Pernell McPhee (90) will not play against the Browns on Sunday. The Ravens’ defensive end is battling knee and thigh injuries. (US Presswire) |
Ravens starting DE Pernell McPhee will not play against Cleveland due to knee and thigh injuries that have kept him from practicing this week.
McPhee was ruled out on Friday's injury report. After having 6.5 sacks as a third-down specialist in 2011, McPhee has been limited to 16 tackles and a half sack this year. Two offseason knee procedures have hampered McPhee, as well as a thigh injury.
"Yeah, I'm pretty banged up with nicks and bruises," McPhee said Friday.
DT Haloti Ngata is questionable with knee and shoulder injuries. Ngata has gutted out the past two games against Dallas and Houston but was only able to play 48 of Baltimore's 80 snaps against the Texans. Ngata hasn't practiced the past two days.
"We’ll see (if Ngata plays)," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "He’s working on it.”
Also questionable for Sunday is WR LaQuan Williams, who was added to the injury report Friday with an ankle injury.
Probable for Sunday's matchup are WR Jacoby Jones (foot), CB Jimmy Smith (abs), CB Chykie Brown (ankle), TE Ed Dickson (hand), WR Tandon Doss (illness), LB Dannell Ellerbe (hand), S James Ihedigbo (hand), DT Ma'ake Kemoeatu (knee), OT Bryant McKinnie (thigh), LT Michael Oher (ankle), RT Kelechi Osemele (ankle), S Bernard Pollard (chest), S Ed Reed (shoulder/chest), OLB Terrell Suggs (ankle), DT DeAngelo Tyson (foot) and RG Marshal Yanda (shoulder).
Pollard breaks silence: Pollard spoke to reporters for the first time since declining interviews following Houston's 43-13 win over Baltimore in Week 7.
The Ravens were on a bye last week, and Pollard wasn't spotted in the locker room until Friday. Pollard admitted he's remained silent because he takes his team's performance on the field personally.
Pollard is chagrined by the play of the defense, which is allowing an average of 400 yards per game.
"We just have to put together 60 minutes of football," Pollard said. "We have not done that yet."
Pollard is one of Baltimore's emotional leaders, known for his crushing hits against receivers across the middle. But he's been dealing with a rib injury suffered against Philadelphia in Week 2. With the NFL fining the Ravens $20,000 for not including all injured players on the report, Pollard reappeared this week with a chest injury.
Pollard said injuries are no excuse in football and that if he and other injured players are on the field, they must produce.
"We're fighting," Pollard said. "We're doing whatever we can. We're out there and we just have to go play."
Pollard said the defense put in a good week of practice and should be able to correct the mistakes it's made through the first half of the season. But Pollard mentioned it's one thing to say they'll fix issues, and another to actually do it.
"The fans are so tired of us saying, 'This is what we're going to do, this is how we'll change this, change that,'" Pollard said. "We just have to go play. It's repetitive. I'm tired of hearing it. I'm sick of hearing it. Let's go play football."
More Hall and Tyson? With the Ravens continuing to tweak their front seven, there's a chance the defense could see more of linemen Tyson and Bryan Hall.
In Baltimore's last outing against Houston, Hall played 21 snaps and Tyson 25. The young defenders saw the added playing time after being inactive the first six games.
Hall said he's prepared for more snaps this week if called upon.
"Whatever they give me, they know I'm ready," Hall said. "I work hard every week. When the opportunity comes I'm going to be ready."
Follow Ravens reporter Jason Butt on Twitter: @CBSRavens and @JasonButtCBS.