Beanie Wells Injury: RB's Return Won't Save Cardinals in Baltimore

After spraining his right knee against the Steelers last week, Beanie Wells has practiced sparingly all week. However, the extra rest appears to have been enough for Wells to make a go of it today against the Ravens.

At this writing, Wells has carried five times for 19 yards in helping Arizona to an early 3-0 lead. However, irrespective of the efforts of a recovered Wells, the Cards don’t have the talent to match up with the mighty Ravens defense.

For the season, Wells has rushed for 423 yards and six TDs, but even when fully healthy, he’s only had one big game on the ground. Putting up 138 yards and three scores against the inconsistent Giants is one thing, but trying to do the same thing against Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata is another matter entirely.

Wells isn’t enough of a threat, especially with a tender knee, to keep the Ravens pass rush at bay on its home field. Kevin Kolb is in for a long afternoon, and even if Wells can shoulder some of the offensive load, any chance for a Cardinals win rides with their QB.

Then, too, Arizona’s own defense will struggle with a Baltimore offense that has something to prove after the Jacksonville debacle on Monday night. If Arizona finds itself in a hole by halftime (not at all impossible), Wells will become a non-factor anyway as Kolb is forced to throw and play catch-up.

If, somehow, the Cardinals get a lead late, they’ll be glad to have Wells available to grind out clock. Until and unless that happens, though, Wells’ admirable fortitude in coming back from the injury is likely to come for naught.