Ravens will start rookie on offensive line also
PITTSBURGH – Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick didn’t say much when asked about the rookie right tackle making his first start for the Steelers. Billick has offensive line problems of his own. “We are in the same position,” he said. “We have a young guy that is probably going to step in for Jonathan Ogden, so I imagine their guys are going to be a little energized about that.”
Not Joey Porter. The Steelers’ outside linebacker spends most of his time trying to get around the Ravens’ All-Pro left tackle, but he’s not happy about the injury, or “energized.”
“If we go out there and win the game, I don’t want to hear that we didn’t have so-and-so in the game,” Porter said. “I want you to put your best people on the field and let’s go, because in a rivalry game, when you’re trying to get some revenge, there’s no time for excuses.”
The Ravens have been without left guard Edwin Mulitalo since the fourth game of the season and would be forced to use second-year man Adam Terry at left tackle if Ogden’s toe injury keeps him out.
The 6-foot-9, 345-pound Ogden was just named to his 10th consecutive Pro Bowl.
“They like to run behind him a lot, so they’d definitely lose that,” Porter said. “Ogden’s more than just a big old ogre, a big old guy, so you’ve got to really be ready to work when you’re going against him.”
Ogden is listed as questionable for the Ravens, as are center Mike Flynn (thigh), tight end Todd Heap (thigh), wide receiver Derrick Mason (thigh), cornerback Samari Rolle (neck), safety Gerome Sapp (thigh) and tight end Daniel Wilcox (knee/back). They all missed a least a portion of Wednesday’s team practice.
Along with Max Starks, the Steelers who missed yesterday’s practice were safety Ryan Clark (doubtful/groin), center Jeff Hartings (probable/knee) and safety Andre Lott (ankle), who was just signed to the roster, along with practice-squad player Jovon Johnson, to replace Chad Brown and Chidi Iwuoma. Brown and Iwuoma were put on injured reserve and are done for the season.
Colclough to return
When Ricardo Colclough hurt his neck and was placed on injured reserve Oct. 7, his season was finished, and he thought his career might be, too. It turned out to be a false alarm.
“It’s just a slight (nerve) impingement,” said the third-year cornerback. “They thought they had to go in and do some surgery but it’s not going to be done because the strength in my hands is coming back.”
Colclough said he could be playing today had he not been placed on IR, but has resumed weightlifting and is already preparing for next season.
“It’s all going to work out for the best,” he said. “I’ll take my end-of-season physical and go from there.”