The Baltimore Ravens will be without their top two running backs when they faceoff with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday afternoon even though they are both eligible to play according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
Both players were eligible to come off the Reserve/COVID-19 list in time for the game per the protocol because 10 days had passed since they tested positive if they were asymptotic. Even though they were deemed eligible to play, there was never a guarantee that either would be activated.
There was some speculation that perhaps Dobbins would be activated, and Ingram would be given some additional rest but not it’s clear that Baltimore will be without both since neither traveled to Pittsburgh with the team on Tuesday.
Third-year pro Gus Edwards is expected to get the starting nod at running back and be the bell cow with some healthy doses of second-year pro Justice Hill as well. These two talented backs combined for 169 yards and a touchdown in Week 17 last year against a Steelers defense that had everything to play for.
Edwards has started the Ravens’ last matchups with their bitter division rivals dating back to last season and has averaged over 100 yards rushing, nearly six yards per carry, and scored a touchdown from one yard out in Week Eight of this year.
The Ravens will likely promote rookie Ty’Son Williams from the practice squad to serve as the third running back and play on special teams. Williams signed with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent out of BYU.
The offense as a whole will be led by veteran quarterback Robert Griffin who will be making his second start in a Ravens uniform because reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson remains on the Reserve/COVID-19 after testing positive last Thursday on Thanksgiving when the game was originally slated to be played.
While many pundits around the country aren’t giving Griffin and a Ravens team that is shorthanded on both sides of the ball much of a chance to pull off an upset this in this game, the last game the Steelers lost was to this same quarterback with a similar supporting cast in the aforementioned season finale.
Baltimore will also be without veteran nose tackle Brandon Williams for a second straight game after he was declared out on Tuesday with an ankle injury that he suffered early in the team’s Week 10 loss to the New England Patriots.
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