Excerpt taken from Sportsnetwork.com for reading purposes only:
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
The outcome of this game could depend on if Green is able to go. He has put together a few big outings against the Ravens, with Week 1 being no exception.
Green made a 77-yard catch in the fourth quarter of that victory to erase a one-point deficit, juggling and hauling in a pass that was actually tipped by a Ravens defender.
The dynamic wide out has 27 catches for 465 yards in six career games against the Ravens with 50-plus yard touchdown catches in each of the last three meetings.
"You have to assume that any player on any team that might have a chance to play, you have to prepare for him, because he could be out there," said Harbaugh. "But you always look and see in the injury report and see whether they practiced or not."
Green did not, in fact, practice on Wednesday, but has not been ruled out. Lewis noted on Monday that Green had made a lot of progress and the receiver was able to some running on the rehab field Wednesday, but the club can't afford to rush him back early just because it is struggling.
"It's up to when he's physically ready to go," said Lewis. "That decision is not in my hands. When he is significantly healed he'll be ready to play. He'll know it, I'll know it, and then he'll be ready to move forward."
Without Green last weekend, the Bengals went 1-for-13 on third downs and Kevin Huber came out to punt 11 times.
Baltimore's defense will try to get into the face of Dalton and mirror its effort from the last two games. Linebacker Elvis Dumervil has been at the charge of the attack, logging five sacks in his last four games with two against the Falcons.
Dumervil also recovered a fumble caused by one of outside linebacker Pernell McPhee's two sacks on the day.
"The first couple weeks have been more a hit and kind of getting to the guy, and then obviously, sacks come in bunches," said Dumervil. "True sack artists know that. So, we just have to continue to be disruptive. And obviously, the guys in the back end helping us with coverage is definitely huge."
The Ravens did not sack Dalton in Week 1 as the Bengals quarterback threw for 301 yards on 25-of-38 passing.
"I wouldn't say they're a whole lot different," Dalton said of Baltimore's defense from Week 1 to now. "They're really sound, they're smart, they play well. We've got to be ready for everything just like we were the first week of the season. They've won a lot of games so far, so we've got to do what we can to slow them down, and do what we can to win this one."
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