LDN - Sports

Preview: Ravens at Packers

[November 18, 2017] Gracenote

Aaron Rodgers is progressing nicely in his rehabilitation from a broken collarbone, but the Green Bay Packers might not be in the playoff race anymore by the time he gets back. The Packers will try to pick up a second consecutive win and stay within sight of the contenders in the NFC when they host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

Rodgers is eligible to come off injured reserve in Week 15 and was seen doing some work with trainers this week on the side, though he will not be eligible to return to team practices for another two weeks. "I think he's making really good progress," Packers coach Mike McCarthy told reporters of Rodgers. "I know the training staff and the strength and conditioning staff are very pleased with where he is. He's moving right along." The Ravens have their own quarterback issues with longtime starter Joe Flacco struggling to get the offense moving consistently. "What is there to say about our offense right now?" Flacco asked reporters. "I think we all can see the obvious when you go out and watch the games on Sunday. We're not performing at the level that we need to, to win football games. It doesn't really matter what you say. It's pretty obvious as to what people see, and we know that. That's why we're working on getting better."

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Ravens -2. O/U: 38

ABOUT THE RAVENS (4-5): Baltimore is last in the NFL in passing at an average of 165.7 yards and 5.3 yards per attempt but could get another weapon back this week in running back Danny Woodhead. Woodhead went down with a hamstring injury in the season opener but is eligible to come off injured reserve this week and has been practicing with the team. "It's an opportunity for Joe to have someone to work underneath a little bit, to drop the ball down to when he needs to, to run screens, to put out there as a wide receiver and create matchup issues for people," Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters of Woodhead. "That's the kind of guy that we're looking for when we signed him. So, we signed him for a reason, and it's going to be nice to have him on the field."

[to top of second column]

ABOUT THE PACKERS (5-4): Brett Hundley is starting at quarterback in Rodgers' absence and earned his first win last week by throwing for 212 yards and a touchdown in a 23-16 triumph at Chicago. That touchdown and 90 of those yards went to wide receiver Davante Adams, who was targeted a total of 18 times by Hundley in the last two games. "There's a lot of talking, a lot of game-planning, a lot of just drawing on the board or just talking on the way to meetings about certain routes," Adams told reporters. "Just the small things like that and paying attention to it has led to the success we've had so far."

EXTRA POINTS

1. Packers RBs Ty Montgomery (ribs) and Aaron Jones (knee) have been held out of practice this week and are questionable.

2. Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley (concussion) was limited in practice this week and is questionable.

3. Green Bay S Morgan Burnett (groin) is danger of missing his second straight game.

PREDICTION: Packers 28, Ravens 17

Back to top