in 2020.
Adding Edwards to the lineup will be another positive step for Baltimore's run game, which ranks seventh in the NFL (144.6 yards per game) heading into Sunday's contest against the Giants. Lamar Jackson is still Baltimore's leading rusher with 374 yards, but the running backs carried a bigger load Week 4 against the Bengals.
Dobbins ran with authority against Cincinnati (eight carries, 44 yards) and says he's ready for more touches this weekend. Meanwhile Justice Hill (hamstring) returned to practice Wednesday and has gotten healthier, although he was listed as doubtful for Sunday.
"He's doing great, and [we're] just going to see how he's feeling," Harbaugh said.
The Giants rank 25th in the NFL against the run, giving up 131.6 yards per game, so stopping the run hasn't been their strength. If the Ravens gain yards consistently on the ground Sunday, they will avoid obvious passing situations and make Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale's blitz packages less effective.
"I think it's coming together, that's probably a good way of saying it," Harbaugh said of Baltimore's run game. "It's still a work in progress."
Giants Adept at Forcing*Fumbles*
The Giants don't have an interception this season, but they've been adept at takeaways by forcing 10 fumbles this season and recovering six.
Eight different Giants have forceda fumble this year, so it's been a group effort. Baltimore's coaching staff has emphasized ball security this week, knowing that the Giants' propensity to force turnovers has been a key to their 4-1 start.
"They're always punching balls out, shots on goal is what it's called," Harbaugh said. "They do a great job with that, very aggressive. And their offense is also doing a good job of not turning the ball over."
A.J. Klein Feels Ready to Contribute
Ravens inside linebacker A.J. Klein joined the team Thursday of last week and was so busy trying to catch up to speed in the playbook that he didn't study the Bengals. This week is a different story, as the veteran feels ready to contribute if needed.
"The more reps and more time in the system, the better you'll be," Klein said. "I'm picking it up quick, which is good, and obviously we'll see what happens as far as where I fit, but I've been rotating in practice."
Klein spent three days with the Giants before coming to Baltimore last week, but said that doesn't provide any advantage.
