Quinshon Judkins sits out Ravens game with ankle injury: what comes next
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Quinshon Judkins missed the Week 6 game against the Ravens. An ankle injury kept him out.
- He hurt the ankle in Week 5 against the Jets. He tested it in warmups, but it was not ready.
- Cleveland still beat Baltimore 13-10. Judkins could return in Week 7 at Tennessee.
Quinshon Judkins did not play on Sunday. The Cleveland Browns running back sat out the Week 6 game against the Baltimore Ravens. An ankle injury kept him off the field.
Judkins hurt the ankle one week earlier. He then missed practice. He tested the ankle before the game.
The test did not go well. So the Browns held him out.
Cleveland still found a way to win. The Browns beat the Ravens 13-10. Two backup running backs filled in for Judkins.
The win moved both teams to 4-2.
What happened
The trouble started in Week 5. Judkins hurt his ankle against the New York Jets. He was seen in a walking boot after that game, according to NBC Sports.
The boot was a sign of trouble.
He then missed two days of practice. He sat out Wednesday and Thursday, according to the Browns. He came back on Friday for a short session.
The team called that a limited practice.
The Browns listed him as questionable. That word means the team was not sure if he could play. Head coach Todd Monken called him day to day, according to NBC Sports.
That means his status could change each day.
On Sunday, Judkins tested the ankle in warmups. He ran and tried to stop and start, according to RotoBaller. He felt some pain.
The team then ruled him out.
NBC Sports reported the news before kickoff. Judkins would not play in the Week 6 game. The call came after the warmup test.
The Browns were short at running back. Dylan Sampson was out with a knee injury. Raheim Sanders was on injured reserve with a hip injury.
Injured reserve is a list for players who must miss games.
So Cleveland turned to two backups. Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime led the backfield. A backfield is the group of running backs on a team.
The team also lost Mason Graham. The defensive tackle was inactive with knee and ankle injuries. But linebacker Carson Schwesinger played through his own ankle injury.
He led the Browns with 13 tackles, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
Why it matters
Judkins is the lead back for Cleveland. That means he gets the most carries. A carry is one run with the ball.
The Browns lean on him each week.
His numbers show his role. He had 73 carries for 221 yards this season, according to NBC Sports. He also scored one touchdown on the ground.
He added 18 catches for 102 yards.
His average was 3.0 yards per carry, according to Sports Illustrated. That is not high. But he still played a big part in the offense.
He had played in all five games before Week 6.
The injury also hit a thin group. The Browns had little depth behind Judkins. Depth means backup players who can step in.
With Sampson and Sanders out, the team had only McLaughlin and Estime left.
The timing made it worse. The Ravens game was a big one. Both teams play in the AFC North.
That is their division. Division games matter more for the standings.
The Browns also had to change their plan. They could not lean on their top runner. They had to trust two backups in a close game.
That is a hard ask in the NFL.
Other players are also fighting to return from injury. Micah Parsons has his own return timeline. Each case shows how fast a season can change.
What happens next
The Browns won without Judkins. They beat the Ravens 13-10. Andre Szmyt kicked the winning field goal.
It went 37 yards, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. The kick came on an extra untimed down. That means one more play after the clock hit zero.
Cleveland trailed 10-0 at halftime. The Browns trailed 10-3 after three quarters. Then they came back in the fourth quarter.
The win put both teams at 4-2.
The backups did their part. McLaughlin and Estime ran for 78 yards on 24 carries. That is an average of 3.3 yards per carry.
The run game looked fresh at times, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
Now the focus turns to Week 7. Judkins could return then. The Browns play the Tennessee Titans next.
The road game is Sunday, October 25, according to RotoBaller. That game is his next chance to play.
His status will depend on practice. If he practices fully this week, that is a good sign. If he sits out again, the Browns may wait.
The team will watch the ankle day by day.
Fans should watch the first injury report of the week. That report lists who practiced and who did not. It gives the first clue about Week 7.
Cleveland was not the only team with a wild Week 6 finish. The Cardinals stunned the Rams. Injury news moves fast at this point in the season.
For now, the Browns can feel good. They won a division game without their lead back. They are tied for first place at 4-2.
And their top runner has a full week to heal.
If the ankle calms down, Judkins will be back soon. If it does not, McLaughlin and Estime showed they can hold the line.
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