The worst-case scenario played out, as the Ravens will be without five of their top starters Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Guard Marshal Yanda (shoulder), left tackle Ronnie Stanley (foot), wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. (ankle), linebacker C.J. Mosley (thigh) and linebacker Elvis Dumervil (foot) are all inactive against the Giants. Top returner Devin Hester Sr. (thigh) is also out.
That's a combined 20 Pro Bowls that will be on Baltimore's sideline.
Add it up, and the Ravens have a steep hill to climb against the New York Giants, who are facing Baltimore at just the right time. Baltimore is trying to snap a two-game losing skid while New York has dropped three straight.
Baltimore's offensive line, which has already yielded too much pressure so far this season, will have three players who didn't start the season at that spot.
It will likely be rookie fourth-round pick Alex Lewis at left tackle, and John Urschel at left guard for the second straight game. On the right side, tackle Rick Wagner (thigh) was good enough to go, but Ryan Jensen or Vladimir Ducasse will have to step in at right guard.
They have the job of trying to give quarterback Joe Flacco enough time to get the offense going under new Offensive Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg.
It's the first game Yanda has missed since 2012. It will be the third straight game that Stanley, the No. 6-overall pick, will sit.
With Smith out, the Ravens will likely rely on Kamar Aiken more. Aiken has caught just 11 passes for 28 yards this year after a breakout 2015 campaign.
With Mosley sidelined, the Ravens will have to reshuffle their linebacker corps, and will likely move Albert McClellan inside and give more snaps to rookie fifth-round pick Matthew Judon, second-year linebacker Za'Darius Smith and rookie second-round pick Kamalei Correa.
It's the first game Mosley will miss in his three years in the league.
Dumervil was ruled out on Friday, as he's still having issues resulting from an offseason procedure on his foot/ankle area.
With Hester out, the Ravens could turn to safety Lardarius Webb, rookie running back Kenneth Dixon, rookie wide receiver Chris Moore or somebody else to be their returner.
The Giants scratched just two starters: right tackle Marshall Newhouse and safety Nat Berhe. Their other inactives are safety Darian Thompson, linebacker Deontae Skinner, rookie first-round cornerback Eli Apple, wide receiver Tavarres King and quarterback Josh Johnson.
