Ravens Friday Injury Report & Game Status

by Bruce Raffel on Nov 6, 2009 8:23 PM EST Comment 3 comments

Baltimore Ravens center Matt Birk sits on the bench with a cut on the nose during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass). NOTE: Birk is NOT on the Ravens Injury Report.

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The Baltimore Ravens released their final injury report after Friday's practice, which includes the players' game status for Sunday. Good to see that there are no Ravens listed a s"out" although Haloti Ngata still did not participate today, which makes his status very uncertain for Sunday.

Long snapper Matt Katula practiced today, which was also good news. I was a little surprised to see the long snapper listed as injured for an elbow problem. Ironically, I was reading my October issue of Playboy Magazine and specifically the article called "Bad to the Bone," about the Oakland Raiders of the '70's, considered the meanest, dirtiest, cheatingest team ever to win the Super Bowl. In the article, Raiders long time center, Jim Otto talked about his injuries and also doubled as the team's long snapper.

(See more about the Oakland Raiders' Jim Otto's comments after the 'Jump')

Otto said in the article:

"I did every snap for 308 games in a row. Long snaps, too. I practiced those till I could get the ball to the holder in seven tenths of a second, spinning just right so when he caught it the sweet side of the ball - the side away from the laces - was facing the kicker. I made every snap for 15 years. I played with broken fingers, ribs, a broken jaw, kicked-in teeth and pneumonia, and I broke my nose more than 20 times. I've had more than 50 surgeries, 12 knee replacements, two artificial shoulders. I broke my back twice and then, in 2007, had my right leg amputated. But I understood the risks when I played. It was worth it."

Guess Matt Katula's injury no longer sounds so bad. Toughen up, Katula!

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Ravens fans coming to the game on Sunday could you tell me if everyone is grouped together in one section or are you spread all over stadium? Just let me know on here what Section most of you are going to be sitting in would like to be able to get in the same section with everyone.

by CincinnatiRavensfan on Nov 6, 2009 9:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

1st- i was just kidding the bunglehole fans about having a large group heading out to the game. there is no bus of 50.

2nd-Bruce, the family man, PUT THE PLAYBOY DOWN and step out of the bathroom with your hands up.

by raven on Nov 6, 2009 10:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

According to ProFootbalTalk.com....

Haloti Ngata expects to play
Posted by Michael David Smith on November 6, 2009 7:13 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata didn’t practice all week and is listed as questionable with a sprained ankle, but he expects to play on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

“It feels great. Actually, it feels pretty good,” Ngata said today. “There’s not much swelling or anything. Just stiffness and soreness. So hopefully, we can get it full to go, and I’ll go for it.”

Ravens coach John Harbaugh had said earlier this week that he was hopeful that Ngata could go but unsure if he could.

The 6-foot-4, 345-pound Ngata has started every single game since the Ravens drafted him in 2006, and he’s one of the Ravens’ most important players, particularly in his ability to clog up the middle against the run — something the Ravens need to do against Bengals running back Cedric Benson.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Nov 7, 2009 8:51 AM EST reply actions 0 recs