Baltimore Ravens: RB Ricky Williams
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There is no doubt that the Baltimore Ravens rely heavily on Ray Rice, and rightfully so. He is the heart and soul of the offense. In the game last week against the Houston Texans, Rice got his 25 touches (21 rushes and four pass receptions), which kept him very involved in the flow of the game. The end results for his 25 touches probably wasn't as effective as what the Ravens were hoping to see.
For the game, Rice gained only 60 yards in his 21 rushes. That amounts to a below-average 2.9 yards per rush, which is the kind of results that will prevent the Ravens from advancing past the AFC Championship game. Enter Ricky Williams. If for some reason Rice is showing that he is having trouble picking up big yards, don't be surprised to see Ricky Williams getting more carries.
Last weekend, Williams spelled Rice and carried the ball three straight plays to generate a first down and keep the chains moving. For the game, Williams had six carries for 27 yards, which comes out to a healthy 4.5 yards per rush. That is the kind of production that the Ravens need from their running game, especially if they want to keep Tom Brady on the sidelines and their offense out on the field.