Baltimore Ravens Could Be Without Their Best Offensive Lineman

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 30, 2011 11:45 AM EST in Injury

NASHVILLE, TN - SEPTEMBER 18: Jason Jones #91 of the Tennessee Titans and Marshal Yanda #73 of the Baltimore Ravens grab each other while blocking at the LP Field on September 18, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans defeated the Ravens 26 to 13. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Baltimore Ravens guard Marshal Yanda has had a great season this year, named to the 2012 Pro Bowl earlier this week. Pro Football Focus grades Yanda as Baltimore's best offensive lineman, especially as a pass blocker where his 15.2 grade ranks second-best amongst all NFL guards this season. Only Evan Mathis (31.2) graded higher overall than Yanda (28.6) this season (Nate Livings grades out at -12.2). After suffering rib and thigh contusions last week against the Browns, the Baltimore's starting right guard has missed consecutive practices this week.

Ravens Insider John Eisenberg of Comcast Sportsnet in Washington writes:

The Ravens will miss Yanda a lot if he is unable to play Sunday. They’re going to need production from their running game, and the Bengals have one of the NFL’s best pass rushes. That puts the focus on the offensive line, and Yanda, 27, has been the Ravens’ best by a wide margin this season, earning his first-ever Pro Bowl selection.

Ironically when the Ravens faced the Bengals earlier this year, Yanda recorded his first negative score, especially as a run blocker.

Baltimore Beatdown writes:

The bad news is that guard Marshal Yanda has not yet returned to practice from his thigh and rib contusions and is in jeopardy of missing this week's game. Yanda has been voted to his first Pro-Bowl this season and is the Ravens' best offensive lineman. He consistently blocks into the second level on running plays and rarely lets rushers by him in passing situations.

If Yanda is unable to go, the Ravens will likely start Andre Gurode, who has allowed a quarterback sack, seven quarterback hits and nine quarterback pressures on 436 offensive snaps this year.

In other injury news for the Ravens, Baltimore's Anquan Boldin has already been ruled out with a knee.

Tweet Comment 43 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

WOW! Evan Mathis is really having a good year...

for the Eagles! I thought I read somewhere where it said he was struggling and not doing so well. Anyway, why did we let him go and keep Nate Livings?

by Unbeliever on Dec 30, 2011 12:06 PM EST reply actions

mathis didnt want to come back

he doesnt like mike brown.

" Mike Brown is the owner that Cincy doesn't deserve, not the one it needs..."

by palewook on Dec 30, 2011 12:06 PM EST up reply actions

Did not know that....thanks... :)

by Unbeliever on Dec 30, 2011 12:07 PM EST up reply actions

it was a semi-fugly divorce via twitter

https://twitter.com/#!/EvanMathis69/status/63838073305313281

https://twitter.com/#!/EvanMathis69/status/63840476087844864

https://twitter.com/#!/EvanMathis69/status/63846765832585216

I’ve never met a Bengal fan I didn’t like. I respect you defending your team. I’m not attacking fans. Mike Brown? Might as well.

" Mike Brown is the owner that Cincy doesn't deserve, not the one it needs..."

by palewook on Dec 30, 2011 12:37 PM EST up reply actions

Because for some strange reason

he never got to start! Guy was good and should have gotten more playing time while here.

by TCfromDubVee on Dec 30, 2011 12:15 PM EST up reply actions

Paul Alexander spent the mini-offseason comparing Livings to Mike Goff

He said fans didn’t know what they were talking about running down Livings and calling for Mathis. Now Mathis is only the best guard in the game, maybe #2 behind Steinbach. How’s that -12.2 grade for Livings working out for you now, Paul? (I’m not sure he would know a good guard if one slapped him upside his noodle.)

"The only thing we have to fear is... Mike Brown himself."

by DrainBamage on Dec 30, 2011 1:47 PM EST up reply actions

I dont know how Paul has a job still

Carson was consistently running for his life and this year, our run-blocking is turrible

"In a battle between patience and power, patience always wins"

by ticalcaldwell on Dec 30, 2011 1:50 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah I read a story where

he said he was real upset with the Bengals. Obviously he had good reasons. Consider Mathis another Bengalized former player. It’s mistakes like this that can’t continue.
The same thing is playing out with Collins. Its pretty clear he should be starting over Smith. He’s a free agent after 2011.

by BENGALS69 on Dec 30, 2011 12:18 PM EST up reply actions

Smith is having a pretty good year so far and came into the season focused on doing so.

by TCfromDubVee on Dec 30, 2011 12:24 PM EST up reply actions

and he's still not as good as Collins

so I fully expect Collins to be starting for someone else next year.

by indesignkat on Dec 30, 2011 2:14 PM EST up reply actions

agreed

If they resign Smith it should be to play guard (and guard money) Resign Collins to play tackle.

