PLAYER NOTES
–QB Joe Flacco (hip) did not practice Wednesday after he missed his second straight game in Week 12 against the Raiders. Head coach John Harbaugh is uncertain whether the veteran quarterback will be able to return to practice this week. If Flacco is inactive, Lamar Jackson will make his third straight start.
–T James Hurst (back) is practicing for the first time since Oct. 20. He has missed five consecutive games. Hurst is a valuable lineman capable of playing multiple positions.
–S Tony Jefferson had to leave the game twice in Week 12 against the Raiders with an ankle injury. Afterward, he was wearing a walking boot in the locker room. Jefferson was replaced by Chuck Clark. Jefferson did not know if the injury is serious or his status moving forward.
–CB Tavon Young (groin) was still not able to practice Wednesday after being ruled inactive in Week 12 against the Raiders. Young missed all of last season with a knee injury.
–RB Alex Collins (foot) was not able to practice Wednesday after missing the previous game against the Raiders. Rookie Gus Edwards has stepped into the starting role with Collins sidelined. Collins leads the team with 411 yards on 114 carries with seven touchdowns.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: S Chuck Clark. The second-year player will get the start against the Falcons if Tony Jefferson is inactive because of an ankle injury suffered the previous game against the Raiders. Clark entered the game and played 27 offensive snaps. He finished with four tackles (three solo). Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was impressed with Clark’s performance. He was on point, made a number of tackles, was in great position,” Harbaugh said. “He played very well for us, and if Tony can’t go – and Tony is a notorious quick healer; he healed quickly last week – then I think Chuck is a very solid player for us back there and will play well.”
GAME PLAN: The Ravens could have a dramatically different look, depending on whether rookie Lamar Jackson or Joe Flacco gets the start at quarterback. If Jackson gets the start for the third straight game, the Ravens will pound the ball against the Falcons’ run defense that is ranked 25th, allowing 123.7 yards per game. If Flacco is able to return from his hip injury, the Ravens will take more shots deep downfield with receivers John Brown, Michael Crabtree and Willie Snead IV looking to get behind the secondary. However, the Ravens’ running attack will be crucial to this game. In the last two games since the bye, Baltimore has risen from 27th in rushing to 11th in the league.
Overall, that Ravens’ resurgent running attack has helped the defense. Over the past two games, the Ravens have run for more than 200 yards and dominated time of possession. This kept the team’s defenders fresh late in the game to make big plays and close out a pair of victories. Baltimore will look to keep the Falcons, who are ranked seventh in the NFL, averaging 400 yards per game, off the field as much as possible. Baltimore has the league’s No. 1 overall defense but it will face a bigger challenge this week than the last two opponents — the Bengals and Raiders.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Ravens secondary vs. Falcons QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones. Ryan leads the NFL with 3,683 passing yards. He has also passed for 24 touchdowns with just five interceptions. Jones is the league’s top receiver with 1,305 yards with three touchdowns. Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey will likely be assigned to shut down Jones. The Ravens’ secondary could be playing short-handed if S Tony Jefferson cannot play because of an ankle injury. If Jefferson is scratched, second-year player Chuck Clark will have to provide support against Jones.
–Ravens RB Gus Edwards vs. Falcons DL. Edwards made his first start in place of the injured Alex Collins (foot) and finished with 118 yards and a touchdown against the Raiders. The undrafted rookie became the first Ravens player to have consecutive 100-yard games since Justin Forsett in 2015. Edwards will likely start again against the Falcons’ struggling run defense. Atlanta does not have one player ranked in the top 40 for tackles. As a result, Edwards will get an opportunity to pick up his third straight 100-yard game.
