Both the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens, who had clinched playoff spots prior to Sunday's matchup, rested their starters for much of their Week 17 game, but the Bengals did not manage to escape unharmed. Running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis and safety Chris Crocker were both hurt on Sunday and have not yet been cleared for the first round of the playoffs.
AFC North injury report: BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Chris Crocker hurt prior to playoffs
The Bengals saw two starters hurt in Sunday’s win over the Ravens as the team looked to stay healthy before the playoffs.
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Green-Ellis, the team's starting running back, injured his hamstring in pre-game warm-ups. Head coach Marvin Lewis noted post-game that Green-Ellis "was a little tight" while warming up, but also said that he did not know the severity of the injury. It's fair to speculate that the team, which likely planned to sit Green-Ellis in the second half, held him out of the game as a precaution. Crocker, meanwhile, suffered a quad injury in the first half. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer told reporters after the game that Crocker, who was replaced by Taylor Mays, is fine.
Over in Pittsburgh, meanwhile, the Browns' end-of-season loss was punctuated by an injury to top wide receiver Josh Gordon. Gordon hurt his ankle late in the first half on Sunday and was carted off to the locker room. Gordon has been one of the few shining stars on the Browns, finishing his rookie season with more than 800 yards receiving. The team did not offer an update on his status.
The Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers both exited Sunday with no notable injuries.
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