The Baltimore Ravens have a big game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, and they could go into it without one of their biggest players.
Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata suffered a sprained ankle against the Denver Broncos and didn't practice Wednesday, leaving his availability for Sunday against the Bengals unclear.
The team is usually mum about player injuries, but Ravens coach John Harbaugh says he's hoping for the best.
"I'm anticipating Haloti is getting ready to play against the Bengals," Harbaugh said. "It's a sprained ankle. We're hopeful that he'll be there, and there is a good chance he will. If not, someone else will play."
That "someone else" would be Justin Bannan, who had a good game against the Broncos on Sunday but isn't the kind of disruptive force in the middle that Ngata is. The Ravens, who have already lost once to the Bengals and don't want to fall two games behind in the division, hope they have that disruptive force on Sunday.
Ravens' Ngata could miss Bengals game
Posted by Michael David Smith on November 5, 2009 9:52 AM ET
Haloti running going to be done by Cedric Benson... Bengals 45 - Ravens - Ngata
I would be shocked if Ngata doesn't play. The guy is a gamer. But with or without him the Ravens will shut down Benson and the Bengals.
Cedric Benson rushed 27 times for 120 yards and a touchdown the first game. Ngata being hurt is bad enough, gonna be worse if he can't play.
Benson by half
1st half 2nd half
Att 15 12
Yards 58 62
Avg 3.9 5.2
My fingers are crossed, I don't see him missing this game over a sprained ankle but i guess I've seen players miss bigger games for less.
I hope he plays... don't want any excuses from favens fans when Cincy cleans their clocks!
"They'll shut down Benson and the Bengals"
Right, they really proved they can do that 10/11 didn't they? Honestly, we don't need another 100 yd plus game from Benson to win, Bengals just need to utilize him to get 3rd and shorts and use up clock. Chad and Vern and Chris and Bubba are who's gonna hurt the Ravens, hell I'll even give a shout out to JP Foschi this week. Ravens secondary gets torched, Palmer throws for 300 plus and three TD's.
you bungles fans make me laugh. you haven't done squat from squano in years. you finally have a performing team, barely beat us and now your thumping your chests like you won a superbowl. 2 RB's have rushed for > 100 yards on the ravens in the last few years. yes, benson was one of them. lets see what he does this time. and until you've hoisted a Lombardi or at least made it to the AFC championship you need to STFU.
ravens-ngata . . . that's funny
i still think the ravens will win, they gave cincy no respect in the first game. i don't think they'll make the same mistake again.
oh yes, and btw - when are you great fans of the bungles going to start buying game tickets. as of this morning there were 3500 tickets left to be had. great fan base. really give a $hit about the team huh? The last time the Ravens didn't sell out a game was..... NEVER as in Nevermore which is what you will be after the game.
Funny you should say anything to say about fan bases. PPDOC13, the Bengals have sold out what? 48 games in a row now? I can't imagine what the Baltimorons would do if their team sucked for more than a year or two.. they'd probably be moved out of town in the middle of the night.. How soon you forgot about the Colts... you dolt
Hey ppd0313 the only reason you haven't sold out a game is because you have only been around for the last 10 years!!! Do I have to remind you that you were the BROWNS!!!! hahahaha what a joke, you aren't a franchise!
ppdoc13:
First of all, the Bengals have been to TWO AFC Championship games. Know your history before you attempt to state any facts.
Secondly, the Bengals are 7-3 against you guys with Palmer. Talk about domination.
i love how people rag on the Ravens. Ten years in the league and they've accomplished more than everyone in the division but the steelers. the ravens and steelers are the class of the afc north while cincy and cleveland are the ass of the afc north
you guys are a joke. we have been in the league for 12 years. the first 3 years sucked. we have sold out EVERY game.
if you throw out the hiccup year with carson palmer getting his knee trashed the team has sucked for a couple of decades.
meanwhile here in bmore we have a lombardi a couple of afc north titles, a couple of afc championship games etc....
palmer plays very well against us. i'm not afraid to admit it. it just is laughable reading the fans of the bungles who finally have a good team, not selling out their stadium and talking trash when they have NEVER won a championship. $hit the last time you were really good Icky Woods was your running back and Collinsworth was wearing wide lapels.
Bengals fans,
You say the only reason we sellout games is because it's easy to do when you're winning...
Well, what's your excuse then?!?!?! You guys are in 1st!!! you're a contender, and you're not gonna sell out a huge divisional game!!!! In trying to justify your lack of a fan base, you made yourselves look really stupid.
I am a Ravens season ticket holder and even the year we went 5-11 we were still breaking attendance records and always sold out!!
I was born and raised in Cincinnati and my father had season tickets since 1968 at Nippert. The bengals are an excellent franchise with a great fan base. unfortunately i live in Cleveburgh but thankfully am able to mess with these browns fans on a daily basis. i just want to comment on how surprised i am that we have not sold out this game either. that is ridiculous, i know the economy is bad but i know some fans can put some money together and get downtown. do what you can cinci, get those tickets purchased and support our squadron. this should be a very hard fought game, it looks like the bengals are the healthiest so i give us the advantage. Go Bengals!
Hey PPDOC13-
We have beaten you guys 7, thats right 7 out of the last 10 times. Thats a 70% win rate. The only hiccups were when Carson was out for the year. You Lombardi was so long ago I cant remember it. Good luck Sunday. And if you have never been a Bengals fan dont try and figure out why games arent selling out. We lost alot of season tix holders last year. And they economy is keeping it hard to sell those tickets off week in and week out, but rest assured it will sell out and more importantly than your little sell out mania is that we will win. And I think you know it.