Ravens resting players ahead of final regular season game, ready for playoffs
BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens are getting ready to play their last game before the playoffs. The team will host the Pittsburgh Steelers when they come to town on Saturday.
WJZ Sports Director Mark Viviano met with the Ravens in Owings Mills and has an update on the Ravens gameplan at quarterback.
There's a lot of history to the Ravens-Steelers match-up, but this week rest takes precedence over rivalry.
Lamar Jackson is handing the starting quarterback duties over to Tyler Huntley who will start for the first time this season. Huntley has had eight starts over the past two seasons—filling in for Jackson when he was hurt or sick.
Huntley has played in three games this season. In all of those appearances, he was the relief for Lamar.
With the Ravens leading big, Saturday's game matters for the Steelers. They have to win but with the Ravens locked into the top playoff seed, Jackson will serve as a spectator.
"I'm cool with it," he said. "Me and coach talked about it. I felt like it was best for the both of us to sit me for this run."
Jackson said that he believed Huntley could get the job done.
"We have guys who can go out there and ball out," he said. "I have all the faith in my team."
Jackson is one of several Ravens starters who are expected to sit out on Saturday and take extra time to rest or heal from injuries ahead of the playoffs.
Zay Flowers, Marlon Humphrey, and Kyle Hamilton are among those who did not practice on Wednesday.
"You just kind of consider all things. There's not really any one thing that goes into it," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "Just all things considered, it seemed to be the right thing to do. You have conversations with Lamar [Jackson] and others, and you make the decision."
With the Ravens and Steelers playing on Saturday, WJZ's Purple Pregame will air on Saturday this week.
Former Ravens wide receiver Qadry Ismail will join Viviano at 11:30 a.m. for the latest in Ravens news leading up to the kickoff.