After saying all week they would play to win against the Bengals, it now appears the Ravens will treat the regular-season finale more like a preseason game after all.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice is not expected to play much as the Ravens will rest their best offensive player for the postseason with the AFC North division title already wrapped up by way of their 33-14 win over the New York Giants last week. Rookie Bernard Pierce would receive the bulk of the carries in Rice’s place.
It remains to be seen which other players the Ravens will rest, but right guard Marshal Yanda and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata did not practice all week as they appeared to be the likeliest candidates to sit until the playoffs.
Game-day inactives will be released at 11:30 a.m. as we’ll learn more about the status of other starting players then.
Luke Jones
Luke Jones is the Ravens and Orioles beat reporter for WNST BaltimorePositive.com and is a PFWA member. His mind is consumed with useless sports knowledge, pro wrestling promos, and movie quotes, but he often forgets where he put his phone. Luke's favorite sports memories include being one of the thousands of kids who waited for Cal Ripken's autograph after Orioles games in the summer of 1995, attending the Super Bowl XXXV victory parade with his dad in the pouring rain, and watching the Terps advance to the Final Four at the Carrier Dome in 2002. Follow him on social media @BaltimoreLuke or email him at Luke@wnst.net.
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