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Who Plays At Quarterback?

This is unfamiliar territory for the Ravens. Since Joe Flacco came to Baltimore in 2008, the Ravens haven’t had to worry about who would be under center to start a game. It was No. 5 every time – 122 straight games. Now, Matt Schaub is banged up and listed with a chest injury and Head Coach John Harbaugh said Jimmy Clausen could end up seeing time. The Ravens offense doesn’t change, but it’s not a good situation to be in.

Ravens Offensive Line

Baltimore’s offensive line could be even more short-handed against the Seahawks. Left tackle Eugene Monroe is still dealing with a shoulder injury that will keep him sidelined, and now right tackle Rick Wagner has an ankle issue. That could force James Hurst and De’Ondre Wesley into action. John Urschel will get his fourth straight start in place of Jeremy Zuttah at center. The Seahawks will bring plenty of pass-rush firepower with defensive ends Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, who each have 7.5 sacks this season.

Containing Russell Wilson

The Seahawks offense has been on fire, averaging 34.5 points per game over the past four weeks. A lot of that has been because of Wilson, who has thrown 11 touchdowns in the past three games and is now just 3 yards short of 3,000 for the season. Wilson’s 106.2 quarterback rating is third-best in the NFL, only trailing Cincinnati’s Andy Dalton and Arizona’s Carson Palmer. But the Ravens can’t just worry about Wilson’s arm. Wilson is a dynamic threat with his legs too, as he’s rushed 86 times for 450 yards.

Facing The “Legion Of Boom”

The Ravens were the ones doing a lot of the trash talking when Steve Smith Sr. was around. It would have been a great smack-talk showdown between cornerback Richard Sherman had Smith still be on the field. Now, Sherman will likely be jawing at Kamar Aiken. It will be interesting to see how the usually quiet, yet passionate, Aiken responds. The Ravens’ injury-depleted wide receiver corps will have one of its toughest challenges of the year against Seattle’s “Legion Of Boom” secondary.

How Competitive The Game Stays

Given the Ravens’ massive amount of injuries and that Seattle is one of the hottest teams in the league, many pundits are predicting that Baltimore’s NFL record 12-game streak of one-score games may come to an end. Some Vegas oddsmakers have the Seahawks favored by more than nine points. Despite a tough season, the Ravens still have a lot of pride and will fight until the very end. They’ll be looking to pull off the upset in front of their home fans.