"At the very end, somebody took a dump right where I stood in the dugout every day." Dusty Baker

by featherman on Dec 30, 2011 5:04 PM EST up reply actions

+ 1

Good question

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 30, 2011 12:06 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

Atkins and Peko are starting to salivate.

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 30, 2011 12:06 PM EST via Android app reply actions

flacco should be crapping himself soon enough on sunday

" Mike Brown is the owner that Cincy doesn't deserve, not the one it needs..."

by palewook on Dec 30, 2011 12:06 PM EST up reply actions

I hope I can see the stains on his pants from the stands

AJ Green = Optimus Prime

by Helmsy on Dec 30, 2011 2:29 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Evan Mathis

Another FUBAR move… a good director of football operations / player personnel might have prevented that loss…

by occams_tiger_teeth on Dec 30, 2011 12:32 PM EST reply actions

Ironic that guard is one of our biggest needs

"A team is more than a group of individuals,its a group of individuals that come together to make a team"

by keithp on Dec 30, 2011 12:44 PM EST up reply actions

Ain't it now? I agree....

by Unbeliever on Dec 30, 2011 12:46 PM EST up reply actions

The mindstate of the D-line after hearing of Yanda being down

by ticalcaldwell on Dec 30, 2011 12:46 PM EST reply actions

+1

Awesome!

by Unbeliever on Dec 30, 2011 12:47 PM EST up reply actions

+1

"Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, I then acquire the ability to do it even if I didn't have it in the beginning."

by Dwight Carter on Dec 30, 2011 1:08 PM EST up reply actions

got this from the mothership

ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets Bengals running back Cedric Benson has hit a $500,000 incentive and needs 84 yards Sunday to get another $250,000. In six games, Benson has averaged 71 yards against Baltimore.

"In a battle between patience and power, patience always wins"

by ticalcaldwell on Dec 30, 2011 1:25 PM EST reply actions

Good incentive for Benson...

Let hope he holds on to the BALL and gets 100 yds!

by Unbeliever on Dec 30, 2011 1:29 PM EST up reply actions

I hope he gets it.

Benson was having a good game last time we played them. As soon as he got in a rhythm the put in Scott. If one back starts to get going leave him in. They are just trying to keep people fresh but if they don’t win this one they can be fresh all spring.

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 30, 2011 1:30 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

oh you know he wants it

After 5 fumbles in 2 weeks, this may be his last starting game as a running back…I doubt it, but it might be

"In a battle between patience and power, patience always wins"

by ticalcaldwell on Dec 30, 2011 1:31 PM EST up reply actions

Tomlinson his hinting at this might be HIS last game...

So, there might be a market for Benson, but yes, after 5 fumbles in two weeks, he must be quite on edge to prove he his better than that.

by Unbeliever on Dec 30, 2011 1:33 PM EST up reply actions

is not his....thinking faster than I can type... :(

by Unbeliever on Dec 30, 2011 1:34 PM EST up reply actions

who were you watching?

He had a good game? That’s just false. On the first series he had 1 carry for 1 yard. On the second series he had 4 carries for 4 yards before his very good 7 yard td run. After that Scott had 3 for 11, then got hit during the handoff on a blownup play. Then Benson came back in and got 2 yards on 2nd and 10, leading to a 3rd and long and then a punt. Then he dropped a pass aimed at him on the next drive, which went 3 and out. Then Scott came back in and went 14 yards on 3 carries. Then Benson came back in and got 2 yards on 1st and 10 on the way to yet another 3 and out. The first drive of the 2nd half was Benson’s best, when he had 4 carries for 13 yard and an easy walk-in touchdown, then his next series he was 1 for 0.

He had 2 TDs, granted, but otherwise he was simply terrible.

by indesignkat on Dec 30, 2011 2:35 PM EST up reply actions

Sorry

It doesn’t matter who but if one gets into a rhythm then leave them in. That’s all I was getting at, maybe I just got them confused.

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 30, 2011 2:41 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

what? he gets another 250,000 grand if fumbles one more time this season..

" Mike Brown is the owner that Cincy doesn't deserve, not the one it needs..."

by palewook on Dec 30, 2011 2:42 PM EST up reply actions

don't worry

his next contract will have a fumble deduction clause.

"At the very end, somebody took a dump right where I stood in the dugout every day." Dusty Baker

by featherman on Dec 30, 2011 5:08 PM EST up reply actions

Just dropped by the ratbirds site

Those guys are really confident about this game. I know we are all pulling for our own respected team but if they think this is a gimmie game they’re in for a bad day. Nobody needs this more than us. WHO DEY!!!

by Bigcatdaddy on Dec 30, 2011 1:25 PM EST via Android app reply actions