John Harbaugh: If Eugene Monroe is confident with offense, he'll play against Dolphins

Eugene Monroe is still growing accustomed to his new team, the Baltimore Ravens.

Likewise, the Ravens are getting a good feel for how Monroe likes to practice and prepare in his own way. Both have a goal in mind, to prepare in the best way to win ballgames.

Monroe's hoping his approach, combined with learning a new playbook as fast as possible, will get him on the field this Sunday against Miami.

"I see the challenges just being the learning curve — coming into a different offense with different terminology," Monroe told reporters this week. "A lot of things on the O-line, as far as techniques and assignments, have some similarities, but when you're speaking a different language, you have to be on page with the other guys or it's not going to be a good outcome. So, overcoming the learning curve and getting acclimated with how things are done around here is going to be the big challenge."

With the Ravens averaging just 2.6 yards per carry, they need Monroe to step in and aid an offensive line that's struggled to run the ball.

Right tackle Michael Oher, who was in the same 2009 draft class as Monroe, has been friends with the former Jaguars tackle dating back to when the two were in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl together in high school.

Oher said Monroe's got a bright football mind and should be able to pick up on Baltimore's offense rather quickly.

"It shouldn't take too long," Oher said. "You got power plays, inside zone and outside zone, pass blocking. It's all football for a lineman. It shouldn't take him too long to get acclimated."

In a perfect scenario for the coaches and offensive line, Monroe starts this week and the unit doesn't look back. But inevitably, there will be an acclimation process, even for a player entering his fifth NFL season.

It seems coach John Harbaugh is leaning toward playing Monroe, whether he starts or not. It also appears that Monroe will have an input in what his role is on Sunday too.

If he feels confident that he can execute ... The good thing is he knows what it's like to play," Harbaugh told reporters Friday. "If he gives us feedback, and he says he's comfortable and can go, I would think we'd be very confident that he knows what he's talking about. If he can translate what we do to what he's done in the past and just carry it right over - what degree he can do that - we'd be confident in his thought on that."