Baltimore Ravens Ray Rice not expected to play against Bengals

According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Baltimore Ravens are not expected to play star running back Ray Rice with the AFC North already clinched. Rice could do with the rest, even though the Ravens didn’t used him as much this season due to Cam Cameron’s confounding desire to not give his best player the ball.

Dec 23, 2012; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (27) runs for a touchdown against the New York Giants in the second quarter during the game at M

Bernard Pierce will be getting the rock for the Ravens, and the rookie out of Temple has been great this season when given the chance to carry the ball. Pierce is averaging over five yards per carry (5.2 to be exact) and had a huge game last week against the New York Giants. The rookie back carried the ball 14 times for a whopping 123 rushing yards, and he will likely have another big day against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Rice also had a huge game against the Giants with 107 rushing yards on 24 carries in a workman-like performance, and the star also managed to haul in six passes from Joe Flacco for 51 receiving yards and a touchdown. If Rice does indeed miss today’s game against the Bengals, he will finish the season with 1,138 rushing yards (a solid 4.5 yards per rush) and ten total touchdowns (nine rushing, one receiving). He has caught 61 passes for 478 receiving yards this season as well and continues to be arguably the best all-purpose back around.

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