The week got off to a rough start for the Ravens, as Wednesday they placed starting center Jeremy Zuttah on season-ending injured reserve due to a partially torn pectoral muscle.
“He had a pec issue before,” Harbaugh said. “I don’t know what the degree exactly, how you would say it, but he had a pec issue before, probably a strain. And this probably tore it a little more than what it was before.”
Harbaugh went on to name second-year lineman John Urschel the starter in Zuttah’s absence. Urschel, who struggled with snaps out of the shotgun after filling in for Zuttah in the past few weeks has been working on them throughout recent practices.
“Jeremy is one of our leaders, especially being at center, so it definitely hurts losing a guy like him,” said third-year player and now back-up center to Urschel, Ryan Jensen. “John will step up and do the job.”
Jensen, who has run with the scout team at the center position now bumps up the Ravens depth chart behind Urschel with the Ravens having just two healthy players that can play center. In a pinch, it could be three, if you include Marshal Yanda who has played the position in the past.
“Nothing really changes for me,” said Jensen. “I’ve been preparing every week like I could potentially be a starter and practicing getting ready for games like that where I could be one snap away. I come in every week thinking that’s always a possibility.”
Boyle Out
Rookie tight end Nick Boyle missed practice on Wednesday due to an injury, and was seen in the locker room following practice in a walking boot. Obviously the injury is deemed significant due to the team adding Chase Ford on Monday.
Boyle has been a bright spot for Ravens this season and appeared to be gaining the confidence of Joe Flacco more and more each week. The two are developing a solid rapport and Boyle figured to be more involved in the offense moving forward.
Against the Jaguars, the Ravens tight end corps consisting of Boyle, Crockett Gillmore and Maxx Williams had a solid outing despite ther lack of targets in the second half.
Harbaugh won’t speak to the media again until Friday so keep an eye on the injury report for updates on Boyle’s status moving forward.
Givens to face former team
While the storyline won’t be anything close to the ones written when Steve Smith Sr. took on his old team for the first time since donning a new uniform, one has to wonder if there will be a chip on young wideout Chris Givens‘ shoulder.
Traded to the Ravens in October for a conditional round draft pick, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said it was merely a numbers game not a progression issue when it came to trading Givens.
“I was not, in any way, disappointed with his progress,” explained Fisher during Wednesday’s conference call. “He’s a great team guy, can really run [and] had some big plays earlier in his career.
“Anytime we called on him and put the ball up in the air, it seemed like he was making a the play. We just had a numbers [issue at wide receiver], and when we called Ozzie and John, it was just a good deal for both teams.,” Fisher added. “There was a need there, and we had a surplus. I feel like anytime you get a surplus and you’ve got guys that can play, then [you should] give them a chance to play somewhere else. So, it’s a really good deal for both teams.”
Since his arrival in Baltimore, Givens has recorded 10 receptions on 17 targets for 143 yards and one touchdown.
Ravens preparing for local star Austin
When the Ravens square off against the Rams on Sunday they will likely have their hands full with former Dunbar standout Tavon Austin.
Austin, the eighth overall by pick by the Rams in the 2013 draft, has had his ups and downs during the early portion of his career but is a dangerous weapon, and one the Ravens secondary must not overlook.
“We were very interested,” remarked Harbaugh about the Ravens’ interest in Austin coming out of college. “He’s a guy we did a lot of work on and got to know him and his family. He went too high [in the draft for the Ravens to pick him].”
Appearing in 37 games for Jeff Fisher‘s Rams, the speedy wide receiver has 101 career receptions 965 total receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Austin also is a dangerous weapon in the punt return game.
“This guy is a playmaker in every way,” said Harbaugh when asked how his defense is preparing for the multi-threat player. “Start with the shots, double-moves shots downfield, and then they make him a ball carrier on the perimeter.”
Lately the shifty player has become involved in the Rams run game behind starting running back Todd Gurley.
“They Have Gurley-who is as talented a back as I’ve seen in a long time in this league as a rookie-running between the tackles and the stretch-zone play. Then you have to defend Tavon on all the fly sweeps and the reverses.
“Those two guys, they’ve done a very good job of using those two guys that way, and we’re going to have to have a plan for it.”
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