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OWINGS MILLS, Md. โ The Ravens appear to feel good about their chances of getting Pro Bowl running back back for Sundayโs game against the Buffalo Bills as Ray Rice practiced for the third straight day on Friday.
Rice is listed as questionable โ along with seven other teammates โ for Sundayโs game after practicing on a limited basis all week. He was moving around effectively during the portion of practice open to the media on Friday morning. Should he return, the sixth-year back will be facing a run defense tied for 30th in the NFL and giving up 155 yards per game on the ground.
โWe stand by the fact that weโre hoping [Rice will] get there,โ coach John Harbaugh said. โHeโs got a better chance than he had last week. He has practiced, to an extent, throughout the course of the week, and weโll know Sunday.โ
Rice took his inability to play last week in stride, especially after he knew his hip flexor strain would not be the type of injury to keep him out for any extended period of time.
In the first two games of the season, Rice carried 25 times for 72 yards and a touchdown. He credited his teammates for the way they played in his absence in the 30-9 win over Houston. He told reporters on Friday that he tried as much as he could to push his hip to the limit to test how it could hold up against the Bills on Sunday.
โThe week went as expected. I was very smart out there,โ Rice said. โIt did feel good to get three days worth of work in. Barring [any] setbacks, thereโs a chance I could be out there on Sunday. Obviously, I have to go out there and warm up and see how it feels and let coaches make the decision for me.โ
Defensive end Chris Canty (groin), linebacker Arthur Brown (pectoral), wide receiver Deonte Thompson (foot), defensive tackle Brandon Williams (toe), and running back Shaun Draughn (ankle) were also listed as questionable for Sundayโs game after taking part in Fridayโs practice. Rush specialist Pernell McPhee is questionable after he missed practices on Wednesday and Thursday while recovering from a sore knee.
Veteran wide receiver Brandon Stokley was a new addition to Fridayโs injury report and was listed as questionable against the Bills after being limited with a groin injury in the final practice of the week. Rookie receiver Marlon Brown (neck) was a full participant on Thursday and Friday and is probable to play on Sunday.
โYouโve got all the guys who have been injured โ some just last week and some before โ and practiced will be game-time decisions,โ Harbaugh said. โThey all have a chance to get there, and weโre really hopeful in each one of their cases that they can play, but something could come up. It could not feel right on Sunday. I doubt it will be 100 percent [of them playing], but weโd love for it to be 100 percent.โ
The only players not taking part in Fridayโs workout were wide receiver Jacoby Jones (knee), defensive tackle Terrence Cody (knee), and offensive lineman Ryan Jensen (foot). Jones was ruled out for Sundayโs game earlier in the week while the latter two were designated as doubtful and are not expected to play in Week 4.
Meanwhile, the Bills ruled out five players and listed two key members of their secondary as questionable for Sundayโs game. Cornerback Leodis McKelvin (hamstring) and free safety Jairus Byrd (foot) were limited in practices all week.
Defensive end Mario Williams, defensive tackle Kyle Williams, running back C.J. Spiller, and wide receiver Stevie Johnson were all designated as probable.
Referee Jerome Boger and his crew will officiate Sundayโs game in Orchard Park, N.Y. between the Ravens and Bills. He was the referee for Super Bowl XLVII.
Sundayโs forecast calls for a high of 71 degrees and mostly cloudy skies.
Here is the final injury report of the week:
BALTIMORE
OUT: WR Jacoby Jones (knee)
DOUBTFUL: DT Terrence Cody (knee), C Ryan Jensen (foot)
QUESTIONABLE: LB Arthur Brown (chest), DE Chris Canty (thigh), RB Shaun Draughn (ankle), LB/DE Pernell McPhee (knee), RB Ray Rice (hip), WR Brandon Stokley (groin), WR Deonte Thompson (foot), DT Brandon Williams (toe)
PROBABLE: WR Marlon Brown (neck)
BUFFALO
OUT: K Dustin Hopkins (r. groin), CB Stephon Gilmore (wrist), CB Ron Brooks (foot), WR Marquise Goodwin (hand), DT Alex Carrington (quad)
QUESTIONABLE: CB Leodis McKelvin (hamstring), FS Jarius Byrd (foot)
PROBABLE: WR Stevie Johnson (hamstring), RB C.J. Spiller (quad), G Doug Legursky (knee), G Kraig Urbik (knee), DE Mario Williams (ankle), DT Kyle Williams (Achilles), DT Marcell Dareus (ankle)
Rice, Canty, six others listed as questionable for Sunday's game

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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