NOTEBOOK: McGahee Out for Steelers

As the 2007 campaign dwindles down on the Ravens, their injury list seems to keep growing. Running back Willis McGahee will not play next week against the Pittsburgh Steelers with cracked ribs, while Troy Smith is expected to make his second-career start in the season finale.

Smith started for the first time Sunday in Seattle for Kyle Boller, who sat out after suffering a mild concussion two weeks ago. Despite a solid performance from Smith in Baltimore's 27-6 loss to the Seahawks, head coach Brian Billick left the door open for Boller to return to the field, but will monitor the incumbent's health throughout the week.

Still, Billick affirmed that the Ravens would practice with Smith at the helm regardless of Boller's status. Smith finished 16-of-33 for 199 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions against Seattle.

"[Team doctors] will not put [Kyle] out there, even in practice, unless he is completely cleared and safe to go," Billick said in his weekly Monday press conference. "So, that being the case, not knowing how his progression would be during the week, it's likely that Troy will get another start. We'll prepare the game plan with Troy being the starter in mind."

McGahee left Sunday's outing after five carries. He was slow to get off the turf after pounding a 1-yard run up the middle. Further examination by the Ravens' medical team revealed two cracked ribs.

The injury ends an otherwise stellar season from the multi-talented running back. He finishes his first year as a Raven with 1,207 yards on the ground, the third time he has crossed the 1,000-yard mark in his career.

Billick said that Mike Anderson would initially be the primary back to replace McGahee, but Anderson, who totaled 44 yards on eight carries and lost a fumble against the Seahawks, is nursing a thigh injury.

If Anderson cannot play, the Ravens would turn to Musa Smith and Cory Ross to tote the football.

"I can't offer much by way of [knowing] until we get through the week to see where [Anderson] is with that," stated Billick. "But, obviously, he, Musa, and then Cory Ross would come into the picture as well."

In addition, tight end Quinn Sypniewski suffered his second concussion of the year and a bruised sternum in Seattle, and left the game in the fourth quarter.

Because both Todd Heap, who has been inactive for nine of the past 11 games due to a hamstring injury, and Daniel Wilcox, who was inactive last weekend with a thigh, also could be held out against Pittsburgh, the Ravens would only have one active tight end in Lee Vickers, with rookie Jake Nordin on the practice squad.

Billick chuckled when asked about the possibility of signing another tight end before the weekend.

"This late? On Christmas? Some guy opening presents tomorrow morning that's not taken a snap in the NFL? I don't think [so]," he said. "We'll have to find some other answer if Quinn can't go. We've got Lee Vickers, and we'll have to adapt based on that personality. I don't know that we could bring in anybody right now that would be able to step in and be able to perform."

This new batch of injuries comes days after cornerback Samari Rolle (shoulder) was placed on Injured Reserve, joining fellow former Pro Bowlers Trevor Pryce (chest), Chris McAlister (knee) and Steve McNair (shoulder) and pushing the total number of players on the list to nine.

Billick Giving Ogden Space

The scuttlebutt surrounding the potential retirement of Jonathan Ogden has started up once again, but Billick is going to encourage the stalwart veteran to take his time in deciding when to end his career.

"He deserves to – like we all will do – step back from this experience and sort out [and say], ‘OK, what do I want to do now?'" said Billick. "For a veteran of his stature and experience, it is always about if he can continue to play. No one would argue that, I would think."

NFL players, coaches and fans would seem to agree, considering Ogden was recently voted to his 11 consecutive Pro Bowl.

"Certainly his Pro Bowl selection is an indicator to everybody that he can continue to play probably for as long as he wants to," explained the coach. "I don't know that Jonathan's made a definitive decision. I don't know that he's shared that with anybody. So, we'll give him the proper respect that he's due to kind of decide what he wants to do going forward."

Ogden, who injured his hamstring against the Seahawks, admitted last week that the thought had crossed his mind, but that he was far off from making a decision to hang up his cleats.

"There are a lot of different things, just a lot of things - family, [for example]," he said. "That's why it takes the full time, that's why I can't just say right now. I don't know whether to back me up more or not. It's probably going to be primarily how I'm feeling health-wise, but I don't know. Just kind of take it from there and see how it goes."

Billick's Use of Time

On the Seahawks' final series, with backup Seneca Wallace handing off to running back Maurice Morris on seven of eight plays to kill the clock, Billick called two timeouts in order to give the Ravens one final possession under the two-minute warning.

Many thought this was puzzling considering Baltimore was down 27-6 at that point.

Billick said he spoke to Seattle coach Mike Holmgren about his intentions after the game. With the rookie Smith at the helm, Billick wanted to make the most out of the quarterback's playing time.

"Mike understood," Billick explained. "I said, ‘Hey, man, I'm sorry, but I need to get this young guy as many snaps as I can.' And, Mike was, ‘Hey, [I've] been there. [I] know that.' He tried to get Seneca Wallace some reps the last couple of years, so Mike understood completely what we were trying to do. [To get] two, three, four more reps – excellent."

Notable

Billick has been known to speak to colleagues in the coaching world about the ups and downs of the profession, but he acknowledged that the conversation flows a lot easier when that coach is winning. "I've been on the reverse side of that as well," he said. "You sit and visit with them before a game, so that's kind of a typical scenario. We've all kind of been through it, to one degree or another. There's a knowing [look], there's a nod, a recognition that [implies], ‘Yeah, brother, I feel your pain; [I've] been there. Glad it's you, not me,' that you recognize in this profession."…Despite giving up 10 sacks in the past three weeks, Billick sees positives in a young offensive line that starts two rookies - guard Ben Grubbs and tackle Marshal Yanda - on the right side, and has seen rookie tackle Jared Gaither and second-year guard/center Chris Chester see ample playing time this season. "All those are a cumulative asset for us going forward," Billick stated. "We started the year talking about the potential for a young line to develop and, as most good lines are, a group that's been around each other for a while. So, that is clearly a potential for this group going forward and is one of the bright spots that we can pull out of this year that will manifest itself next year."